Godfrey Okoye University staff, Meggy Kantert and Christopher Chidiebere Uwakwe have won grant worth 90 million Naira in collaboration with Leuphana University (Germany), Mount Kenya University (Kenya), and University of Venda (South Africa).

This is a 4-year project (2024-2027) worth €80, 000, 000 and funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

It is a research/teaching project which focuses on offering new sustainable entrepreneurship curriculum courses that are rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mr. Christopher Uwakwe joined other project members on 22nd April 2024 for the project kick-off workshop at Leuphana University, Germany.

The aim of the workshop was to discuss how to coordinate and support the implementation of the Student Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion Sustainability (STEP-S) project across partner universities in the global south.

The STEP-S project is an initiative to integrate aspects of sustainable entrepreneurship into the “Student Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion” (STEP).

STEP is an entrepreneurship training that develops in young people the skills, knowledge and confidence to pursue an entrepreneurial career.

During the 12-week training, the participants learn how to start and run a new business based on action principles derived from scientific literature on entrepreneurship management and psychology.

Discussions during the workshop was aimed at ensuring smooth and successful implementation of the STEP-S project including, the development/inclusion of adaptation ideas into the curriculum for partner institution, sharing of research idea, monitoring and evaluation.

Other discussions revolved around, building strong cooperation with extra-university partners (industry) as well as organizing regional and international conferences.

At the end of the workshop, Ms. Meggy Kantert (GOU International Liaison Officer) presented a souvenir to Prof. Michael Gielnik (STEP Project Principal Investigator from Leuphana University) on behalf of GOU.

Within the next 3years, Godfrey Okoye University will be tasked with training teachers and developing the STEP-S curriculum for implementation at secondary school level in Nigeria. While Mount Kenya University (MKU) and the University of Venda (UOV) will be tasked with training undergraduate students and postgraduate students respectively.

Leuphana University, Germany is the grant administering institution tasked with undertaking overall responsibility of coordination/implementation/grant management as well as spearheading the research component of the project among partner institutions.

At Godfrey Okoye University, this project will be implemented through the Directorate of Entrepreneurship with support from the GOUni International Liaison Office. The Directorate will also host international research workshops and regional conferences within the project period.

The project will be implemented through coaching, mentoring, and internship programmes in collaboration with industries, incubation hubs and other international partners who will offer hands-on experience to beneficiaries.

Together with other partners on the project, a robust and comprehensive sustainable entrepreneurship curriculum will be developed across all levels of education (secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate) for the attainment of the SDGs by 2030.