Are entrepreneurs made on campus? The impact of entrepreneurial universities and graduates’ human capital on graduates’ occupational choice

Abstract

Many universities are becoming more entrepreneurial by supporting spin-off activities of students and staff, installing entrepreneurship programs and creating networks with local entrepreneurs. But how do these activities affect university graduates’ employment choices? By utilizing different data sources, this question is addressed in the present study. Information collected through a large-scale graduate survey, implemented by the International Centre for Higher Education Research-Kassel, is combined with a ranking system of entrepreneurial orientation among German universities and data on the workforce within the university region. Empirical analysis suggests that the likelihood of entering self-employment is significantly positively related to the entrepreneurial orientation of the university. On the individual level, work experience prior to studying increases the likelihood of graduates entering self-employment while no robust influence of human capital indicators is detected.