Strengthening Partnerships for Impact: EDHE’s Collaborative Drive to Tackle Youth Unemployment

The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme reached a significant milestone on March 13, 2025, as it formalised strategic partnerships to transform graduate unemployment in South Africa.

At an event held at the Radisson Hotel Convention Centre near O.R. Tambo Airport, key stakeholders from government, international organisations, and the higher education sector gathered to witness the signing of agreements between Universities South Africa (USAf) and two major partners: the British Council South Africa and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC).

Against the backdrop of South Africa’s 45.5% youth unemployment rate, these partnerships represent concrete steps toward equipping graduates with entrepreneurial skills for economic participation and job creation rather than mere job seeking.

“The British Council and USAf have a long history, and we share mutual objectives to support the advancement of entrepreneurial universities in South Africa,” Khumalo said. She highlighted how their joint projects, delivered as part of the broader EDHE program, address graduate unemployment while helping universities develop third income streams.

The British Council representative painted a stark picture of youth unemployment across the continent. “According to the African Development Bank Group, of nearly 420 million youth aged between 15 and 35 in Africa, one-third are unemployed, and another third are vulnerably employed,” she noted. For South Africa specifically, she highlighted the 45.5% youth unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2024, adding, “I don’t think it’s getting any better.”

Khumalo detailed several key initiatives the British Council had already supported, including the National University Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Baseline report in 2020, the South Africa University Innovation Ecosystem project (2020-2021), a commercialisation skills program in 2023, and the Student Women’s Economic Empowerment program (SWEEP) for 2023-2024.

Looking forward, she outlined three areas of commitment: “To equip every student and graduate for economic participation through entrepreneurial activity, to support academics across disciplines in developing entrepreneurship through teaching, learning, and research, and to support the development of universities as entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystems.”

The British Council’s focus on gender equality was emphasised as a core value, with Khumalo explaining its “mainstreaming approach”, which integrates gender equality into every stage of its activities, projects, and programs.

He emphasised that export success begins long before a business makes its first international transaction. “It starts with the right mindset, awareness, and preparedness. Developing an export culture among young South African entrepreneurs is vital, especially at the early stage of their entrepreneurship journey.”

The DTIC representative highlighted how young entrepreneurs are “agile, adaptable, open-minded” and, with proper guidance, can integrate export strategies into their business plans from the outset. This makes the partnership with EDHE “not only timely but necessary.”

Van der Spuy shared that the National Exporter Development Program has prioritised export capacity development with the vision that South African businesses, especially SMEs and youth-led enterprises, are equipped to access international markets. “To truly broaden South Africa’s export base, we need to start planting the seed as early as possible,” he stressed.

Drawing international comparisons, van der Spuy noted how countries like Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Germany, and the United States have successfully integrated export market-focused incubation into their universities, helping startups scale globally from an early stage.

The Student Premier Export Incubation Program, designed explicitly for EDHE alumni, will be a centrepiece of the DTIC partnership. This initiative will include export awareness workshops, capacity building, technical advice, coaching, and market access support.

Van der Spuy highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a “historic opportunity for young entrepreneurs to tap into a market of over 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of over $3.4 trillion.” However, he cautioned that businesses must be export-ready to take advantage of this opportunity.

The DTIC has set an ambitious target in the current administration’s Medium-Term Strategic Plan: Introducing 1,400 new export companies by 2030. This partnership with EDHE will contribute substantially to achieving that goal while driving economic growth and job creation.

The highlight of the evening was the formal signing of partnership agreements, symbolising concrete commitments to entrepreneurship development in South African higher education.

The first signing occurred between Universities South Africa (USAf) and the British Council South Africa. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Phetitwe Matutu, representing USAf, and Ms Linda Khumalo from the British Council took their seats at the signing table as attendees watched with anticipation. Building on previous collaborations, the partnership focuses mainly on supporting women entrepreneurs through the Student Women’s Economic Empowerment Program and institutionalising entrepreneurship within universities.

Earlier in her opening address, Dr Matutu highlighted how the British Council partnership has already supported women student entrepreneurs through training programs and international exposure, including a recent delegation of SWEEP students attending an exchange programme in the UK.

As pens met paper, the moment represented more than a formality. It marked a renewed commitment to addressing gender disparities in graduate employment outcomes and leveraging international expertise to strengthen South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in higher education.

The second signing ceremony between USAf and the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition commenced following this. Mr Willem van der Spuy joined Dr Matutu for this historic agreement, which will introduce the Student Premier Export Incubation Program, designed explicitly for EDHE alumni. This partnership aims to equip student entrepreneurs with export readiness skills and access to international markets, particularly the AfCFTA.

Regarding the DTIC partnership, Dr Matutu spoke candidly about gaps in university entrepreneurial ecosystems. “What we are short of are institutions which can be put together in such a way that they close the gaps. A student shouldn’t have to go from here to there to there to get their ideas out there in the market,” she explained. The DTIC’s expertise in exports represents a strategic opportunity to prepare student entrepreneurs for domestic and international markets.

After the signings, partners and key stakeholders gathered on stage for a group photograph, capturing a moment of unity and shared purpose in addressing South Africa’s graduate unemployment challenges through entrepreneurship development, the image reflected the multi-stakeholder approach being harnessed to create pathways for graduate success in a challenging economic landscape.

The partnerships formalised at the EDHE Impact Report launch represent significant steps toward improving South Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape in higher education. When combining the strengths of government, international organisations, and academic institutions, these collaborations promise to expand student opportunities across the country.

The British Council partnership will continue to address gender disparities in entrepreneurship, focusing on women student entrepreneurs through SWEEP. This aligns with national goals of inclusive economic growth and international objectives around gender equality in economic participation.

Meanwhile, the DTIC collaboration opens new horizons for student entrepreneurs by preparing them for export markets. The growth potential is substantial, with the AfCFTA offering access to 1.3 billion consumers and a combined GDP exceeding $3.4 trillion. The ambitious target of introducing 1,400 new export companies by 2030 gives direction and purpose to this partnership.

The 2024 EDHE program theme, “Driving Entrepreneurship Through Education and Innovation,” encapsulates EDHE’s forward vision as it moves into its next development phase. By equipping students with entrepreneurial skills while they are still at university, the program aims to change the narrative from “job seekers” to “job creators.”

Dr Gumbo noted that the groundwork has already been laid, with over 7,500 students reached between 2023 and 2024. The challenge is to scale these initiatives, deepen their impact, and ensure they align with national economic priorities to address South Africa’s pressing unemployment challenges.

“This year, we decided to launch the 2024 report. Previously, we reported to our board members in South Africa, but we now want to report so that our stakeholders, funders, and potential funders can read what we’re doing. It is important that all the stakeholders with whom we work are aware of the holistic impact of our reported activities,” remarked Dr Matutu in a statement following the event.

This sentiment captures what the EDHE 2024 Impact Report & Partnership Launch represents—transparency, accountability, and strategic alignment toward shared goals.

The evening at the Radisson Hotel wasn’t merely about celebrating past achievements and laying the foundations for future success. By documenting impacts, formalising partnerships, and committing resources, stakeholders demonstrated their collective determination to address one of South Africa’s most persistent challenges.

As Mr Tshabalala quoted from George Bernard Shaw, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” The affirmed partnerships embody this spirit of change and progress.

The road ahead for South Africa’s graduate employment landscape remains challenging, with unemployment statistics still daunting. However, the collaborative approach exemplified by EDHE and its partners offers a blueprint for turning challenges into opportunities. By nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets among students, particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, these initiatives are sowing seeds for an economic renaissance led by a new generation of South African entrepreneurs.

The importance of this multi-stakeholder collaboration extends beyond immediate programmatic impacts. It represents a paradigmatic shift in how higher education institutions approach graduate employability—moving from a singular focus on knowledge dissemination to a more holistic model of economic agency development.

The partnerships formalised at this event acknowledge that addressing structural unemployment requires coordinated interventions across the academic-industry-government spectrum, with universities serving as crucial incubation spaces for entrepreneurial innovation. As these initiatives mature and scale across all 26 public universities, they hold the potential to reshape South Africa’s economic landscape and the role of higher education within it substantively.