DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP: ANALYSIS OF PRACTICES IN UKRAINIAN UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of contemporary practices and tools for the development of student entrepreneurship in Ukrainian higher education institutions under conditions of global transformations and security challenges. The relevance of the study is driven by the need to identify new drivers of economic growth for Ukraine’s post-war recovery, where universities are expected to become centers for the formation of innovative human capital. The purpose of the research is to systematize existing models of support for youth startups, identify barriers to their implementation, and substantiate mechanisms for improving entrepreneurial ecosystems within higher education institutions. The article provides an in-depth analysis of the activities of leading innovation platforms, such as the startup school “Sikorsky Challenge,” the IdeasLab accelerator of UCU, SET University programs, and the YEP incubator network. Based on the European Commission’s report on entrepreneurial skills and mindsets in education, the authors identify key organizational directions: infrastructural (establishment of coworking spaces and hubs); educational (integration of startup design into curricula through boot camps and hackathons, cooperation with businesses, government bodies, and international institutions); and lifelong entrepreneurship education. The findings indicate a gradual transition of domestic universities from fragmented initiatives toward the formation of comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystems. It is demonstrated that the success of student innovations depends on the synergy of academic training, mentorship support, and access to international acceleration programs. At the same time, a number of systemic challenges are identified, including the lack of sustainable funding mechanisms, a low level of commercialization of research outcomes, and insufficient managerial autonomy of startup centers. The study emphasizes the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial culture as a foundation for preparing leaders capable of creating high-tech solutions to support the recovery of the national economy.