Entrepreneurial education ecosystems are increasingly recognized as strategic environments within universities that foster entrepreneurial knowledge, culture, and venture creation. However, the interplay between institutional factors and educational outcomes in these ecosystems remains underexplored, particularly from a dynamic, system-level perspective. This study addresses this gap by developing a theory-driven agent-based model—the Entrepreneurial education ecosystems Model: “3E Model”—to simulate how formal (e.g., corruption, bureaucracy, access to credit) and informal (e.g., social perception of entrepreneurship, cultural diversity) institutional factors influence entrepreneurial learning dynamics in university-based ecosystems.
Grounded in entrepreneurial ecosystem theory, stakeholder theory, and institutional theory, the model captures the interactions of heterogeneous agents including students, faculty, investors, and institutional actors. The simulation results reveal that institutional quality significantly shapes the accumulation of entrepreneurial knowledge, the formation of entrepreneurial culture, and the motivation to launch startups. In particular, corruption and bureaucratic burden emerge as major impediments, reducing both knowledge diffusion and entrepreneurial activity. Conversely, favorable social perceptions of entrepreneurship significantly enhance ecosystem performance, with evidence of threshold effects: only after surpassing a certain level of societal support does venture creation accelerate. Cultural diversity also contributes positively by enriching knowledge exchanges, though its impact is more gradual.
The model demonstrates the non-linear and interdependent nature of institutional influence in 3Es, confirming that both formal (structural) and informal (cultural) institutions jointly determine ecosystem vitality. Practically, the 3E Model serves as a decision-support tool for universities and policymakers, enabling the simulation of interventions to strengthen entrepreneurial education. The findings suggest that aligning institutional reforms with cultural initiatives—such as reducing administrative barriers while promoting entrepreneurship as a legitimate career path—can generate synergistic effects that boost entrepreneurial outcomes. The study concludes by outlining future research directions, including model refinement through empirical calibration and the inclusion of feedback loops between education and institutional change.