English abstract
Though many research are focusing on the importance of the role played by higher education institutions in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the impact of such contribution to the entrepreneurial activity dynamism, there is a real need of exploring the way of how making of these institutions a real entrepreneurial micro-ecosystem. The aim of this research project is to offer a model of an entrepreneurial micro-ecosystem. A descriptive study using mixed method quantitative and qualitative approaches through a semi directed survey would be led among academics and expert in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the higher education institutions from Sultanate of Oman. 133 academics and experts participated in answering the closed questionnaire questions, it was found that higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman have a role in inspiration and idea in entrepreneurship, while there is a weakness in their role at promoting both beginnings of perfection and direct to work and get-away, as it turns out that there is a strong influence relationship between the three axes of the study. 12 experts in entrepreneurship in the Sultanate were interviewed, and through their answers, an answer of how higher education institutions could support technically and financially the nascent entrepreneurs inside and outside the colleges in the different stages of entrepreneurial process from the ideation to the growth while offering many practical recommendations were given to policymakers.
The originality of that research lies in integrating the qualitative and qualitative approaches to move towards creating variables attributed to the entrepreneurial ecosystem of entrepreneurship for adoption in higher education institutions, and what are the most important pillars for supporting emerging entrepreneurs in the Sultanate and the Arab Gulf states in the different stages of the entrepreneurship process from the stage of ideation to the one of development.
This research opens an important discussion about the entrepreneurial ecosystem model that can be followed in higher education institutions and aims in the future to create its variables and construct that can enrich research on the topic of the micro-entrepreneurial ecosystem higher education institutions, which has rarely been quantitatively addressed.
Key words: higher education institutions, leadership education, Business Incubators entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial micro-ecosystem, Sultanate of Oman.
