Abstract Entrepreneurship education has become a key driver in terms of innovation and sustainable development, yet regional disparities in search-based public attention may hinder its inclusive spread and policy impact. Using Baidu Index data, this study utilizes spatial statistical analysis, namely GeoDa and GeoDetector, to examine the spatiotemporal change of public attention to entrepreneurship education in China and to explore the macro-level drivers. The detailed analytical framework is developed, consisting of spatial clustering identification, factor detection, and interaction effect analysis. The results reveal a declining trend in search-based public attention over time, which reflects changing patterns of online information-seeking behavior rather than a fixed decrease in societal interest. A persistent spatial pattern of “high in the east, low in the west” is observed, indicating significant regional inequality. Internet accessibility, educational investment, and regional income levels are identified as key explanatory factors, and several nonlinear interaction effects between these determinants are detected. Adopting a demand-side approach, this study reveals the regional differences and structural mechanisms shaping public attention to entrepreneurship education. These results clarify structural causes of public attention and offer actionable insights for enhancing regionally adaptive and sustainable education communication strategies. The study highlights the need to incorporate digital behavioral data into educational policies to overcome spatial imbalances and promote more equitable access to entrepreneurship education regionally.
Xu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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