Abstract

While there has been growing interest in fostering entrepreneurial skills among students, research is scant on the factors influencing these competencies in Thai higher education settings. To address this gap, this study focused on 198 community development majors at Rajabhat University in southern Thailand. It examined the impact of individual characteristics and engagement in extracurricular activities on their entrepreneurial competencies. The study posed two hypotheses: 1) Individual characteristics, such as age, gender, and family income, influence the entrepreneurial skills of these students; 2) There is a positive correlation between students' engagement in learning-enhancing activities and their entrepreneurial skills. Data were collected through a survey, distributed via stratified sampling, and analysed using a range of statistical methods including t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Chi-square tests, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. The findings revealed high levels of student engagement in extracurricular activities such as club membership and event attendance. Performance metrics indicated strong entrepreneurial competencies among the students. Factors like age, gender, academic performance, family income, educational environment, and chosen field of study were found to significantly influence these competencies. Importantly, a strong correlation was observed between students' engagement in extracurricular activities and competencies like innovation, risk-taking, proactivity, competitiveness, and work independence. This study offers valuable insights into the roles of individual characteristics and extracurricular engagement in shaping entrepreneurial competencies among Thai university students.