Enhancing Engineering Curricula with Entrepreneurship for Adaptation to Rapid Technological and Societal Changes

Abstract

Rapid technological and societal change requires engineering graduates to combine technical competence with entrepreneurial and adaptive capabilities. This study compared learning outcomes in entrepreneurship-integrated and traditional engineering programmes and examined institutional barriers to curriculum integration. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design combined survey responses from 320 final-year students and recent graduates with interviews involving 18 faculty members and curriculum coordinators. Integrated programmes recorded significantly higher innovation capability (d = 0.74), entrepreneurial intent (d = 0.67), and adaptive thinking (d = 0.51), while technical problem-solving and employability readiness did not differ significantly. Thematic analysis identified five barrier clusters, with curriculum overload, accreditation rigidity, and institutional inertia rated most severe. The findings indicate that entrepreneurship integration strengthens adaptive competencies without weakening technical capability and support an empirically grounded model for curriculum reform in resource-constrained higher education institutions.