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SWEEP 20262026-07-10T12:05:03+00:00

Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP)

The Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) is an EDHE initiative that empowers student women to become economically active through entrepreneurship, employability, leadership development, and professional networks.

SWEEP was established to address the underrepresentation of women in entrepreneurship and the workplace, while responding to challenges such as youth unemployment, financial dependency, and gender-based violence. By combining practical skills development with academic learning, the programme equips student women with the confidence, knowledge, and opportunities to build sustainable careers, start and grow businesses, and achieve financial independence.

Since its launch in October 2021, the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) has grown into a vibrant national community that empowers student women across South Africa’s public universities. The first SWEEP Student Chapter was established at Nelson Mandela University in 2022, followed by the launch of six chapters that same year. Between October 2023 and February 2024, SWEEP undertook a national research study to identify and address the barriers preventing student women from participating in entrepreneurship. In partnership with the British Council, the programme also provided 19 student beneficiaries from nine universities with the opportunity to participate in a UK Residential Programme in 2024. During this period, SWEEP developed its Chapter Guidebook and Constitution Template to support sustainable chapter growth. Today, the programme has expanded to 32 chapters across 22 universities, supported by 196 student committee members, with more than 650 active members and an annual reach of over 3,000 students through leadership, entrepreneurship, employability, and economic empowerment initiatives.

More than a programme, SWEEP is a sisterhood for economic participation – a national community that supports, connects, and inspires student women across South Africa’s public universities. Through training, mentorship, networking, and leadership opportunities, SWEEP helps participants develop entrepreneurial mindsets, strengthen their employability, and build resilience for long-term success.

By investing in student women today, SWEEP contributes to a future where more women are empowered to lead, innovate, create employment, and drive inclusive economic growth in South Africa.

The partnership between the British Council and Universities South Africa (USAf) began in 2018 to strengthen entrepreneurship development within South African higher education. Through the British Council’s Going Global Partnerships (GGP) programme and USAf’s Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, the collaboration strengthens links between South African and UK universities, enhances higher education quality, and improves graduate outcomes by advancing student entrepreneurship, academic entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial universities.

In the third phase of the partnership (2025–2028), the focus is on advancing women’s economic inclusion by strengthening the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP) across South Africa’s 26 public universities. The initiative supports South Africa – UK university consortia that deliver capability-building programmes, equipping student women and SWEEP coordinators with entrepreneurial skills, leadership capabilities, and access to new opportunities.

Led by academics from both countries, the partnership fosters international collaboration and a growing community of practice dedicated to women’s economic empowerment. Built on the British Council’s principle of mutuality, the collaboration delivers meaningful developmental impact in South Africa while strengthening international partnerships and knowledge exchange with UK universities.

The British Council awarded the Grant for the purposes of the South African and UK higher education consortium to engage in the delivery of specific capability strengthening initiatives, under the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP), in collaboration with the British Council and Universities’ South Africa’s (USAf) Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme. The consortium is led by University of Lincoln (UL) in the UK and North-West University (NWU) in South Africa.

The programme for 2026 is themed “TransformHer” and consists of 5 key activities:

  • HER Mentorship – Online mentorship sessions in small groups between female students and UK and SA
  • HER Land – Entrepreneurship development within the agricultural sector. Students will benefit from a podcast series and a micro-credential course.
  • HER Living Lab through HER Story – enabling participants to learn from high-profile trainers, entrepreneurs, educators, and industry professionals from the UK and SA.
  • HER Growth Mindset Cultivation – A train-the-trainer webinar series. Collaborative co-creation and storytelling activities through a series of workshops.
  • HER Creation – Skills recognition through micro-credentials. The micro-credential course will be released in the second half of the year, and students will be able to complete the course at their convenience

The intervention will comprise four components:

  • Institutional partnerships
  • Capability strengthening
  • Mentorship Programme
  • Story Telling and narrative building

The interventions will be implemented within the SWEEP governance structure that includes coordinators and student executive committee members of chapters based at public universities. The intervention will be designed to deepen SA-UK partnerships and contribute to system-wide change by advancing gender equity and economic empowerment of female university students at a national level.

The British Council-funded SWEEP TransformHER “Living Lab through HER Story” is an immersive three-day collaborative initiative that brings together SWEEP students and coordinators, academics, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and industry leaders from the UK and South Africa to explore and advance female entrepreneurship in South Africa.

Through interactive and creative engagement methods, participants will share experiences, co-create solutions, and benefit from expert-led training and upskilling opportunities. The Living Lab seeks to generate actionable insights, strengthen entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, foster collaboration across the UK and South Africa. The SWEEP TransformHER Living Lab is expected to equip participants with entrepreneurial competencies, practical knowledge, and valuable professional networks (including NGOs) that support entrepreneurship and innovation. By translating lived experiences into actionable solutions, the programme aims to contribute to a stronger ecosystem for female entrepreneurship, foster meaningful partnerships among key stakeholders, and empower women entrepreneurs to lead, innovate, and create sustainable impact within South Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape.

The target audience will specifically focus on students that have been appointed as SWEEP Chapter Committee/Executive Members within their respective SWEEP Chapters on various campuses, the academics and support professionals responsible for coordinating SWEEP within their institutions, key partners; the British Council, The Department of Higher Education, and the Consortium.

The gathering will bring together on average of 190 students and 30 SWEEP Coordinators, joined by key stakeholders and speakers from South Afrika and the UK from 13 – 15 July 2025 in Gauteng.

A joint research paper will provide a grounded understanding of the South African female entrepreneurial landscape, examining gender and cultural stereotypes, socio-economic constraints, institutional dynamics, and the barriers faced by women in pursuing entrepreneurship. The study will generate insights of value to policy makers and practitioners, supporting more equitable approaches in public policy and professional practice. By offering a nuanced analysis of women’s diverse experiences, the paper will enhance practitioners’ cultural sensitivity and enable the development of more tailored forms of support. Its findings will also inform targeted government policy initiatives aimed at strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem and improving social and economic conditions for women entrepreneurs in South Africa.

A second paper may investigate shifts in students’ perceptions of the core skills required for entrepreneurship, alongside changes in mentors’ views on how best to support learners across varied contexts. This study would assess alterations in students’ confidence in their ability to develop these skills and their perceived capacity to translate them into meaningful future action.

The aim of this activity is to explore new partnerships and to strengthen existing partnerships. This in-person collaborative activity will take place on 22 to 24 June 2026 in the United Kingdom between three universities (University of Lincoln, Ulster University, and North-West University), hosted by the University of Lincoln. The aim is to have round-table discussions around the future of agricultural entrepreneurs including sustainable farming. It will be a knowledge exchange between the three universities and entrepreneurs.

The outcome/output for SWEEP students will be the Development of a podcast on “Entrepreneurship in the Agricultural Sector,” with the content and data generated contributing to a separate multi-credential course on the same topic.

Webinar series – SWEEP 2026 TransformHER programme

One of the activities this year on the SWEEP 2026 TransformHER programme includes the online Webinar Series!

We have an exciting lineup of speakers ready to share their expertise with you! I’ve attached the flyers, which include a list of dates, times, speakers, and registration links. SAVE the dates for your diaries!

You need to register in advance to get the joining link for each webinar separately!

View SWEEP 2026 TransformHER Webinar Series Launch Reg>

We hope you enjoy our Webinar Series!

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