Do universities play the role of entrepreneurial gender equalizer? Evidence from China

The gender imbalance in entrepreneurship makes people expect universities to play the role of gender equalizers. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether universities play such a role as expected. Based on the survey data of 5468 college graduates in Shaanxi Province, China, this study utilizes the multigroup analysis (MGA) technique in a partial least squares structural equation model to investigate the gender difference in the direct and indirect effect of university entrepreneurship support (UES) on college students' entrepreneurial intention (EI). The results illustrate no significant gender differences in the direct effect of UES on EI, entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) on EI, and ESE's mediating role in the relationship between UES and EI. More importantly, we find that UES demonstrates a greater reduction in fear of entrepreneurial failure (FEF) for male students compared to female students; UES has a more positive influence on male students' ESE than female students. Moreover, compared with female students, FEF has a stronger attenuating effect on male students' EI; UES is more likely to stimulate EI for male students by lowering FEF. These findings imply that universities seem to maintain and exacerbate gender inequality in startups, and current UES may be required to adapt or redesign.