The framing of entrepreneurship education in policy and guidance: opportunities and challenges in the UK

Abstract The UK government, like many governments, has promoted entrepreneurship education (EE) to catalyse innovation, economic growth, and societal development through policy and guidance. However, it has been suggested that there is an incoherent picture as to what is meant by EE within policy and guidance, leading to calls to clarify exactly what EE policy and guidance is seeking to achieve. This research addresses these calls by reviewing the development of how EE in higher education has been framed within UK policy and guidance, and the opportunities and challenges that have come from this framing. The research demonstrates that whilst the UK has maintained a general emphasis and promotion of EE, policy and guidance have evolved from helping small business managers run their businesses to supporting start-ups and now supporting the creation of cultural, social, or economic value. This broadening of the framing of entrepreneurship education mainstreams its relevance to the masses but reduces its focus on start-ups, potentially misaligning with policymakers expected outcomes. Challenges and opportunities relating to the current UK policy and guidance are discussed, including the nebulous focus on skills, challenges in measuring cultural, social and economic value, a high degree of freedom for educators, funding challenges and limited identification of specific technologies. The paper posits that whilst the mainstreaming of EE is beneficial in reaching a larger audience, this paper contends that shifting the emphasis too far away from new venture creation may undermine the original goal of EE, confuse stakeholders, and increase blurring with business education.