Speaker
Description
OKPA, B. E.
NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
ebassey@noun.edu.ng
Track: Research, Innovation and Knowledge Ecosystems
This study examined university-industry linkages and entrepreneurship development among students in tertiary institutions in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. Three objectives guided the study: to examine the influence of research collaboration linkages on entrepreneurship development, to assess the influence of industrial training and internship linkages on entrepreneurship development, and to determine the influence of technology transfer linkages on entrepreneurship development among students in tertiary institutions in Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State. The study adopted a survey research design. The population comprised students, academic staff, entrepreneurship centre coordinators, industrial training officers, and administrators in selected tertiary institutions within Calabar Education Zone. The sample size for the study was determined using the Taro Yamane sample size determination method, while an appropriate sampling technique was used to select respondents from the selected tertiary institutions. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled “University-Industry Linkages and Entrepreneurship Development Questionnaire (UILEDQ).” Experts in entrepreneurship education, educational management, and measurement and evaluation validated the instrument. Reliability was established using the Cronbach Alpha method. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that research collaboration linkages, industrial training and internship linkages, and technology transfer linkages positively influenced entrepreneurship development among students. The study concluded that effective collaboration between tertiary institutions and industries enhances students’ entrepreneurial knowledge, practical skills, innovation capacity, business awareness, and readiness for self-employment. The study recommended that tertiary institutions should strengthen research partnerships with industries, improve industrial training and internship opportunities, and promote technology transfer programmes that expose students to innovation, enterprise creation, and practical business development.