EVALUATING ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES: INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Entrepreneurship education has become a strategic priority for higher education institutions (HEIs), responding to the growing demand for innovation, adaptability, and value creation among graduates. This paper investigates how 14 universities from 13 European countries evaluate the impact of their entrepreneurship education programs, aiming to identify effective practices and institutional strategies. To explore evaluation practices, our research employs a dual qualitative methodology - content analysis and thematic analysis - applied to institutional reports submitted through the HEInnovate initiative. Data collection focused on three core dimensions: evaluation methods, impact indicators, and educational outcomes. Specific attention was given to formative and summative assessments, student self-evaluation, peer feedback, and strategic tools aligned with institutional goals, also considering indicators such as entrepreneurial intention, competency development, startup creation, and integration into entrepreneurial ecosystems. Our findings reveal a diverse range of evaluation approaches, highlighting both informal feedback mechanisms and structured strategic frameworks. The study underscores the importance of extracurricular activities and stakeholder collaboration in reinforcing entrepreneurial behavior and practical skill acquisition. The research contributes to the theoretical understanding of entrepreneurship education and calls for coherent, standardized evaluation models, emphasizing that effective impact assessment is essential for improving program relevance, institutional accountability, and alignment with societal and economic needs.