Fostering Changemakers: The Impact of Transdisciplinary Social Entrepreneurship Education on Student Intentions and Skills in Mexican Higher Education

Abstract

Higher education institutions face increasing pressure to equip graduates with the entrepreneurial mindset and transversal skills needed to address complex societal challenges. This study empirically investigates the impact of student engagement in transdisciplinary social entrepreneurship education (SEE) programs on their social entrepreneurial intentions and perceived development of key 21st-century skills within the Mexican context. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from 385 undergraduate students across various disciplines at three public universities in Mexico. Participants completed validated scales measuring their level of engagement in SEE activities, social entrepreneurial intentions, perceived social innovation skills, metacognitive awareness, and perceived readiness for complex problem-solving. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses, controlling for demographics and prior entrepreneurial exposure. Student engagement in SEE activities was a significant positive predictor of social entrepreneurial intentions, perceived social innovation skills, metacognitive awareness, and readiness for complex problem-solving, after accounting for control variables. The findings indicate that participation in these educational experiences is strongly associated with the development of a changemaker profile among students. This study provides needed empirical evidence on the effectiveness of transdisciplinary SEE programs in a Latin American context. It quantitatively links program engagement not only to entrepreneurial intentions but also to the development of crucial cognitive and problem-solving skills. The findings validate the potential of innovative pedagogical approaches that move beyond traditional disciplinary silos to foster graduates capable of driving social change.