Embedding GreenComp in Entrepreneurship Education for Engineers: a Qualitative Case Study of Sustainability-Oriented Entrepreneurship Learning

This qualitative case study explores the integration of the GreenComp framework into an entrepreneurship education course for engineering students. Situated at the intersection of sustainability education, entrepreneurial learning, and engineering curriculum, it investigates the course’s outcomes on students’ attitudes, skills and immediate intentions related to sustainable entrepreneurship, interpreted through the lens of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the EntreComp and GreenComp frameworks. Semi-structured interviews with seven participants revealed that the course broadened students’ perceptions of engineering, enhanced their entrepreneurial competences, and significantly increased awareness of the environmental impact of business activities. Students developed both technical and soft skills, gained confidence in their entrepreneurial abilities and reflected critically on their professional identities. Sustainability was not only seen as a moral imperative but also as a strategic asset in future venture creation. The study offers a pedagogical model for embedding sustainability into entrepreneurship education through applied, interdisciplinary learning and contributes to growing calls to align engineering curricula with contemporary environmental challenges. It extends previous research on sustainable entrepreneurship in engineering by focusing on the pedagogical embedding of sustainability competences.