The collaboration between InQubate and the School of Management, Information Technology and Governance (SMIG) aimed at cultivating entrepreneurship at UKZN is yielding results, with the University receiving top honours in various categories of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) 2023 Awards.
The awards are hosted by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in collaboration with Universities South Africa (USAf) through the EDHE programme. They recognise the efforts of key contributors to entrepreneurship development in Higher Education.
As an Economic Activation Office awardee, UKZN has been selected to participate in the Standard Bank-funded initiative, alongside nine other South African Higher Education Institutions.
Championed by the SMIG’s Academic Leader for High Impact Community Engagement and Internationalisation, Professor Thea van der Westhuizen and InQubate’s Mr Khutso Ramontja, the Economic Activation KwaZulu-Natal Office will enhance UKZN’s capacity building for students and the community.
The Office will achieve this through supporting and co-ordinating ongoing entrepreneurship initiatives aimed at better integrating UKZN’s programmes and resources. This will strengthen the University’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and serve as the main point of contact to co-ordinate entrepreneurial activities.
Van der Westhuizen received the EDHE Chairperson Award as the current National Chairperson of the Community of Practice in Academic Entrepreneurship. She has served in this position for two terms.
Two student entrepreneurs were also recognised in the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2023 Competition’s existing business category. This category received 332 submissions and is open to any other type of business defined in the rules.
The Learning and Teaching Awards, a prestigious initiative conceptualised, developed, and implemented by academics in the SMIG, received more than 40 submissions from 20 of the 26 public universities in South Africa.
Words: NdabaOnline
Photograph: Supplied