Green education and entrepreneurial alertness in fostering green entrepreneurial intention among Malaysian university students

Green entrepreneurship is widely acknowledged as a proactive approach to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study investigates the role of green education, green entrepreneurial alertness, green entrepreneurial motivation, and green entrepreneurial intentions among undergraduate students in Malaysian universities. A cross-sectional survey (n = 331) was conducted using stratified and simple random sampling across ten Malaysian public and private universities through self-administered questionnaires. Hypotheses were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that green education and green entrepreneurial alertness have significant positive effects on green entrepreneurial motivation. Furthermore, green entrepreneurial motivation positively influences green entrepreneurial intentions. This study also confirmed the mediating role of green entrepreneurial motivation in the relationship between green education, green entrepreneurial alertness, and green entrepreneurial intentions. This study enriches the sustainable entrepreneurship literature by shedding light on the antecedents of green entrepreneurship intentions among university students, particularly in a developing country such as Malaysia. By addressing the critical gap in understanding these factors, this study offers practical implications for policymakers and higher-education institutions in fostering sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on sustainability and innovation in the region.