Enterprise for all? The fragility of enterprise provision across England's HEIs

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to present the findings of a comprehensive study of enterprise and entrepreneurship education provision in England's 131 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The paper is based upon the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) mapping study of formal and informal activity conducted in 2006. Design/methodology/approach – All HEIs in England were invited to complete an online institutional mapping template seeking data on enterprise and entrepreneurship accredited programmes/modules, non‐accredited enterprise and entrepreneurship provision and other institutional characteristics that support enterprise and entrepreneurship development. The research team maintained regular contact with all HEIs to maximise participation and to provide support where requested. A number of institutional visits were made by the research team both to introduce the study and to assist data entry where there was limited resource. The approach led to the collection of a unique and robust data set. Findings – The results illuminate the scale and scope of dedicated provision for enterprise and entrepreneurship across the HE sector in England. Of all institutions, 94 per cent participated, ensuring that these results are analogous to a census report. The results further highlight the penetration of the student population and in particular the nature of their engagement. Originality/value – This is the first time such an approach has been taken in England and the results are illuminating for academics, policy‐makers (particularly regional development agencies) and enterprise educators. The data provide an evidence base for supporting further development needs across the HE sector and offer opportunities for benchmarking and the exchange of practice, knowledge and experience.