Designing a Transdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in African Universities

Abdul Razak Esakjee; Saurabh Sinha

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Chapter 11 Designing a Transdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in African Universities

In: Creating the New African University

Authors:

Abdul Razak Esakjee

Abdul Razak Esakjee
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Saurabh Sinha

Saurabh Sinha
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 221–247

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004677432_011

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Abstract

Historical events across the African continent have negatively impacted on society, with the common denominators being inequality, unemployment and poverty. Providing solutions to these deep-rooted problems requires reconfiguration of African Higher Education: a reimagined “New African University” which could be positioned to address numerous socio-economic challenges. For instance, deepening the mission of a university towards developing knowledge and skills-based graduates able to become the custodians of alternative economies could organically address the factors currently responsible for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) failure. Incorporating transformative education informed by culturally directed innovations generated by the New African University paradigm, coupled with technologies made available by the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), could serve to forge a pathway to these alternative economies. This alternative economy could facilitate a symbiotic relationship between innovation-led start-ups and SME s through factors such as relative economies of scale and relatively low market entry barriers. Students from impoverished backgrounds could draw on the knowledge and skills gained from university education to solve societal problems within their communities based on their first-hand experiences. This speaks to the value system of empathy underpinning the first phase in the design thinking process. The proposed reconfiguration may serve as a driver for social entrepreneurship which addresses community problems in collaboration between the university and the community, resulting in the inclusion and participation of society in university-led activities. In principle, qualifications in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) could integrate aspects of business and commerce through a transformative education paradigm, using SME s as a conduit, ultimately creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem. To achieve this, we propose an “engineered” 4IR-enabled entrepreneurial ecosystem supported by SME s where scientists, engineers and technologists can successfully commercialise innovations. Housed within and between universities across the African continent, such an entrepreneurial ecosystem could solve the triple challenge of unemployment, inequality and poverty.

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Creating the New African University

Series: African Higher Education: Developments and Perspectives, Volume: 16

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004677432

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 18 May 2023

Subjects
- Education

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Chapter 11 Designing a Transdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in African Universities

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Creating the New African University

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