From digital canvas learning to economic growth: The human capital pathway in entrepreneurial universities

Type of the article: Research ArticleDespite the rapid digital transformation in higher education, empirical evidence explaining how digital entrepreneurship learning contributes to human capital formation, entrepreneurial universities, and economic growth remains limited. This study investigates the role of Digital Canvas Learning (DCL), a digital-based entrepreneurship learning approach that enables students to design and test business models using an interactive Business Model Canvas. The study employs a structured survey conducted in 2024 involving 206 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in entrepreneurship programs at universities within Higher Education Service Institutions Regions III and IX, Indonesia. The respondents were selected because they were actively engaged in entrepreneurship education, making the sample relevant for examining the outcomes of digital entrepreneurship learning. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares – Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that DCL has a strong and significant effect on Human Resource Development (β = 0.752; p < 0.001) and Economic Growth (β = 0.690; p < 0.001), and a significant influence on University Entrepreneurship (β = 0.337; p < 0.001). Furthermore, Human Resource Development significantly affects University Entrepreneurship (β = 0.527; p < 0.001) and Economic Growth (β = 0.273; p < 0.001), while University Entrepreneurship strongly contributes to Economic Growth (β = 0.662; p < 0.001). The structural model explains 79.4% of the variance in Economic Growth, indicating substantial explanatory power. These findings demonstrate that Digital Canvas Learning not only enhances students’ entrepreneurial competencies but also strengthens human capital development, supports entrepreneurial universities, and contributes to sustainable economic growth.Acknowledgment We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP) of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia and Universitas Terbuka for the administrative and funding support and the opportunities given to the author.