Teach the world to give

Research in the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business suggests that universities have a bigger role to play in shaping what students go on to do after graduation, particularly in the growing field of social entrepreneurship.

Social entrepreneurship refers to commercial ventures that seek both financial sustainability and social or environmental impact. They are often driven by the urge to address issues such as inequality, poverty, pollution, and climate change. While business schools have expanded their entrepreneurship offerings in recent years, much of that teaching remains focused on conventional, profit-driven models. This study looks at how international experiences can influence students who go on to build organisations with wider social aims.

The research focuses on inspiration theory. This is a framework that distinguishes between being inspired by an experience and being inspired to act on it. This distinction is important as many students may encounter new ideas or problems, but far fewer translate that experience into a new venture. The study looked at 36 student entrepreneurs who launched socially oriented initiatives after periods of study abroad. The results could help explain how the transition from commercial to social occurs finding, as it does, that students consistently described their time abroad as a catalyst, though not a direct cause, of entrepreneurial action.

Many explained how exposure to unfamiliar social and environmental challenges, from obvious inequality to sustainability issues, prompted the students to think about their personal values and priorities. In many cases, this led to what the researchers describe as an entrepreneurial identity. This was a shift in self-perception in terms of who might see themselves as capable of initiating social change, rather than simply reflecting on the problems.

The findings come at a time when universities and policymakers are examining once again how best to prepare students for a globalised economy. If international experiences help bridge the gap between entrepreneurial intention and action, the role of educators may extend beyond cultural exchange into the realm of innovation policy. Traditionally, study abroad may have been perceived as a peripheral enrichment activity but today it might be better integrated fully and deliberately into entrepreneurship education.

Lichy, J. (2026) ‘Understanding inspiration for social entrepreneurship – putting the social back in society’, Int. J. Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Vol. 58, No. 1, pp.110–131.