Assessing the role of higher education in developing social entrepreneurship in Malaysia: a review of literature

Abstract

This paper examines the role of higher education in developing social entrepreneurship in Malaysia. Higher education institutions are social industries. They prepare important social capital for the society. Presently, the concept of social entrepreneurship is becoming popular all over the world. In response to this trend, the higher education has also shifted its attention towards using higher education as a means to promote social entrepreneurship. Few studies have explored this phenomenon. For this purpose, an examination of the existing literature was carried out to find answer to the main question that how higher education institution is responding to the need of development of social entrepreneurship. The findings of the review show that although the concept of social entrepreneurship is still in its infancy stage in Malaysia but it is increasingly gaining attention. Interestingly, the higher education institutions are providing suitable foundation for the development and promotion of social entrepreneurship in the country. However, in this regard, the paper found lack of financial support to higher education institutions for the development of social entrepreneurship. To overcome this situation, the paper suggests that higher education institutions may be used as a suitable platform for promotion of social entrepreneurship. The paper concludes that the future of economic growth and social development of the society is closely connected with the concept of growing social entrepreneurship in the country. On the basis of this review, the paper recommends that there must be a strong political and financial support for the higher education institutions for the promotion of social entrepreneurship.