Student-led Organisations Impact on STEM Students’ Entrepreneurial Behaviour: Insights from Portugal and Brazil

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is widely acknowledged as a key factor for global social and economic development. Higher education institutions worldwide are promoting entrepreneurship education, given their importance on developing entrepreneurial intentions and attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Despite the growing literature on the effects of entrepreneurship education on STEM students, there is still limited knowledge about the effects of extra-curricular activities and specifically student-led organisations, in developing entrepreneurial skills and behaviour. By gathering insights from 201 higher education students from Portugal and Brazil, this study explores the effects of student involvement in a specific type of student-led organisation - junior enterprises - on the development of entrepreneurial intentions. The findings highlight that Brazilian STEM students have a higher perceived behaviour control and social norms compared to their Portuguese counterparts. Also, it is observed student-led organisations are relevant to fostering the entrepreneurial skills of Portuguese STEM students.