Requirements for Promoting Entrepreneurship in Higher Agricultural Education System

Abstract1
Nowadays more than ever in their history, higher education institutions are
being judged by the ways in which they respond to the social and economic needs
of society. In this regards, increasing rate of unemployment among the graduates of
Iranian higher education system, particularly the graduates of agricultural colleges
has been developed into one of the major socio- economic problems of the nation.
Considering the importance of entrepreneurship and its promotion in job related
competencies of graduates the present review- analytical study was conducted to
investigate the requirements for promoting entrepreneurship in higher agricultural
education system. In this regards, this article discusses on the significance of
entrepreneurship in higher education, the reasons need to entrepreneurial higher
education institutions, key characteristics of an entrepreneurial higher education
institution and promoting entrepreneurship in higher agricultural education system.
Based on the review of literature, key requirements for promoting entrepreneurship
in higher agricultural education system was consisted of “Catching up with
fundamental changes in knowledge production”, “Reorganizing education”,
“Enhancing graduate employability and educating ‘enterprising’ individuals”,
“Promoting business start-up through education”, “Making research relevant and
accessible”, “Embedding internationalization into strategy”, “Handling financial
stringency” and “Building partnerships”. The findings of this study can contribute
for planner’s higher agricultural education system in order to designing programs
for promoting entrepreneurship among agricultural students.