Zhixin Yang¹ Hao Deng¹ Xiuyuan Shen² Nan Jiang^1*

¹School of Management Guangxi Minzu UniversityAbstract

²Guangxi Medical College

*Corresponding author: Nan Jiang

Email: yangzhixin97@126.com

Zhixin Yang Email:yzx121047@163.com

Hao Deng Email:denghao188@163.com

Xiuyuan Shen Email:18677053297@163.com

This study examines the cultivation of entrepreneurial competencies among university students through the lens of innovation and entrepreneurship education. By analyzing corporate requirements for entrepreneurial talents—including market insight, resource integration, risk resilience, and innovative thinking—the research evaluates the alignment between current university programs ‘objectives, content, methodologies, and evaluation systems and enterprise needs. The paper proposes four strategic approaches: 1) aligning educational goals with corporate demands, 2) restructuring curricula to match industry requirements, 3) innovating implementation methods through enterprise integration, and 4) refining evaluation mechanisms based on business needs. These strategies aim to achieve precise alignment between entrepreneurial education systems and corporate requirements, enhance students’ entrepreneurial capabilities, provide enterprises with demand-aligned talent, and foster collaborative development between innovation education and industry needs.

Keywords

Innovation and entrepreneurship education; enterprise needs; entrepreneurial competence; training system; competency development

Introduction

As a pivotal direction in higher education reform, innovation and entrepreneurship education primarily aims to cultivate talents with entrepreneurial spirit and capabilities to meet the growing demand for such professionals in economic and social development. However, current practices in some universities fail to adequately align with corporate needs, resulting in issues like overly generalized training objectives, disconnect between theoretical content and practical application, methods that inadequately enhance practical skills, and evaluation systems that miss key industry requirements. These shortcomings hinder both the development of students ‘entrepreneurial competencies and the fulfillment of enterprises’ talent needs. Establishing a student entrepreneurship training framework through a corporate demand-oriented approach can not only optimize the effectiveness of innovation education, boost students’ entrepreneurial capabilities and market competitiveness, but also provide enterprises with well-prepared talent. This strategy promotes deeper integration between higher education and socioeconomic development, carrying significant theoretical and practical implications.

The connotation reconstruction of college students’ entrepreneurial ability from the perspective of enterprise demand

Decomposition of entrepreneurial competence components in the dimension of enterprise needs

In the actual operation of enterprises, market expansion, resource allocation, risk management, and innovation-driven development are core requirements that directly shape the competency framework of entrepreneurial talents. When recruiting such professionals, HR departments typically prioritize market sensitivity, resource integration capabilities, risk resilience, and innovative thinking as key evaluation criteria. Through systematic analysis of entrepreneurial education literature and in-depth interviews with HR managers from 10 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we have established an element framework for college students’ entrepreneurial competencies. Market sensitivity encompasses accurate industry trend analysis and deep user demand exploration—such as identifying new market opportunities from policy adjustments or uncovering unmet needs through behavioral analytics. Resource integration capabilities refer to effectively consolidating dispersed assets like capital, talent, technology, and distribution channels, exemplified by combining university research with corporate market resources for entrepreneurial projects. Risk resilience involves managing uncertainties during startup phases, including timely strategy adjustments when projects face setbacks or securing alternative funding sources during cash flow constraints. Innovative thinking emphasizes unconventional approaches, such as drawing inspiration from cross-industry business models to develop competitive products or services. These elements are valued by enterprises because market sensitivity helps steer development direction, resource integration enhances operational efficiency, risk resilience reduces startup failure probabilities, and innovative thinking delivers sustainable competitive advantages.

Analysis of the logical convergence between innovation and entrepreneurship education and enterprise needs

The essence of innovation and entrepreneurship education lies in cultivating talents with entrepreneurial spirit and capabilities, which aligns closely with the human capital theory’s core perspective that education enhances talent competencies. Given that enterprises’ demand for entrepreneurial talents serves as a critical support for their operational development, innovation and entrepreneurship education precisely provides enterprises with talent resources that meet their needs by nurturing students ‘entrepreneurial abilities. The hierarchy of needs theory further explains that enterprises’ talent demands encompass basic execution capabilities, core innovation capabilities, and advanced strategic capabilities. The curriculum system of innovation and entrepreneurship education (such as entrepreneurship fundamentals, business model design, and risk management) precisely covers these levels, forming a precise alignment between capability cultivation and enterprise demands. In a university-local tech enterprise collaboration project, students participated in real enterprise operations throughout the process—from market research to product prototype development and resource integration. The enhanced market sensitivity, resource integration capabilities, and risk resistance demonstrated by students perfectly match the needs of entrepreneurial talents in enterprises. This practical case fully validates the logical congruence between innovation and entrepreneurship education and enterprise demands in reality.

The practical representation of integrating enterprise needs into the cultivation of college students’ entrepreneurial ability

Analysis of enterprise demand responsiveness at the level of training objectives

A review of educational objectives in university entrepreneurship programs (including training plans and syllabi) reveals that while most institutions mention entrepreneurial spirit and innovation capabilities, they fail to clearly define specific competencies required by enterprises, such as market insight and resource integration. Interviews with university administrators and faculty indicate that objective formulation primarily follows guidelines from education authorities and institutional talent development strategies, with enterprise feedback often remaining superficial rather than being genuinely incorporated into goal-setting. When comparing these objectives with corporate requirements for entrepreneurial talent, significant gaps emerge. Some universities overgeneralize their objectives by emphasizing abstract entrepreneurial traits without addressing practical operational needs, while others deviate from industry demands by prioritizing theoretical knowledge over practical skill development.

Assess the degree of enterprise demand matching at the cultivation level

An analysis of the curriculum system for innovation and entrepreneurship education in higher education institutions (covering core courses and practical courses) reveals that while most universities include foundational entrepreneurship and innovation management in their core courses, they inadequately address practical operational aspects such as business model design and market research. Practical courses predominantly focus on entrepreneurship competitions and simulation training, with insufficient integration of real-world corporate scenarios. Examination of textbook content shows that some materials still prioritize traditional entrepreneurship models, lagging in introducing emerging business models like live-streaming e-commerce and the sharing economy under the digital economy context, failing to reflect current corporate needs. Student feedback indicates that most learners find course content overly theoretical, lacking practical guidance for solving real business challenges, and struggling to directly apply business model design theories to actual corporate projects. Comparing course content with corporate demands reveals significant mismatches: insufficient coverage of operational processes, outdated textbook updates lagging behind industry changes, and content that fails to meet practical problem-solving requirements.

Assessment of the penetration of enterprise needs at the cultivation level

A survey on teaching methods for innovation and entrepreneurship education in universities (including case-based instruction, project-based learning, and university-enterprise collaboration) revealed that while most institutions use corporate cases in case teaching, the number of enterprise mentors involved in curriculum design remains limited. Project-based learning primarily focuses on internal university creative projects, with insufficient collaboration with enterprises and limited integration of industry demands. Evaluations of practical teaching components (including entrepreneurship competitions and internships) showed that competition topics are predominantly self-designed by universities, with few addressing real-world corporate challenges. Internship placements are mainly in traditional manufacturing or service sectors, with few students entering startups, resulting in poor alignment between practical content and industry needs. Assessments of training effectiveness indicated that students ‘case-based learning of business operations knowledge struggles to be directly applied in startup scenarios. Creative projects completed through project-based learning show low relevance to actual corporate requirements, limiting the enhancement of students’ practical application skills. In university-enterprise collaboration projects, insufficient enterprise involvement hinders students from receiving authentic guidance, leading to underwhelming outcomes in boosting entrepreneurial capabilities.

Enterprise demand-oriented review of evaluation and training

An analysis of the evaluation system for college students ‘entrepreneurial capabilities (including course assessments and practical achievement evaluations) reveals that most universities still primarily rely on theoretical exams for course assessments, with insufficient incorporation of criteria such as corporate recognition and market potential. Practical achievement evaluations predominantly depend on project reports and competition awards, neglecting corporate needs as core evaluation indicators. Examination of evaluation subject diversity shows that university faculty remain the primary evaluators in most institutions, with limited participation from corporate experts, failing to establish a diversified evaluation framework involving universities, enterprises, and students. Assessment of evaluation validity indicates that students’ course scores and practical achievement awards inadequately reflect their ability to meet corporate demands. Some students achieve high course grades but fail to secure investments due to entrepreneurial projects not aligning with actual corporate requirements. Others win competitions but fail to meet recruitment standards from startups, resulting in low employment rates among graduates entering entrepreneurial enterprises.

The construction path of cultivating college students’ entrepreneurial ability under enterprise demand

Anchoring the needs of enterprises, optimizing the positioning of entrepreneurial ability training objectives

To align entrepreneurial capability development with corporate needs, we must establish clear objectives through systematic research and consultations. This process involves identifying core competency requirements, shifting focus from generic statements to specific skill sets, and creating a tiered goal framework. First, leveraging industry associations ‘resources, we conduct stratified surveys targeting both industry leaders and SMEs. Through in-depth interviews with executives, targeted questionnaires, and needs analysis workshops, we systematically map out enterprises’ expectations for entrepreneurial talent capabilities. Concurrently, we engage corporate HR professionals, veteran mentors, and industry experts to refine key competencies—market insight, resource integration, risk resilience, and innovative thinking—into a demand-driven competency checklist. To address abstract concepts like “entrepreneurial spirit” in current objectives, we transform the focus from abstract ideals to concrete skills. The original statement “cultivating entrepreneurial talents” is rephrased as “developing market-savvy professionals with resource integration, risk management, and innovative thinking capabilities.” Each competency dimension is defined as follows: Market insight involves analyzing industry trends and user needs; Resource integration requires effective coordination of capital, talent, and distribution channels. This approach ensures objectives closely match real corporate demands. Finally, building on these competency elements, we construct a structured, tiered training framework. The foundational competency objectives focus on mastering essential entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, such as interpreting startup policies and drafting business plans, laying the groundwork for subsequent skill development. Core competency objectives center on cultivating key capabilities required by enterprises, enhancing market insight, resource integration, risk resilience, and innovative thinking through targeted courses and practical exercises. Advanced competency objectives emphasize strategic thinking and sustained innovation capabilities, including industry trend forecasting and business model iteration, to nurture entrepreneurial talents adaptable to long-term corporate development needs. The tiered objective system ensures alignment between educational goals and corporate requirements while addressing students’ evolving competency needs across different developmental stages.

Address enterprise needs and restructure the content system of entrepreneurial ability training

To meet the needs of enterprises, the content system of entrepreneurial ability training should be restructured. The ability elements of enterprise needs should be taken as the core, the course structure should be adjusted, practical problems should be introduced, and the content should be shifted from theory to the combination of theory and practice, so as to ensure that the training content matches the needs of enterprises accurately.

First, optimize the curriculum structure based on enterprise needs. Targeting core competencies valued by companies such as market research, business model design, and team management, we will introduce enterprise-oriented practical courses like “Corporate Market Research Practice”, “Business Model Design Workshop”, and “Entrepreneurial Team Management”. These courses, grounded in real-world operational scenarios, focus on concrete skill development through simulated business processes and real data analysis. Simultaneously, we will deepen the integration of professional courses with entrepreneurship programs, organically combining industry knowledge from academic courses with business logic from entrepreneurial courses. For example, we integrate user behavior analysis from marketing courses with user demand mining in entrepreneurship courses, enabling students to interpret user needs through business thinking while acquiring professional expertise. Additionally, we merge product design courses from mechanical engineering with product commercialization modules in entrepreneurship courses, guiding students to create products that meet both technical requirements and market demands, thereby achieving synergistic enhancement of professional and entrepreneurial capabilities.

Secondly, we replace traditional theoretical content with real-world corporate challenges. By substituting conventional case studies with authentic business projects, students engage in practical tasks such as conducting market research for new product launches, optimizing business models, and improving team management. For example, they perform target user demand surveys for local SMEs, collect and analyze primary data, and submit research reports containing market positioning and product recommendations. They also design innovative business models for startups, proposing viable profit strategies and growth plans by integrating corporate resources with market demands. Additionally, we incorporate cutting-edge industry cases like trending live-streaming e-commerce ventures, rural revitalization initiatives, and sharing economy models. Students analyze the business logic, team management characteristics, and market expansion strategies of these cases, gaining insights into enterprise requirements and enhancing their problem-solving thinking skills through case studies.

Finally, the progressive content modules are designed to ensure step-by-step skill enhancement. The foundational module focuses on mastering basic entrepreneurship knowledge and skills, such as interpreting startup policies, structuring business plans, and basic financial knowledge, laying the groundwork for subsequent skill development. The core module centers on key competencies required by enterprises, reinforcing practical skills like market research methodologies, business model design processes, and team conflict resolution through corporate practice courses and real-world projects. The advanced module emphasizes comprehensive application and innovation, guiding students to participate in complex business scenarios such as predicting industry trends, iterating business models, and implementing startup projects. This enables students to integrate and apply their acquired skills in market research, business model design, and team management, thereby enhancing their comprehensive entrepreneurial capabilities to meet long-term corporate demands. The progressive design of these modules aligns with students’ cognitive progression from foundational to advanced levels while ensuring dynamic alignment between training content and industry needs, allowing students to gradually develop a startup competency system that meets corporate requirements.

Implementation of innovation and entrepreneurship capacity development in line with enterprise needs

To cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities aligned with corporate needs, the implementation should be grounded in real-world business environments. This requires shifting from classroom-centered teaching to practice-oriented approaches, utilizing pathways like school-enterprise collaboration, project-based learning, and entrepreneurial activities. Through solving real business challenges, students can enhance the practicality and relevance of their skills.

First, we aim to transform school-enterprise collaboration from superficial formalities to deep integration. This involves inviting corporate mentors to participate throughout curriculum design and teaching implementation. For instance, HR professionals from enterprises can contribute practical case studies of team management to the course content, explaining specific methods like conflict resolution and incentive mechanism development. Students are also arranged to engage in immersive internships within companies, participating in real-world tasks such as market research, product promotion, and client coordination. These include collecting target user demand data, analyzing behavioral patterns, and submitting market research reports. Through this hands-on experience, students gain practical understanding of the competencies required for entrepreneurial roles, effectively bridging classroom knowledge with corporate practice.

Secondly, we implement project-based learning through real-world corporate projects to replace traditional classroom instruction. Students undertake authentic business challenges, such as designing marketing strategies for local SMEs. They must develop tailored promotion plans by analyzing product features and target audience needs. During implementation, corporate mentors and university faculty collaborate to guide students in solving practical issues—like adjusting strategies to market changes or optimizing resource allocation for better results. This process cultivates essential skills including market insight and resource integration capabilities.

Furthermore, implement enterprise-sponsored entrepreneurial practice programs. By aligning competition themes with real corporate needs—such as “Market Promotion Strategy Design for New Enterprise Products” or “Business Model Optimization for Startups” —students develop tailored solutions to address authentic corporate challenges. Corporate experts serve as judges, evaluating student projects based on industry standards including market viability, resource integration capabilities, and risk resilience. This approach guides student ventures toward enterprise-aligned objectives, ultimately enhancing the practical value of their entrepreneurial initiatives.

Finally, establish a practice-oriented teaching evaluation mechanism. Integrate students ‘performance during corporate internships, outcomes of project-based learning, and achievements in entrepreneurial activities into the assessment system. For instance, corporate mentors’ evaluations of internship performance should account for no less than 30% of the total score. The assessment of project-based learning outcomes should prioritize corporate recognition as a key indicator, while the results of entrepreneurship competitions should primarily rely on expert reviews from industry professionals. This evaluation framework guides students to emphasize the development of practical skills, ensuring that training approaches align with real-world corporate demands.

Through the innovation of these implementation methods, students can learn in the real enterprise environment, improve the practicability of entrepreneurial ability, and better meet the needs of enterprises for entrepreneurial talents.

Based on the needs of enterprises, improve the evaluation mechanism of entrepreneurial ability cultivation

To improve the evaluation mechanism of entrepreneurial ability cultivation based on the needs of enterprises, it is necessary to adjust the evaluation subjects, standards and methods based on the needs of enterprises, promote the evaluation from result-oriented to ability-oriented, and accurately reflect the ability of students to meet the needs of enterprises.

We invite corporate experts to join the evaluation team, participating in practical assessments of course evaluations (such as project presentations and case analyses) and practical outcome evaluations (like market feasibility of entrepreneurial projects), combining real-world operational scenarios from enterprises to assess students ‘practical capabilities. In collaboration with university faculty, we conduct evaluations that integrate theory and practice, where teachers focus on assessing students’ application of theoretical knowledge while corporate experts emphasize the effectiveness of practical operations. Student self-assessment is incorporated to encourage reflection on personal growth and shortcomings during corporate internships, forming a tripartite evaluation framework involving enterprises, universities, and students to ensure comprehensive perspectives in the assessment process.

Establish a multi-dimensional evaluation framework encompassing corporate demand capabilities, project outcomes, and practical performance. The corporate demand capability dimension includes market insight (accuracy in industry trend analysis and depth of user requirement identification), resource integration (synergy of capital, talent, and distribution channels), and risk resilience (effectiveness of project problem-solving strategies). Specific metrics include: the depth of user requirement identification based on the authenticity and relevance of research data; resource integration effectiveness measured by project resource utilization efficiency. The project outcome dimension evaluates market feasibility (alignment with corporate product positioning and market demands), resource integration efficiency (input-output ratio of project resources), and risk contingency plans (specific measures for market changes), with project application value assessed against actual corporate needs. The practical performance dimension covers internship task completion (timely completion of research and promotion tasks), team collaboration (coordination with corporate staff), and problem-solving skills (ability to address practical issues encountered during internships), evaluated through daily records and feedback from corporate mentors.

Implement process-oriented evaluation to track students ‘competency development. Maintain comprehensive documentation throughout entrepreneurial projects: assess alignment with business needs during topic selection, evaluate data collection effectiveness in market research, analyze resource compatibility in business model design, and monitor market response during implementation phases. Record outcomes and improvement measures at each stage. Conduct dynamic tracking of corporate internships by documenting task types, problem-solving processes, feedback received, and improvements made. This process-oriented documentation reflects students’ transition from theoretical knowledge to practical application, replacing traditional final outcome assessments.

We are shifting the evaluation framework from outcome-focused to competency-driven, redirecting assessment priorities from grades and awards to students ‘ability to meet corporate needs. By comparing students’ evaluations with corporate competency checklists, we assess improvements in market insight and resource integration. The evaluation system has been restructured with enhanced weightings: corporate expert assessments now account for at least 40% of the total score, while practical process evaluations make up no less than 30%, significantly reducing the emphasis on theoretical exams. Furthermore, evaluation results are integrated with curriculum adjustments. For instance, based on expert feedback, targeted skill enhancement courses are offered to ensure assessments genuinely reflect students’ competency levels in meeting corporate demands, providing accurate criteria for talent selection in entrepreneurship programs.

epilogue

This paper systematically analyzes the alignment between entrepreneurial education objectives, content, methods, and evaluation mechanisms with corporate needs from an enterprise perspective, proposing optimization strategies centered on business demands. These strategies encompass key aspects including goal setting, curriculum design, implementation approaches, and assessment systems, aiming to precisely match educational frameworks with industry requirements. The approach seeks to enhance students’ market insight, resource integration capabilities, risk resilience, and innovative thinking, ultimately cultivating entrepreneurial talents that meet corporate needs. Moving forward, it is essential to strengthen collaboration between universities and enterprises, deepen the practical application of these strategies, continuously improve the effectiveness of entrepreneurial education, and achieve synergistic development between educational initiatives and business requirements. This will help cultivate more high-quality entrepreneurial professionals to support socioeconomic progress.

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