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EDHE Lekgotla 20232023-09-18T19:09:33+00:00

LEKGOTLA 2023

#EDHE #EDHElekgotla2023

  • 4 – 8 Sept 2023

  • 09:00 am – 17:00pm

  • Western Cape, South Africa

Be sure to save the date of the EDHE flagship event of the year!

Discover the future of entrepreneurship in higher education at the electrifying EDHE Lekgotla 2023 & Studentpreneurs Indaba! Co-hosted by the University of the Western Cape, the Department of Higher Education and Training, Universities South Africa, and the Cape Higher Education Consortium, this prestigious event ignites innovation across South Africa’s universities.
Being held from 4 – 5 September, the EDHE Studentpreneurs Indaba is a one-of-a-kind event aimed at empowering and supporting young entrepreneurs. Our mission is simple yet powerful: to share knowledge, open doors to exciting opportunities, and build invaluable networks that will skyrocket your entrepreneurial journey! The EDHE Lekgotla follows the Indaba on 6 – 8 September and serves as the flagship event of the EDHE Programme, bringing together leaders in university entrepreneurship for a multi-day gathering.

What’s in Store: Unite with visionary leaders in university entrepreneurship. Empower studentpreneurs to thrive with knowledge and networking. Embrace “Social Innovation for Societal Impact” (#innovation4impact) – shaping tomorrow’s world.
Global Reach: Connect with diverse stakeholders from colleges, academia, nonprofits, and industry giants. Elevate the higher education sector through entrepreneurial brilliance.
Action-Packed Sessions: Engage in open discussions, think tanks, and launchpads. Ignite ideas for collective progress and feedback.
Hybrid Experience: Experience the buzz of in-person gatherings and seamless online access via the EDHE YouTube channel.
Target audience: We would like to invite all existing student business leaders and entrepreneurs

Event Information:

The EDHE Lekgotla 2023 is aimed at facilitating the sharing of good practices and emerging initiatives in university entrepreneurship. The programme promises to bring new insights and recommendations, while developing key aspects in positioning universities for their role in entrepreneurship, innovation, commercialisation, and policy development. There would be ample opportunity for discussion and networking, while identifying and addressing challenges in entrepreneurship development.

Further objectives include: Providing an engagement platform for leaders of entrepreneurship in Higher Education; Facilitating and supporting the work of the EDHE Communities of Practice for Student Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship in Academia and Entrepreneurial Universities; Showcasing support businesses and organisations for entrepreneurship in Higher Education; Providing a learning platform and voice for student entrepreneurs; and Facilitating collaboration with local and international stakeholders.

The theme of the EDHE Lekgotla 2023 is Social Innovation for Societal Impact,  #InnovationForImpact, informed by the importance of the commercialisation of research, the imperative to position student entrepreneurs to actively participate in the economy, and the impact of social innovation on universities, identifying ways to leverage it for maximum benefit. 

Social innovation within universities is important as it enables the addressing of societal challenges, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, engages students and faculty, strengthens community partnerships, generates knowledge and research, and cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset, ultimately leading to positive societal impact and a more equitable and sustainable future.

Every year, the EDHE Lekgotla includes the EDHE Studentpreneurs Indaba for student entrepreneurs who are already in business. This event is generally aimed at supporting student entrepreneurs with existing start-ups or small businesses through sharing knowledge, opportunities, and networks to support these young entrepreneurs in their entrepreneurial endeavours. This event will take place on Monday 4 September – Tuesday, 5 September 2023 for studentpreneurs – seats are limited and bookings are essential!

Further objectives include:

  • Providing an engagement platform for leaders of entrepreneurship in Higher Education;
  • Facilitating and supporting the work of the EDHE Communities of Practice for Student Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship in Academia and Entrepreneurial Universities;
  • Showcasing support businesses and organisations for entrepreneurship in Higher Education;
  • Providing a learning platform and voice for student entrepreneurs; and
  • Facilitating collaboration with local and international stakeholders.

Day 1: Studentpreneurs Indaba, Monday 4 September
Day 2: Studentpreneurs Indaba, Tuesday 5 September
Day 3: Lekgotla, Wednesday 6 September
Day 4: Lekgotla, Thursday 7 September
Day 5: Lekgotla, Friday 8 September

Studentpreneurs Indaba: Monday 4 & Tuesday 5 September 2023

Registration Price Day
Studentpreneurs Indaba: in-person R 500 Day 1-2
Studentpreneurs Social R 50 pp Day 1 (evening)
Studentpreneurs Indaba: Group bookings of 10 R 4 000 Day 1-2
Student market exhibition stand (for 2 people), including 2 tickets to the Indaba – limited space available R 500 Day 1-2
Studentpreneurs Indaba – virtual Free Day 1-2

Lekgotla: Wednesday 6 – Friday 8 September 2023

Registration Price Day
EDHE Members: In-person participants R 1 200 Lekgotla Day 3-5
In-person participants – standard ticket R 1 500 Lekgotla Day 3-5
Lekgotla: Group bookings of 10 R 14 000 Day 3-5
Stakeholder exhibition stand (per day) –
limited space available		 R 2 000 Day 3-5
Virtual participants Free Lekgotla Day 3-5

The programme of the EDHE Lekgotla 2023 is aimed at being relevant and interactive while encouraging a diversity of perspectives and voices.

The sessions are again designed within an action-focused framework with a deliberate sequencing, focus, and flow, i.e. showcasing initiatives, learning, practices and policies, engagement with new thinking and ideas, and launching new initiatives and programmes. Specifically, the EDHE Lekgotla 2023 will feature four forms of engagement, aligned with each of the three goals of EDHE, i.e.

  • Open discussions, aimed at hearing the voices of participants in conversations with experts;
  • a thinktank, aimed at engaging thought leaders in an attempt to solve real problems;
  • a launchpad, aimed at mobilisation for the impact of potentially high-impact EDHE initiatives, thus ensuring that the lekgotla, in the true EDHE spirit, culminates in action and ecosystemic change; and
  • A voice for impact, aimed at breakaways for collective reflection and feedback.

High-Level Programme:

STUDENTPRENEURS INDABA  2023

Every year, the EDHE Lekgotla includes the two-day EDHE Studentpreneurs Indaba aimed at supporting student entrepreneurs with existing start-ups or small businesses through sharing knowledge, opportunities and networks.

  • Target audience: Studentpreneurs with existing start-ups/businesses, formal or informal

The EDHE Lekgotla 2023, an immersive three-day program designed to foster relevance, interactivity, and diversity of perspectives. Our theme this year is “Social Innovation for Societal Impact” (#innovation4impact). 

EDHE LEKGOTLA

  • Morning session: Supporting and developing student entrepreneurship. 
  • Theme: Social innovation for societal impact in student entrepreneurship 
  • Target audience: Student entrepreneurship development academics, support professionals and practitioners
  • Afternoon session: Supporting and Developing Entrepreneurial Universities 
  • Theme: Social innovation in the entrepreneurial university
  • Target audience: University executives, academics, industry, government.

EDHE LEKGOTLA

  • Morning session: Developing Entrepreneurship in Teaching and Learning 
  • Theme: Interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary learning and teaching of entrepreneurship (general)
  • Target audience: Academics and support staff in entrepreneurship teaching and training
  • Afternoon session: Developing Entrepreneurship in Teaching and Learning
  • Theme: Interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary entrepreneurship learning and teaching in SHAPE (Shifting Hope, Activating Potential Entrepreneurship)
  • Target audience: Academics and support professionals in entrepreneurship teaching and learning.

EDHE LEKGOTLA

  • Morning session: Entrepreneurship Research
  • Theme: Supporting and developing Entrepreneurship research
  • Target audience: Academics and others with an interest in entrepreneurship research
  • EDHE Lekgotla 2023 Closing Ceremony 

  • Studentpreneurs Social, Tuesday 5 September, 17:00 – 19:00
    Target: 200
    Bookings are esential
    Venue: Student Centre/ Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (TBC)
  • Welcome cocktail event, Wednesday 6 September, 17:00 – 19:00
    Target: 120
    Venue: Jake’s Gerwel Hall entrance (TBC)

Partners

Join us via the free Glue Up conferencing app to receive programme updates and participate in the EDHE Lekgotla 2023 event.

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Introduction to Glue Up

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Contact Details

EDHE Lekgotla 2023 Video Highlights

Indaba Day 1

Indaba Day 2

Lekgotla Day 1

Lekgotla Day 2

Lekgotla Day 3

Latest EDHE Lekgotla News 2023

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