Perceived University Support (PUS) and Entrepreneurial Intentions: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as a driver of economic growth, innovation, and graduate employability. In Malaysia, it is promoted as a solution to graduate unemployment and positioned as a pillar of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015–2025. Despite this emphasis, a gap persists between institutional efforts and student outcomes, largely due to variations in the quality, accessibility, and cultural relevance of support provided by universities. This study examines the role of perceived university support (PUS) in shaping entrepreneurial intentions (EI) among Malaysian students. Using the PRISMA 2020 framework, a systematic literature review (SLR) of 34 peer-reviewed articles (2015–2025) was conducted. Findings show that PUS significantly influences EI through four dimensions: entrepreneurship education, mentorship and role models, infrastructure and financial support, and cultural and contextual influences. Education enhances knowledge and self-efficacy but is weakened by theoretical delivery. Mentorship and role models inspire motivation, though access remains uneven. Infrastructure and funding reduce risk perceptions but are concentrated in urban universities. Cultural norms, especially collectivist values and family expectations, shape how support is perceived. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy consistently mediates PUS–EI, while proactive personality and gender moderate outcomes. The study concludes that holistic, experiential, and culturally adaptive support systems are essential to strengthen Malaysia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.