The role of student clubs, teams, and groups in students’ innovative start-up competencies and skills development

This paper presents a quantitative study on the role of student clubs, teams, and groups in developing students’ innovative start-up competencies and skills. The survey was conducted on 210 students from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City, who have participated in student clubs, teams, and groups’ activities. The research results show that most of the participants found the practicality and usefulness of student clubs, in which clubs of Academic and Research, Volunteer, Social Activities, Life skills, and Art & Sports have a largest number of participants. The number of participants in clubs of career guidance and professional skills building and start-up was at the lowest level. The competencies and skills, which students can reap the most from joining those clubs, teams and groups, include teamwork skills, creativity/problem solving ability, networking skills, self-efficacy, perseverance, etc. However, the lowest average score falls on the ability to form start-up ideas. The paper offers some proposals to promote activities of student clubs, teams, and groups in order to enhance innovative start-up skills and support learners in developing their knowledge and soft skills in higher education.