Exploring the longitudinal impact of entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial competences and intentions: evidence of an asymmetric polarization effect

The widespread integration of entrepreneurial education (EE) in higher education programs is often underpinned by assumptions of positive effects on students' entrepreneurial competences (EC) and entrepreneurial intentions (EI). Nevertheless, there is missing empirical evidence on such impact and methodologically robust approaches that combine output metrics with an exploration of the dynamics involved in the processes derived from EE. The objectives of this study are: (1) to analyze the impact of EE on the EC and EI of university students; and (2) to test the occurrence of a polarizing effect on EI. The theoretical framework combines Competency-Based Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). We adopted a quasi-experimental longitudinal design with a single-group pretest-posttest approach, involving 84 students from six Portuguese universities. We used validated measurement scales to assess EC and EI. Findings support a statistically significant effect on the development of EC, with a large pre/post effect (Cohen's d = 0.80), both at the global construct level and across all its dimensions. Although no significant effect was found on EI, there was some evidence suggesting positive, asymmetric polarization, reinforcing initially positive intentions more strongly than negative ones. • Entrepreneurial education significantly boosts entrepreneurial competencies, especially in women and undergraduates. • No overall intentions increase after entrepreneurial education, but evidence of asymmetric positive polarization. • Entrepreneurial education reshapes entrepreneurial perceptions (profile, difficulty, process), clarifying cognitive barriers.