By: Qhawekazi Memani – 06 September 2023

In a world constantly evolving, universities must adapt and innovate to meet the ever-changing needs of society. For Vaal University of Technology (VUT), this journey of transformation and innovation took a significant step forward with the introduction of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) project. This initiative, funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) under the auspices of Universities South Africa (USAf), seeks to nurture a culture of entrepreneurship within higher education institutions.

At the heart of DHET’s mission is the encouragement of universities to become entrepreneurial institutions, recognizing that entrepreneurship can be a potent weapon against the scourge of unemployment. Driven by this vision, Dr Speech Nelana, the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Commercialisation, has embraced the role of championing entrepreneurship projects and events at VUT.

However, a crucial turning point occurred on February 9, 2023. The University’s Stakeholder Engagement Unit organized a pivotal meeting, inviting representatives from USAf to present the EDHE initiative to VUT colleagues. To everyone’s surprise, it became apparent that VUT was underrepresented in various EDHE Communities of Practice (CoPs). This revelation prompted swift action, resulting in VUT’s newfound presence in all the CoPs.

Ms Nondumiso Lufele, the Director of Stakeholder Engagement, plays a central role in coordinating and supporting these entrepreneurship projects within the EDHE framework.

Now, VUT is poised to take its commitment to entrepreneurship to the next level. Dr Nelana,  along with a dedicated team have embarked on an extraordinary journey to the EDHE Entrepreneurship Lekgotla which is hosted at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) from 6- 8 September 2023.

The EDHE Entrepreneurship Lekgotla is not just a conference; it is a vibrant gathering of visionaries. It’s a place where leaders in university-based entrepreneurship converge to share insights on best practices and emerging trends. The theme for the 2023 Lekgotla is “Social Innovation for Societal Impact” (#InnovationForImpact). This theme is rooted in the belief in the transformative potential of social innovation, the need to commercialize research outcomes, and the imperative to empower student entrepreneurs to shape the future economy.

The Lekgotla serves as a platform for networking, fostering excellence, supporting businesses, enabling learning, and facilitating valuable collaborations, embodying VUT’s commitment to innovation and societal betterment through entrepreneurship.

VUT is eagerly anticipating the valuable insights that the delegates will bring back from the EDHE Lekgotla.