Measuring the Entrepreneurial Traits of Graduate Students: A Step towards a Third Generation University

Background: Today, entrepreneurship development, as an important engine of economic growth, requires a high spirit of entrepreneurship. In universities, students are the mainstay of entrepreneurship. In this way, the present study has measured the entrepreneurial traits of graduate students in Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in Yazd. 
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2020. Authors selected 235 graduate students based on quota sampling and used Cochran's formula. The research tool was a standardized questionnaire to measure entrepreneurial spirit. Data were entered into SPSS 21 statistical software and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests. This included independent t-test, ANOVA, and regression. 
Results: The total score of entrepreneurial spirit was evaluated as good with an average of 62.50 %. Among all the dimensions, the achievement seeking dimension got the highest score with an average of 75.50 %, and the independence sought dimension received the lowest score with an average of 50.50 %. There was a significant relationship between the total score of entrepreneurial spirit and marital status (p = 0.046), gender (p = 0.033), father's job (p = 0.020), and mother's job (p = 0.001). The regression model also showed that gender, age, and mother's employment are effective factors regarding the entrepreneurial spirit of students (p < 0.05). 
Conclusion: Planning with a focus on male and older students can strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit in the university. Of course, considering the increase in the number of female students in universities, it is vital to improve their entrepreneurial characteristics and motivate them for self-employment.