Facilitating entrepreneurship in higher education through practitioner integration: a closer look at the “entrepreneur in residence” initiative

Aluthgama-Baduge, C, Rajasinghe, D ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7677-0691, Ilonen, S and Gilman, M, 2024. Facilitating entrepreneurship in higher education through practitioner integration: a closer look at the “entrepreneur in residence” initiative. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research. ISSN 1355-2554

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Abstract

Purpose–We investigate practitioner integration (PI) within higher education institutions (HEIs) by taking a closer look at the entrepreneur in residence (EiR) initiative. Engaging experienced entrepreneurs through EiR initiatives to facilitate entrepreneurship education (EE) has become a familiar PI model within HEIs; nevertheless, how EiRs perceive their role and integration in academia has been under-researched. We deepen the understanding of how EiRs facilitate EE and their role and fit into academia.

Design/Methodology/Approach–This qualitative research employs interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as the methodology. Following IPA guidance, we purposively selected seven EiRs working within HEIs and conducted one semi-structured interview with each participant. The data were analysed using IPA data analysis guidelines.

Findings–The findings suggest that the previous experiences of EiRs influence their confidence, skills and intrinsic motivation in their role in academia. EiRs play a multifaceted role that goes beyond students and simple educational activities to develop trust and understanding among university communities while bridging academic–practitioner, structural and communication gaps that hinder entrepreneurship in higher education. The study reveals the disconnected nature of EiRs’ role in academia and the tensions between academics and EiRs.

Originality/value–This study provides space for unheard EiRs’ voices, enriching the scarce EiR literature by advancing our knowledge about their role and fit in academia. The novel insights into the role of EiRs broaden the scope of EE to university communities beyond students. The findings deepen our understanding of how EiRs foster entrepreneurship by acting as a trust ladder and developing a networked approach to supporting university stakeholders. The challenges lie in how EiRs are integrated and the tensions between academics and practitioners. We also found that EiRs with greater authority, prior exposure to strategic roles within the institution and strong relationships with institutional leaders perform their role efficiently. Hence, this study establishes the importance of a more coordinated, strategic approach to PI within HEIs.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research
Creators:	Aluthgama-Baduge, C., Rajasinghe, D., Ilonen, S. and Gilman, M.
Publisher:	Emerald
Date:	27 November 2024
ISSN:	1355-2554
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1108/ijebr-08-2023-0905 DOI 2391449 Other
Rights:	© 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited. This AAM is provided for your own personal use only. It may not be used for resale, reprinting, systematic distribution, emailing, or for any other commercial purpose without the permission of the publisher.
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Laura Borcherds
Date Added:	03 Mar 2025 16:55
Last Modified:	03 Mar 2025 16:55
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/53169

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