Measuring What Matters: Authentic Assessment In Work-Integrated Learning and Social Entrepreneurship

This proposal presents critical challenges in Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) assessment within social entrepreneurship education, focusing on strategies to enhance authentic assessment practices. While WIL offers valuable opportunities for connecting theoretical knowledge with practical application, current programs often face barriers including misalignment between stakeholder expectations and assessments (Jackson, 2024; Ajjawi et al., 2024). Social entrepreneurship education is dedicated to cultivating change-makers, facilitating meaningful knowledge exchange and promoting multidisciplinary collaboration (Wang & Horta, 2024). The session will emphasise aligning authentic assessment design with societal transformation, highlighting the need to move beyond academic achievement to equip students for tackling complex real-world challenges, particularly in social entrepreneurship education. The session will also discuss assessment approaches that effectively measure learning outcomes while evaluating broader social impacts. Through analysis of best practices in assessment methodologies, this work provides insights for educators and institutions to cultivate the next generation of socially responsible leaders in an increasingly complex global landscape.