College of Science, Engineering & Technology

Unlocking the potential of universities

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Prof%20Adedayo%20Yusuff%20and%20Prof%20Mbuyu%20Sumbwanyambe%20from%20the%20School%20of%20Engineering%20flew%20the%20Unisa%20flag%20high%20during%20a%20recent%20radio%20interview%20focusing%20on%20innovation%20and%20entrepreneurship%20in%20higher%20education%20that%20followed%20from%20a%20successful%20CSET%20webinar.

Prof Adedayo Yusuff and Prof Mbuyu Sumbwanyambe from the School of Engineering flew the Unisa flag high during a recent radio interview focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education that followed from a successful CSET webinar.

Unisa’s College of Science, Engineering, and Technology (CSET) successfully hosted a webinar geared towards exploring the entrepreneurial capacity that is not always tapped from research and academic activities.

The aim was to unlock the potential of universities into becoming more entrepreneurial and limiting institutional dependency in terms of funding. Such engagements will in turn create jobs within our communities and empower our already struggling people. Africa, in particular, has had a slow movement in terms of job creation. Engagement within these spaces can create sustainable economic growth and also job creation.

The webinar answered the following questions:

  1. Are universities creating spaces for entrepreneurial activities?
  2. Is the curriculum designed in such way as to change the mind-set of our students into becoming entrepreneurs or innovators?
  3. What can we learn from other countries in terms of entrepreneurship and innovation?
  4. How do we establish entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems?
  5. Are there any policy directives in place to accelerate entrepreneurship?

“Policy makers and researchers agree that a thriving small, micro‐ and medium enterprise (SMME) sector is the key to job creation in this country. A webinar of this calibre is, therefore, a milestone in our research endeavours as we push our research agenda to directly benefit all citizens. We are pleased to have hosted the calibre of such speakers as Professor PLO Lumumba, Professor Arnold Heinrich, Professor Esther T Akinlabi, Poonam Veer Ramjeawon, and Professor Fulufhelo Nelwamondo,” said Professor Bhekie Mamba, CSET Executive Dean.

The webinar was well attended and generated much publicity for the university when professors Adedayo Yusuff and Mbuyu Sumbwanyambe from the School of Engineering were interviewed on Life Happens on SAFM.

You can catch the recorded interview below:

Focus on innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education Part 1

Focus on innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education Part 2

Focus on innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education Part 3

*By Thembeka Ntuli-Mpapama, Communication and Marketing Specialist, College of Science, Engineering, and Technology

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Publish date: 2020-10-30 00:00:00.0

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