Developing College Students’ Entrepreneurial Competences: Designing Project-Based Learning Entrepreneurship Foundational Course in Chinese Universities

Abstract

This study introduces the design process of a Project-Based Learning (PBL) entrepreneurship foundational course for Chinese universities. To address deficiencies in the current entrepreneurship foundational courses in Chinese universities and to enhance the overall entrepreneurial competence of college students, project-based learning has integrated into the entrepreneurship foundation course. Based on the project-based learning framework proposed by Han and Bhattacharya (2001), a project-based learning entrepreneurship foundational course has been developed for Chinese universities by utilising expert panels. Once the course design was completed, a semester-long project-based learning entrepreneurship foundational course was implemented. We measured the effectiveness of the course through student feedback. The course objectives were to develop student opportunity competence, business management competence, and interpersonal competence in entrepreneurship. This paper presents the course outline, teaching unit design, and teaching activity design. In addition, this study explored the relevant factors that should be considered in the development of any project-based learning entrepreneurship foundational course. This study developed the entrepreneurial competence of college students through the design of a project-based learning entrepreneurship foundational course and implemented a one-semester course in a university in China. The results of this study can serve as a guide for universities who wish to implement project-based learning entrepreneurship foundational courses, which can help improve the entrepreneurial competence of college students.