Are We Training Traditional Entrepreneurs or the Innovators of the Future?A Mapping of Entrepreneurship Education in Universities in Colombia’s Caribbean Region

Abstract

This article presents a descriptive mapping of entrepreneurship education in universities (public and private) in Cartagena and Barranquilla, with the purpose of identifying whether the educational approaches prioritize traditional business creation (e.g., business plans and business ideas) or innovation-oriented models (e.g.,creativity, prototyping, validation, agile methodologies, and innovation centers/laboratories). The method was based on documentary and content analysis of publicly available institutional evidence compiled in matrices (curricula, courses, credits/semester when available, entrepreneurship units, calls for proposals, and reported activities). The results show a coexistence of approaches: courses associated with business plans persist, while the institutionalization of pathways, centers, and laboratories that expand experiential learning and support (incubation, mentoring, challenges, and events) is growing. Implications for curriculum-ecosystem integration and the assessment of entrepreneurial competencies are discussed.