For an entrepreneurial university in southern Africa
A delegation of some twenty representatives from southern African partner ministries and academic institutions, as well as the international organizations Technological higher education network south Africa (THENSA) and Obreal, were in Montpellier for a study visit from June 2 to 5. The visit is part of the international Uniico-Create consortium, an Erasmus + project project involving the AE2i Chair (Lab Entreprendre, UM Foundation, WOAgri). It's an opportunity to discuss how to foster the entrepreneurial spirit as a vector for transformation in southern Africa.
The project was launched on March 24 in Johannesburg, South Africa, as part of the European Erasmus+ CBHE program. Coordinated by the Technological higher education network south Africa(THENSA, South Africa), Uniico-create is a consortium of some twenty partners, including academic institutions in Europe (Ireland, Finland and France) and Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini), as well as international higher education organizations such asOBREAL, SARUA and SAQA, not to mention the ministries of education of the countries concerned, members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The aim of Uniico-create is to develop the entrepreneurial spirit in Southern Africa in response to the low levels of job creation, start-up success and employability of young graduates.
At the UM, the AE2i Chair, supported by the Lab Entreprendre and the UM Foundation in partnership with Montpellier management, is taking part in this international initiative aimed at strengthening university/business collaboration. Headed by Professor Sylvie Sammut, the AE2i Chair aims to support entrepreneurs in their strategic development, and to encourage collaboration between public and private players in order to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Closer collaboration between universities and companies
Numerous presentations are on the program for the few days of the study visit organized by the AE2i Chair and UM's International Relations Department, notably from the university's flagship programs highlighting its role and involvement in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem: Pôle universitaire d'innovation (PUI), Lab Entreprendre, MOMA, Société d'accélération de transfert des technologies (SATT) AxLR, Initium university incubator, Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole's Business & Innovation Centre(BIC)... The twenty or so members of Uniico-Create's international delegation had plenty to think about in terms of closer collaboration between universities and companies.