Student Entrepreneurship Competence and Its Contribution to Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review in the Context of Chinese Higher Education

Abstract

This systematic literature review studies student entrepreneurial competence and its impact on sustainable development in the context of higher education in China. The objectives of this study are to identify the key factors affecting student entrepreneurial competence, recent research trends, and the role of student entrepreneurial competence in sustainable development. Using the PRISMA model, relevant literature from 2016 to 2025 was screened from databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect, and a total of 11 empirical studies from peer-reviewed journals were analyzed. The results show that entrepreneurial competitions, entrepreneurship education, experiential learning, interdisciplinarity, entrepreneurship policies, teachers, entrepreneurial curricula, the entrepreneurial environment, and morals all influence student entrepreneurial competence. In addition, this study reveals the role of student entrepreneurial competence in promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically in promoting innovation, creating employment opportunities, and enhancing college students’ sense of social responsibility. This study systematically identifies the core factors that affect student entrepreneurial competence in Chinese universities and provides practical suggestions for optimizing entrepreneurial education policies, improving student entrepreneurial competence, and promoting sustainable entrepreneurship. This study provides a theoretical basis for policymakers and university administrators and proposes strategies for optimizing entrepreneurial education that can be used as a reference, providing the Chinese experience for other emerging Asian economies to learn from, thereby expanding the global academic discussion on sustainable entrepreneurial education.

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