The medium-term impact of entrepreneurship education on labor market outcomes: Experimental evidence from university graduates in Tunisia

B-Tier
Journal: Labour Economics
Year: 2020
Volume: 62
Issue: C

Authors (3)

Alaref, Jumana (not in RePEc) Brodmann, Stefanie (not in RePEc) Premand, Patrick (World Bank Group)

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Despite the widespread popularity of entrepreneurship education, there is thin evidence on its effectiveness in improving employment outcomes over the medium to long-term. A potential time lag between entrepreneurial intentions and actions is sometimes presented as a reason why employment impacts are rarely observed. Based on a randomized control trial among university students in Tunisia, this paper studies the medium-term impacts of entrepreneurship education four years after students’ graduation. The paper complements earlier evidence that documented small short-term impacts on entry into self-employment and aspirations toward the future one year after graduation. The medium-term results show that the impacts of entrepreneurship education were short-lived. The intervention led to a temporary increase in business ideas and in nascent entrepreneurship. However, there is no sustained impact on self-employment or employment outcomes four years after graduation. The intervention induced some lasting impacts on business knowledge, but not on business networks. A large share of graduates reports financial constraints as the most prevailing barrier to entrepreneurship.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:labeco:v:62:y:2020:i:c:s092753711930123x
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-29