Exploring the entrepreneurship education at application-oriented universities in China: a comprehensive survey

Amidst growing entrepreneurship concerns globally, entrepreneurship education (EE) hasbecome a critical component of higher education. This study evaluates the current state of EEat Application-Oriented Universities (AOUs) in Hebei Province, China, through acomprehensive questionnaire of 1747 students. The research aims to assess students’understanding of EE, evaluation of EE implementation, issues and challenges of EE implementation, and recommendations for EE improvement within the AOUs. The findings highlight a notable recognition of the importance of EE yet reveal significant shortcomings of EE implementation in student enthusiasm and institutional support, course content and teaching quality, practical guidance and incubation support, and external factors. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations to overcome these issues, advocating for refined educational policies, increased financial resources, and strengthened partnerships with the local business community to develop a more effective and sustainable EE framework.