The role of youth entrepreneurs in the sustainable development programmes at the Durban University of Technology (DUT)

Abstract

Entrepreneurship has become a potent force for sustainable development, particularly in areas like South Africa that are facing socioeconomic difficulties. Even though the country's unemployment rate is high, this is regarded as low when compared to other African nations. To encourage youth entrepreneurship, government has embraced this fact and aggressively included laws and policies in its developmental agenda. Since Higher Education Institutions serve as gathering places for young people, it is important to examine their crucial role in fostering young people's entrepreneurial potential. The study aimed to explore the role of youth entrepreneurs in the sustainable development programme at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). This study employed mixed-method approach. To guide the present inquiry, a positivist research paradigm was adopted, through a quantitative approach and a survey research design. The population targeted for this study were 253 youth entrepreneurs at Durban University of Technology. Within non-probability, simple random sampling was employed. A questionnaire was used to gather the data needed for the study while SPSS version 28 was employed for data analyses. For the qualitative approach, thematic analysis was used. The study involved the use of both primary and secondary research. A review of secondary research materials on youth entrepreneurs and the sustainable development programme was conducted, and semi-structured interviews were used to gather the necessary primary data. Facts from the findings revealed that DUT students are well-informed about entrepreneurship. They believed that entrepreneurship was an effective way to deal with societal problems. The results of this study proposed that to create sustainable businesses, universities should be at the forefront of creating opportunities and pathways for encouraging entrepreneurial qualities