Strategies for Improving the Effectiveness of Practical-Skill Courses in Entrepreneurial Competences (Case Study: Students of Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University)

One of the main goals of universities and higher education institutions in Iran is to train entrepreneurial and creative graduates. Practical courses can be a good opportunity to combine theoretical knowledge with experimental knowledge, improve skills, and equip graduates with entrepreneurial competence. Therefore, the present research was carried out to identify strategies for improving the effectiveness of practical-skill courses in creating and improving students’ entrepreneurial competence at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University. The general approach of the research is qualitative and practical in terms of purpose. In order to carry out the research, a team of 40 university professors and students was selected purposefully using the snowball technique, and after conducting semi-structured interviews, the data were interpreted by qualitative content analysis. The findings were validated by the peer-review and triangulation techniques. The results showed that three important groups of strategies (before, during, and after the implementation of the practical-skill courses) improved the effectiveness of these courses in creating and improving the students’ entrepreneurial competence. In general, the various elements of the educational system before, during, and after holding these courses in the monitoring and evaluation phase can contribute to strengthening students’ entrepreneurial competence, provided that these elements are planned and organized in line with entrepreneurship.