IERC 2025 has a primary objective of delving into the future of entrepreneurship, family business and education research, with a particular emphasis on the Middle East and North African (MENA) Region. Similar to many other regions around the world, individuals, particularly the younger generation, are actively seeking greater autonomy in their workplaces, increased flexibility, and higher incomes. They have also given rise to new forms of ventures and entrepreneurial endeavors that extend beyond the traditional startup model (Buinez-Cabrera & Aqueveque, 2022). Furthermore, entrepreneurship is often viewed as a pivotal pathway for realizing these ambitious and occasionally conflicting aspirations (Pinelli et al., 2021).

This individual pursuit of entrepreneurship can contribute to broader collective objectives, especially in nations aiming for economic revitalization, growth, and social well-being. However, this emerging cohort of potential entrepreneurs faces a substantial gap in knowledge, skills, and competencies. Across the globe, government institutions and policymakers offer support, but a pertinent question arises: is this support adequate? Consequently, these stakeholders have successfully engaged with various actors, particularly business schools and associations, to advance entrepreneurial education (EE). In essence, EE remains a novel concept (Fayolle, 2013; Vesper & Gartner, 1997), as universities and business schools have made concerted efforts to integrate EE into their programs across interdisciplinary fields, encompassing domains such as engineering, medicine, biology, arts, history, and beyond.

To encourage and motivate students toward the startup experience, new methods and experiential learning are employed in EE. As mentioned by Liguori et al. (2018), "Beginning with one course at Harvard University in 1947 (Katz, 2003), EE is now taught at more than 3,000 institutions worldwide (Morris & Liguori, 2016)."

However, EE encompasses various practices and teaching modes, including top-down lectures, flipped classrooms (Senali et al., 2022), learning through case studies, live case studies, and online teaching (Al Takhaveneh, 2022). These practices are context-dependent (Baker & Welter, 2020). In some developed countries, business schools primarily drive EE (Matlay, 2005).

Beyond the aim of fostering entrepreneurial intentions among students, the primary objective is to equip them with entrepreneurial skills and a mindset (Matlay, 2008), enabling them to contribute to future entrepreneurial projects and existing firms. However, despite the diverse teaching methods, recent studies have exposed the inefficiency of some of these approaches. Thus, there remains uncertainty regarding what students truly learn, influenced by factors such as age, prior experience, social background (Banha et al., 2022), and even disabilities (Powers et al., 2021).

In this context, the MENA region and Middle East countries are no exception. However, like many other nations, they often tend to adopt global teaching approaches with varying degrees of success (Al Takhaveneh, 2022). The remarkable proliferation of EE programs across the MENA region underscores the need for researchers and practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms and variables contributing to this trend.