Institutional Framework for Advancing Entrepreneurship Awareness Through Economic Activation Offices in Rural Higher Education Institutions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.770Keywords:
Entrepreneurship Framework, Economic Activation Office, Entrepreneurial University, Institutional Strategy, Higher Education, South AfricaAbstract
This study proposes framework for enhancing entrepreneurship awareness and advancement through Economic Activation Offices (EAOs) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Grounded in entrepreneurial university theory, the triple helix model, and the resource-based view, the study employed a qualitative exploratory design within an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 purposively selected participants. The findings reveal that entrepreneurship awareness, institutional support, resource mobilisation, stakeholder collaboration, capacity development, and incubation mechanisms are critical components of effective advancement. Based on these findings, a structured institutional framework is proposed to strengthen strategic alignment, ecosystem integration, and sustainable entrepreneurial outcomes. The study recommends institutionalisation of entrepreneurship across faculties, formalised industry partnerships, and long-term incubation strategies to enhance impact within rural higher education institutions.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rendani Ralivhesa, N. Chiliya (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
