Entrepreneurship Education in South Asia: A Critical Regional Review of Policy, Pedagogy, Ecosystems and Inclusion.

Research Overview

Entrepreneurship education has gained increasing attention across South Asia as governments and higher education institutions seek to strengthen entrepreneurial capabilities, innovation, and employment opportunities. However, the availability of entrepreneurship courses and policies does not necessarily translate into meaningful entrepreneurial learning or outcomes.

This research critically examines the development of entrepreneurship education across eight South Asian countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Drawing on regional policies and academic literature, the review considers five interconnected dimensions: policy commitment, institutional provision, curriculum and pedagogy, entrepreneurial ecosystem integration, and gender and social inclusion.

Key Findings

The review identifies important differences in how entrepreneurship education is developed and supported across the region.

India and Pakistan demonstrate relatively established policy and institutional frameworks, while Bangladesh continues to face challenges involving curriculum design, institutional collaboration, and ecosystem support. Emerging research from Bangladesh and the Maldives also highlights the importance of entrepreneurial skills, capabilities, and employability beyond entrepreneurial intentions alone.

Evidence from several other countries remains limited, making definitive cross-country comparisons difficult.

A central finding is that effective entrepreneurship education depends not simply on offering courses but on the quality of teaching, practical learning opportunities, institutional capacity, and connections with the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Research Contribution

The article proposes a provisional Regional Entrepreneurship Education Strengthening Framework, emphasizing five priorities:

1. Alignment between policy commitments and educational practice.
2. Stronger institutional and educator capabilities.
3. Experiential and practice-oriented entrepreneurship learning.
4. Connections between educational institutions and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
5. Inclusive participation and context-sensitive educational approaches.

The framework offers a basis for further research and policy discussion on improving entrepreneurship education across South Asia.

Research Relevance

This study contributes to understanding how entrepreneurship education can become more practical, inclusive, and responsive to different institutional and economic contexts.

Its findings are relevant to researchers, universities, policymakers, entrepreneurship educators, and organizations working to strengthen entrepreneurial capabilities and support ecosystems.

The research also connects with broader questions concerning access to entrepreneurship education, institutional support, and inclusion—areas relevant to the Immigrant Entrepreneur Lab’s research interests.