From Student to Entrepreneur: A Critical Human–Institutional Reading of the Impact of University Incubators on Human and Institutional Development in Algeria

Abstract

This study examines the transformation from student to entrepreneur within Algerian university incubators through a critical human–institutional perspective that goes beyond reducing entrepreneurship to the creation of start-ups or the acquisition of an “Innovative Project” label. It investigates the transformations affecting students’ identities, motivations, and perceptions of work, the university, and risk, as well as the new roles of the university and the incubator in producing and valorizing knowledge and linking it to the labor market and development. The study is based on a central research problem: To what extent do Algerian university incubators contribute to achieving an actual and sustainable transition from student status to entrepreneurial status, and to building cognitive, social, and human capital capable of supporting development beyond the hydrocarbons sector? The research gap lies in the limited number of studies that combine the measurement of procedural incubation outcomes—such as the number of projects, patents, and enterprises—with an analysis of the human and institutional dimensions of the transformation, particularly professional identity, self-confidence, psychosocial and career support, equity among academic disciplines, and the tension between the traditional university and the entrepreneurial university. The study aims to analyze the nature of the support provided by incubators, measure its impact on students’ skills, values, autonomy, and capacity for initiative, and assess the effectiveness of the relationship between the university, the private sector, and public institutions within the framework of the Triple Helix model. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach by combining document analysis and official statistics with a questionnaire administered to student project holders and semi-structured interviews with incubator managers and faculty members. It employs descriptive analysis, distributions, percentages, and tables, together with thematic analysis of the participants’ accounts. The findings indicate that university incubators have made progress in training, developing presentation and planning skills, and strengthening students’ self-confidence and awareness of initiative. However, the actual transition to sustainable enterprises remains limited compared with the number of registered projects and is strongly associated with the quality of mentoring, networks, financing, and post-graduation follow-up. The study also reveals a relative tendency to favor technological projects at the expense of the humanities and social sciences, as well as the continued presence of bureaucratic obstacles and weak links with the market. It recommends broadening the concept of innovation, integrating psychological and human dimensions, strengthening partnerships, simplifying procedures, and adopting long-term impact indicators.