Developing an entrepreneurship education model for application-oriented universities in Hebei, China: a mixed-method approach

The escalating global unemployment crisis has underscored entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic recovery and highlighted the pivotal role of Entrepreneurship Education (EE) in Higher Education Institutions. In China, Application-Oriented Universities (AOUs) face unique challenges in implementing EE, necessitating a tailored benchmarking model that aligns with their specific educational goals and institutional contexts. This study adopts a convergent-embedded mixed-methods design to develop an EE model specifically for Chinese AOUs. Quantitative strand: A survey involving 1,747 students and 38 faculty members across AOUs in Hebei Province provided broad insights into students’ entrepreneurial awareness, curriculum satisfaction, and gaps in institutional support systems. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative strand: A comprehensive policy analysis of Malaysia’s National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030, the Entrepreneurship Action Plan for HEIs (2021–2025), and the MOHE Guide to Entrepreneur-Integrated Education identified the key structural elements of national and institutional EE frameworks. This was complemented by a case study of Universiti Teknologi MARA, highlighting exemplary internal practices that could inform implementation in the Chinese AOU context. The two data sets were integrated through joint displays, aligning quantitative findings (e.g., limited use of incubation centers, inadequate funding access) with qualitative themes (e.g., multi-stakeholder governance, performance incentives) to guide model development. Findings reveal that AOUs require enhanced practical support, stronger industry collaboration, and better integration of EE into disciplinary curricula. In contrast, Malaysia’s coordinated, incentive-driven EE ecosystem provides transferable strategies that offer actionable value for Chinese institutions. Based on these integrated insights, the study proposes a comprehensive EE implementation model for AOUs, comprising a vision, mission, two strategic goals, three strategic thrusts, eight pillars, and 27 actionable initiatives across areas of leadership, internal capacity-building, and external engagement. The mixedmethods approach strengthens the model’s validity and provides a robust, contextsensitive roadmap for policymakers, institutional leaders, and educators seeking to implement and evaluate sustainable EE programs in China’s evolving higher education landscape.