This study investigates the influence of entrepreneurship education (EE) on the cultivation of individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and its subsequent role as a precursor to entrepreneurial intention (EI) among students within the higher education landscape of the UAE. Existing research has explored the correlation between EE and EI, yet a significant gap remains in understanding how EE shapes students' IEO and its collective impact on EI. This investigation addresses this gap by examining both the direct and indirect effects of EE on IEO, unveiling its consequential effects on the EI of university students. Grounded in neoliberal ideology, emphasizing market-oriented solutions and individual empowerment, this study uses the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and a validated conceptual model to explore how EE shapes IEO and influences EI. The UAE's unique socio-economic context, characterized by rapid economic diversification and neoliberal-aligned education reforms, provides a novel setting for this research. Adopting a cross-sectional approach, data were collected from a sample of 245 university students using the convenience sampling method. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to assess model fitness, data reliability, and validity. Hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling. Empirical findings confirm the significant impact of EE in cultivating both IEO and EI across students from diverse academic backgrounds. The mediating role of IEO in the association between EE and EI is particularly noteworthy. This research highlights the pivotal role of EE in empowering and shaping students' entrepreneurial mindset, emphasizing the need for targeted entrepreneurship programs. This research highlights the pivotal role of EE in empowering and shaping students' entrepreneurial mindset, emphasizing the need for targeted entrepreneurship programs. The insights offer valuable guidance for university policymakers seeking to enhance student entrepreneurship through diverse initiatives. Additionally, the study contributes to scholarly discourse by revealing the mediating impact in the relationship between EE and EI, thereby expanding the limited literature on IEO. By examining how EE aligns with neoliberal principles and addressing its efficacy, this study contributes to our understanding of the role of higher education institutions in promoting entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions among students in the UAE.
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