The narratives of women entrepreneurs about the impact of higher education on entrepreneurial activities

Over the past three decades, there has been a phenomenal increase in Iranian students in different levels of higher education. And according to the Iranian Statistical Center as reflected by the media, women have overtaken men in entering universities despite the fact that many of them do not get the opportunity to obtain official jobs. Thus, some of the female university graduates opt for entrepreneurship in order to participate in the socio-economic domain of the country. This study aims to understand the narratives of women entrepreneurs regarding the impact of higher education on their entrepreneurial activities. This is a qualitative research based on phenomenological studies. To this aim, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 women entrepreneurs. Four main categories extracted include: passion/boredom contradiction, university as a platform for transformation, university as a medium for networking, and the academic field of creativity potentials. Additionally, ten sub-categories were: getting rid of official formalities and system subjugation as staff, nurturing or flourishing creativity and capability, learning fundamentals of entrepreneurship, changes in vision, personality growth and excellence, entrepreneurship and networking, entrepreneurial benefit from diligence to networking, ability and interest convergence in education, and educational guidance. The results indicate that universities are considered gateways to entrepreneurship for female students. Therefore, providing the grounds for establishing or connecting with various networks, promoting self-confidence and morale, and helping students flourish in their abilities will lead to the advancement of entrepreneurship among women and their social, family and individual status.