The Durban University of Technology Midlands Centre for Entrepreneurship hosted its second annual Student Entrepreneurship week (#SEW2019) on the week of the 15th and 16th August 2019 at the Indumiso Campus.
This annual event was hosted in partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Universities South Africa, Ithala Development Finance Corporation, State Information Technology Agency (SITA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Agribusiness Development Agency (ADA), DUT Enactus, Izwilesiwe Primary School, uMgungundlovu TVET College, Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action (PASCA), the University of KwaZulu-Natal Student Supply Chain Association, Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA).
The main objective of this prestigious and student-centred event is to instil entrepreneurship and innovation into students whilst enforcing a culture of adapting and adjusting to the dynamic entrepreneurial environment. At the entrepreneurship week there were fifteen studentpreneurs flea markets and six stakeholder exhibition stands.
In her remarks, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement (RIE), Professor Sibusiso Moyo acknowledged all guests and highlighted the enormous impact of hosting #SEW2019 at DUT. “I would like to extend my gratitude to the team at the Midlands Centre for Entrepreneurship in its efforts to make the Durban University Technology a Student centred Entrepreneurial environment,” said Prof Moyo. Prof Moyo further stated that the University has invested R9 million to drive innovation and entrepreneurship.
Day one consisted of a variety of stimulating educational activities and a business seminar that consisted of a panel discussion amongst thriving academics and aspiring entreprenuers. Day two was all about the DHET 2019 KZN Region Intervarsity Competition which the Department of Higher Education and Training partnered with Allan Gray, SEDA and the SAB Foundation. Various student entrepreneurs from different Universities in the province (KZN) presented their business ideas to a panel of judges.
Pictured: Dr Reginald Thabede (Campus Director: Midlands Campus at DUT), Ms Nontokozo Ngcobo (Manager: Midlands Centre for Entrepreneurship), Professor Sibusiso Moyo (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement at DUT) and Dr Norah Clarke (Director: Entrepreneurship at Universities South Africa (USAf) and Department Higher Education and Training (DHET))
Sindisiwe Ndlovu
