Authors:

• Blaž Zupan, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business
• Anja Svetina Nabergoj, University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business

Keywords:

entrepreneurship education | design thinking | constructivist pedagogy

Abstract:

This study examines how integrating design thinking into university courses can enhance entrepreneurial education. Interviews with educators and students from four pioneering European and U.S. institutions identify nine critical components for successful projects, grouped into environmental factors—mentoring, tools and spaces, external recognition—and process factors—interdisciplinarity, fieldwork, experimentation, and user-centred research. Project continuity is emphasised as a critical indicator of course effectiveness. These findings contribute to a framework that empowers educators to develop design thinking-based entrepreneurship projects and fosters impactful student learning experiences.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) addressed in the article are:

• SDG 4 – Quality education
• SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth

The article is published in:
Journal of East European Management Studies (Nomos)

The content is freely accessible at:

Designing for success: a framework for integrating design thinking into university entrepreneurship course