EDHE Student Entrepreneurship Week (SEW) 2022

#movetomarket

  • Date: 18 – 19 August 2022

  • Venue: Auditorium, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, Limpopo

Did you attend the EDHE #SEW2022 hosted by the University of Venda? We would love to hear from you. Fill out this survey so we can learn more. We look forward to hearing from you: https://forms.gle/ANM5MaU6ULWx1Mxm9

This document is aimed at providing guidelines for organisers of #SEW2022 in August at institutions. Every year leadership of institutions task persons or entities with designing and presenting a programme to support the objectives of Student Entrepreneurship Week, i.e. equipping students for entrepreneurship as a potential career. This is especially relevant, given the growing prevalence of youth unemployment and the number of students who do not complete their tertiary education studies.

The fifth iteration of the annual national Student Entrepreneurship Week (#SEW2021) was launched from the 14th to the 16th of September 2021. The central hosting University for #SEW2021 was Sol Plaatje University in collaboration with EDHE, under the theme #againstallodds.

The fourth iteration of the annual national Student Entrepreneurship Week (#SEW2020) was launched on the 2nd – 4th of November 2020 and hosted by and streamed from the University of the Free State, a high-impact experience which raised awareness of and inspired students towards entrepreneurship.

The third iteration of the annual national Student Entrepreneurship Week was launched on the 1st of August 2019 at Nelson Mandela University. Known as #SEW2019, universities and some TVET colleges host week-long programmes to raise awareness of entrepreneurship and equip students with skills to start and run a business.

The national Student Entrepreneurship Week was piloted in 2017 and was successfully executed on in 2018 by the public universities and participating TVET colleges. These one-week campaigns took place through the hosting of in-house programmes by the institutions in partnership with business, industry and NPOs. The entrepreneurial and innovative actions of dynamic champions for entrepreneurship at institutions made these campaigns instrumental in raising awareness of entrepreneurship as a career, as well as emphasising the benefits of having the best of both worlds as a student and an entrepreneur. Along with other initiatives coordinated nationally through the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme of the Department of Higher Education, in collaboration with Universities South Africa (USAf), a movement in student entrepreneurship has been growing rapidly across the country.

The hosting university of this year’s national launch of the EDHE Student Entrepreneurship Week is the University of Venda in Thohoyandou, Limpopo under the theme #movetomarket.

The programme was further inspired by the fact that the University of Venda is celebrating its 40th anniversary as well as the women’s month.

Day 1 of the #SEW2022 national launch will be taking place on Thursday 18 August from 09:00 to 16:30 as a hybrid event.  Day 2 will be on Friday 19 August 2022.  from 9:00 to 12:00 as an in-person only.

The national launch of the #SEW2022 will take place at the Auditorium, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, Limpopo for physical attendees and will be live streamed to the EDHE YouTube channel.

The SEW aims to promote and strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit amongst university students and staff across South Africa.

SEW has raised awareness of the fact that employment is not a student’s only avenue to participation in the economy. This has led students to come up with innovative and creative ideas to solve problems in society and turn these ideas into action.

This year’s theme is #movetomarket which is informed by the importance of developing entrepreneurship despite socio-economic challenges.

#SEW2022 coincides with the ongoing national EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity, another key project of EDHE. This competition showcases some of the top studentpreneurs at universities across the country in an attempt to identify the top student entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as the universities that they represent.

The student entrepreneurship week #SEW2022 is being hosted at the University of Venda. Hosting such an august event provides the premise for aligning with the Strategic Thrust 2 of the university thus Entrepreneurial University. This event contributes towards the efforts of the university to position itself as an entrepreneurial service hub and to establish the links to grow both its local and regional economic development impact. The entrepreneurship Intervarsity marks one of the strategic mechanisms that the university undertakes to help achieve its goal of becoming engaged and entrepreneurial. Thus, it positions the University in its inculcation of an entrepreneurial culture and strengthening the university’s involvement in local and regional development as well as to promote enterprise development.

The Launch of #SEW2022 will enable the University to align with its strategic objectives as follows:

Strategic Objective 6: To develop an entrepreneurial culture. The #SEW2022 marks an external engagement with the Higher Education on entrepreneurship development. It is a move towards ensuring that at least 50 staff and 5000 students are involved in entrepreneurial activities by 2025.

Strategic Objective 8: To be an anchor institution for effective integrated local and regional development. The #movetomarket approach of the #SEW2022 contributes towards the realization of the effective regional and local development.

Strategic Objective 9: To develop enterprise. The #SEW2022 #movetomarket encourages new venture development among staff, students and the community.

The target group of the #SEW2022 are students from universities, youths who are in business, business forums, and university staff. This target group provides the premise for a broader reach of the SEW efforts. This also aligns with the desired outcome of #SEW2022 that entrepreneurs are equipped with skills and information that enable them to start and grow their businesses.

The #SEW2022 targets an in-person audience of 250 participants and virtual audience of 500 minimum. The target audience which consists of all faculties will be communicated with through direct communication approaches and indirect such as social media and posters.

The EDHE website will be used for the registration for attendance for both in person and virtual attendance. The website is https://edhe.co.za/sew-2022/

Institutions select their preferred dates in which to host their #SEW2022 programmes, from 18 August to 30 September 2022. Organisers ensure that students and staff are encouraged to look out for dates and events at their institutions, through official communication channels, but also through campus and local radio stations, on campus and on social media.

  • You can have the best of the academic world, while learning about and trying your hand at business while at varsity.
  • Always prioritise your studies, as you thus enhance the possibility of generating a good income after graduation.
  • Not everyone can be an entrepreneur, but everyone can learn the basics of starting and running a business.
  • As a student, you might want to be employed or follow a professional career path. You might, however, need a Plan B, a backup plan, should you not find employment after graduation.
  • You can empower yourself. You have a lot: skills, knowledge, potential and the opportunities that come with being a privileged student at university.
  • Work actively at optimising every resource you have at your disposal and utilise every available minute (such as three months’ vacation time) to advance your economic prospects.
  • Be proactive. You are not a victim. Don’t wait to be helped/funded/employed. Take charge of your own economic destiny. Work with what you have.
  • Entrepreneurship is not limited to traditional and conventional business (overemphasis on registering a business, with little happening thereafter), but also as participants in the gig economy and against the backdrop of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
  • Focus on creating something sustainable. Tenderpreneurship is not.

Messages to avoid

  • Over-emphasis on materialistic status symbols as an indicator of “success” – these are often not owned by the individual, but by the bank.
  • Incurring debt – live within your means.

Advice and assistance

EDHE Community of Practice (CoP) for Student Entrepreneurship is an open group of academics and support professionals and leaders and champions for student entrepreneurship who share a common interest in the development of student entrepreneurship, also outside of the formal curriculum and the classroom. These change makers usually take responsibility for hosting their institutions’ #SEW programmes, as well as related projects, such as the Entrepreneurship Intervarsity. You are welcome to engage with this very helpful group of colleagues under the leadership of Conveners of EDHE CoP for Student Entrepreneurship:

  • For marketing: The EDHE office provide participating institutions with some funds to support in the creation of marketing material.
  • For student catering: The EDHE office provide participating institutions with some funds to support with catering for students at local #SEW2022events.
  • Process to be followed:
    • Organisers at institutions add dates and details of the #SEW2022 event/s on this link: Click Here
    • Mr Sandile Shabalala (Sandile Shabalala  @usaf.ac.za) and Mrs Zamaswazi Shabangu (zamaswazi@usaf.ac.za).
    • Organisers send quotations and invoices from their institutions to Mrs Zamaswazi Shabangu (zamaswazi@usaf.ac.za), made out to Universities South Africa, Block D, Hadefields Office Park, 1267 Pretorius Street, Hatfield, 0083.
  • Tax Number 4020226415
  • Zamaswazi will provide a purchase order and arrange for payment to be made. Please note that we only pay the institution directly and not the suppliers.
  • Upon completion of your SEW2022 programme, a brief one-page report on the event must be sent to Zamaswazi and Sandile, along with attendance registers and some photos. This is important to assist in good governance, but also to advocate for additional resources in future.

SEW refers to Student Entrepreneurship Week. This is a key project of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme, brought to you by Department Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Universities South Africa (USAf).

Logos need to be positioned as follows:

  • Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)
  • University Capacity Building Programme (UCDP)
  • EDHE (Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education)
  • University of Venda (Univen)
  • USAf (Universities South Africa)

Remember to invite businesspersons from your local community to engage with studentpreneurs during your programme. Tap into the experience of local entrepreneurs by arranging for them to engage with studentpreneurs as mentors and advisors. Bring the private sector in and collaborate with neighbouring universities and TVET colleges. Together you can achieve so much more. Invite university leaders and representatives of across disciplines to participate and engage with studentpreneurs, all the while bearing in mind the objective of ultimately equipping students across disciplines with the basics of starting and running a business.

Please be sure to share your #SEW2022 stories with us and online, regardless of how big or small your efforts turn out. The point is that you are starting a ripple effect, the results of which will continue to create positive change in your institution and in the lives of students.

Organisers and participants in #SEW2022 are requested to tag @EDHEstudents on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share what is happening in #SEW2022 nationally and increase the joint impact of the initiative. Also remember to use the hashtag #movetomarket.

Mr Evans Serumula, Founder of SM Africa & EDHE #SEW2022 Student Design Competition 1st prize winner, Tshwane University of Technology

Ms Phakamile Mazibuko, Founder of Phakamile Mazibuko Foundation & EDHE #SEW2022 Student Design Competition 3rd prize winner, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Watch a message from Ms Thandeka Mahlangu, the founder of Ndeka’s Desserts & an EDHE Studentpreneurs CoP member from the University of Mpumalanga, to those who have yet to register for this exciting event!

Video Highlights of 2021

EDHE Student Entrepreneurship Week 2021
national launch day 1 highlight.

EDHE Student Entrepreneurship Week 2021
national launch day 2 highlight.

SEW Latest News

University Coordinators

To request support for attending in-person, please contact your university Coordinator

Annelie Steenkamp
Email: annelie.steenkamp@nwu.ac.za

Johann Landsberg
Email: johann.landsberg@nwu.ac.za

Dr Johan Van der Westhuizen
Email: johanvdw@vut.ac.za

Gail Motlhaudi
Email: gail.motlhaudi@spu.ac.za

Fattinald Rangongo
Email: fattinald.rangongo@spu.ac.za

Rethabile Motseki
Email: motsekir@ufs.ac.za

Ms Mamoya Khotha
Email: KhothaMR@ufs.ac.za

David Kutwane Kareli
Email: kkareli@cut.ac.za

Khanyisile Blaai
Email: nblaai@wsu.ac.za

Sabelo Malindisa
Email: smalindisa@wsu.ac.za

Tshidi Mohapeloa
Email: t.mohapeloa@ru.ac.za

Carol Dineo Diale
Email: c.diale@ru.ac.za

Karen Snyman
Email: karen.snyman@mandela.ac.za

Charnelle Davids
Email: s220011303@mandela.ac.za

Mr Athenkosi Matshini
Email: amatshini@ufh.ac.za

Ms Pangomsa Ntonjane
Email: pntonjane@ufh.ac.za

Beverly Seima
Email: beverly@tuksnovation.co.za

Christi Auret
Email: auretchristi@gmail.com

Tshegofatso Mogaladi
Email: tshegofatso.mogaladi@wits.ac.za

Neo Cindi
Email: neo.tiamo@wits.ac.za

Oageng Juliet Mokoka
Email: mokokoj@unisa.ac.za

Nthabeleng Mmako
Email: mmakonm@unisa.ac.za

Elizabeth Masoleng
Email: MasolengES@tut.ac.za

Sandra Layove
Email: LayoveJS@tut.ac.za

Caro Buitendag
Email: carob@uj.ac.za

Senoelo Nkhase
Email: senoelo.nkhase@smu.ac.za

Naledi Mathole
Email: naledi.mathole@smu.ac.za

Simphiwe Sthembile Mntambo
Email: MntamboS2@ukzn.ac.za

Ntuthuko Ndebele
Email: NdebeleN1@ukzn.ac.za

Thobani Thusi
Email: ThobaniT@dut.ac.za

Thabile Ndaba
Email: thabilen2@dut.ac.za

Thamsanqa Reginald Mtshengu
Email: MtshenguT@unizulu.ac.za

Siphesihle Nkonde
Email: NkondeS@unizulu.ac.za

Ntombifuthi Mthembu
Email: mthembu.ntombi@mut.ac.za

Miranda Mpaka
Email: mpaka@mut.ac.za

Livhuwani Nkondo
Email: livhuwani.nkondo@univen.ac.za

Makole Magoro
Email: Makole.Magoro@univen.ac.za

Ogujiuba Kanayo
Email: Kanayo.Ogujiuba@ump.ac.za

Kanayo Magoro

Nadia Waggie
Email: nadia.waggie@uct.ac.za

Wendy Mehl
Email: wmehl@uwc.ac.za

Arnelle Meyer
Email: meyerar@cput.ac.za

Daniel Maloba
Email: daniel@launchlab.africa

Contact Details

General Enquiries
Financial and Administrative Support
General Project Manager Support

University Internal SEW