Value creation pedagogy across disciplines in higher education: Approaches and motivations

Value creation pedagogy (VCP) is a prominent approach in entrepreneurial education, defined as students learning through creating value for others. As higher education institutions (HEIs) strive to prepare students for global challenges like sustainability, inequality and employability, VCP offers a compelling approach linking academic learning to societal contribution. Most VCP research has focused on schools or student experiences rather than university educators. To explore how VCP is enacted in higher education and why, twelve diverse HEI cases in non-entrepreneurship settings were investigated, in which educators integrated VCP into courses or programmes. Cases in engineering, healthcare, pedagogy, business, humanities and natural sciences were identified through purposive sampling and examined via educator interviews. Findings revealed strong educator engagement and demonstrated how VCP supports educators and students to progress from problem ideation to real-world implementation. Varying notions of value emerged, shaping VCP practices and influencing the forms of value students create for others. Challenges also surfaced, highlighting educators’ responses to emotional, institutional and pedagogical demands when adopting student value creation as a learning mechanism. While VCP can be introduced gradually, institutional support remains essential. This systematic cross-case study contributes new insights and practical recommendations for integrating VCP across diverse contexts in HEIs. • Real-world learning fosters emotional growth and motivation in students. • Most educators work alone, without VCP communities or guidance. • Students need support in navigating uncertainty and stakeholder contact. • Start small and iterate: VCP evolves through years of practice and feedback. • Simulated stakeholders may help when real collaboration is unfeasible.