University entrepreneurial ecosystem (UEE) provides students and academic staff with the resources and environment where they are supported to take up entrepreneurship. Studies have indicated that student and academic-staff-run entrepreneurship contributes to regional development through university spinoffs and knowledge spillover. However, the complete framework of developing UEE has not been discussed in the literature, and scholars have focused on examining the impact of certain aspects of UEE, such as entrepreneurial education and technology transfer. The measurement scale for the dimensions of UEE is scarce. In this article, we address this gap by conceptualizing the UEE as analogous to the ecology ecosystem and identifying the dimensions of UEE as entrepreneurial skill development, entrepreneurial resources, and entrepreneurial culture. Moreover, we strengthen the UEE framework by finding out the components and subcomponents. Finally, we develop measurement scales for UEE by following a rigorous four-step methodology followed by ensuring the nomological validity of the scale. The article not only contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature by conceptualizing UEE and developing a way to measure UEE but it also helps managers by suggesting a tool for comparison of performance of various UEEs.

Despite universities being a significant contributor to entrepreneurship, the components of the university entrepreneurial ecosystem (UEE) responsible for UEE success have not been discussed in the extant literature. Furthermore, the existing literature has not explored the interactions and interrelationships among the different components of UEE that can result in UEE's success. In this article, using a mixed methodology consisting of thematic analysis, TOPSIS, and fuzzy DEMATEL, we have clarified what to expect from a successful UEE. We have suggested a pathway to achieve the same. This article also helps policymakers and universities to understand and design an appropriate entrepreneurial ecosystem in universities for students. It is one of the pioneering studies focusing on factors of UEE success.

The entrepreneurial ecosystem is a popular concept because of its systematic approach to analysing entrepreneurship and promoting entrepreneurial activity in the region. However, studies on EE have lacked a framework for indicating the influence that EE components have on entrepreneurship. The authors fill this gap in our research by investigating the influence of the components of the entrepreneurial environment on the entrepreneurial process. Entrepreneurial Intention Development, Entrepreneurial Exploration, and Entrepreneurial Exploitation are the three stages of the entrepreneurial process that were identified. To investigate complex systems and grasp the system's causal linkages, fuzzy cognitive modelling approach was employed. This study provides insights into the relationships between the components of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the entrepreneurial process, which helps to support entrepreneurship during its different phases.