Stimulating Entrepreneurial Thinking for African Scientists
Aims
To empower African scientists to think in new ways about how their work and research could impact positively on local communities
Overview
Project Lead, Dr Joanne Larty explains:
“One of the key goals of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation strategy 2024 is to place science, technology and innovation at the centre of sustainable economic development and growth. We now see an increasing number of technology and innovation hubs, as well as funding available for start-ups across many African states. There remains, however, a gap in entrepreneurship capacity building within academic institutions for both staff and students, especially so in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subject areas which are key sources of innovation.”
“An important element of Lancaster University’s £7m GCRF RECIRCULATE project on the circular water economy, supported by further funding from the British Council’s Digital Africa project, is capacity building to stimulate entrepreneurial thinking amongst African scientists. Working with our African partners we have co-designed and co-developed a place-based framework and toolbox for stimulating entrepreneurial thinking that enables our partner institutions to design and develop programmes for stimulating entrepreneurial thinking within their institutions designed around their institution’s strengths, needs and contexts.”
“The framework is designed to enable partner institutions to think about all aspects of entrepreneurial thinking, from the creation of local goals and visions, to developing collaborations internally with other faculty members, as well as with local businesses and communities. The toolbox provides a range of foundational materials and ideas that our partners can adapt and build upon as they develop their own programmes.”
Results and Outcomes
Tab Content: For Partners and Engagement
“Our work has highlighted the importance of a place-based approach to co-design and co-development for engendering entrepreneurial thinking amongst communities of scientists as no two institutions are the same and no two local contexts are the same; our partners have unique resources, strengths and experiences, and equally their local contexts have unique characteristics that determine what types of entrepreneurial projects might work best.”
“The project has also led to the further development of programmes for stimulating entrepreneurial thinking amongst students at our partner institutions, as it is so important to build capacity for the next generation.”
“We will continue to work with our partners and other institutions across Africa to further develop the framework and to add to the toolbox of materials open to any institution.”
“What has been inspiring is the eagerness to which colleagues at our African partners have embraced ideas of entrepreneurial thinking, and the levels of enthusiasm amongst scientists to make positive differences to their local communities.”
“There is much that we have learned from this project that we can bring back to Lancaster University, especially the different ways that we might work to further develop entrepreneurial thinking amongst our STEM scientists.”
Feedback from our partners:
“The SETS online program is a welcome development with the potential to change the landscape of Research and Development in Higher Education” Dr Spencer Nwangwu- Director SDG Centre, Igbinedion University
“An insightful and innovative tool for stimulating entrepreneurial thinking amongst scientists” Prof Caroline Thoruwa, Chair African Women in Science and Engineering, Kenyatta University
“The CSIR-Food Research Institute supports the SETS program as an excellent tool to equip our scientists to turn our research findings into businesses in Ghana” - Prof Mary Obodai - Former Director, CSIR Food Research Institute
Tab Content: For Academics
Learning from the process
“The process of co-design and co-development is fundamental to such a project, but to do so effectively requires strong and trustful relationships with partner institutions, as well as the enthusiasm of colleagues from those partner institutions to want to make a positive change within their local communities. Shared trust and shared values, we believe, are the two key factors that underpinned the success of this project.”
“Working in multidisciplinary teams, especially at the intersection of entrepreneurship and STEM subjects, can be challenging as it requires the translating of discipline specific language, and the need to be mindful of assumptions that are taken for granted in our every-day roles.”
“The importance of context and place for entrepreneurship is an area recognised as under-researched; this project, working with partners from different countries in sub-Saharan Africa, has been invaluable in providing new insights into the importance of place in consideration of capacity building around entrepreneurial thinking.”
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