Analysis on Internal Driving Factors of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education (IEE) for College Students via Grey-DEMATEL Method

The IEE serves as a vital foundation for national economic development. However, it remains at a developmental stage in China and faces numerous challenges. Based on survey data from faculty and students, this study employs the Grey-DEMATEL method to conduct a quantitative analysis of fifteen key factors constraining college students’ IEE. The results indicate that imperfect multi-party collaboration systems and constraints of outdated traditional mindsets are the most significant causal factors, exerting the greatest influence on other constraints. Meanwhile, students’ lack of perseverance and inadequate infrastructure emerge as core resultant factors. Additionally, weak campus culture, uneven development levels among colleges, and constraints of traditional mindsets constitute the three highest-centrality key nodes. These factors exhibit significant systemic interconnections and are jointly influenced by regional culture and institutional environments. Based on the findings, this study proposes pathways to advance IEE, including establishing dynamic collaborative mechanisms, promoting mindset transformation, and optimizing resource allocation. This research outcomes can offer theoretical foundations and practical guidance for colleges and educational administrations in formulating differentiated policies.