Reimagining entrepreneurial education in South African universities to enhance graduate employability

This study examines how entrepreneurial education in South African universities can be redesigned to improve graduate employability. Specifically, the study aims to evaluate how experiential learning, structured mentorship, and university–industry collaboration can better align entrepreneurial education with South Africa’s socio-economic context and developmental needs. This study adopts a qualitative desktop research methodology. Data were collected through a structured review of peer-reviewed journal articles, policy documents, and institutional reports sourced from academic databases, including Google Scholar and accredited open-access journals. The primary data collection instrument was a systematic document review protocol, and the data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. The findings revealed four central themes such as weak conversion of entrepreneurial intention into action, limited institutional support for entrepreneurial capacity, outdated pedagogies that inhibit innovation, and a lack of focus on sustainability. These provide an evidence-based understanding of the gaps and opportunities within the South African higher education system. The study is framed by human capital theory and entrepreneurial intention theory, which explain the link between education, motivation, and entrepreneurial outcomes. It contributes theoretically by contextualising these theories in South Africa, proposes reforms to experiential learning and entrepreneurial ecosystem partnerships, and, academically, synthesises international best practices with local conditions to inform a more effective entrepreneurial education model.