Entrepreneurial Universities in Times of Crisis: Case of Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Entrepreneurial universities are at the centre of innovation ecosystems, and play a critical role in improving them. The concept of the quintuple helix, which deals with the interrelations between universities, industries, governments, societies and environments is highly sensitive to the role of entrepreneurial universities which could pave the way for their success. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they faced several challenges, and the ecosystem needed their attention to a greater extent. This research highlights the main challenges faced by entrepreneurial universities and their responses to those challenges. Hence, qualitative research was conducted by interviewing twenty-five experts from different countries in the Middle East, including Iran, Turkey, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, and Lebanon. The respondents were engaged in five online focus group sessions, and the findings were coded. The findings revealed the main challenges faced by entrepreneurial universities as well as their relevant potential responses.  

Research paper

Keywords: The Middle East; Entrepreneurial universities; Quintuple helix; Covid-19; Crisis

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Kawamorita, H., Salamzadeh, A., Demiryurek, K., & Ghajarzadeh, M. (2020). Entrepreneurial Universities in Times of Crisis: Case of Covid-19 Pandemic, Journal of Entrepreneurship, Business and Economics, 8(1), 77–88.