Student Community Engagement for Employability and Entrepreneurship in Africa (SCEEEA)

Project Outline

The project built upon current initiatives in University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) and the Department of Applied Economics (ENEA) at Suffolk University Dakar Campus (SUDC) to design and pilot a six month post graduate certificate in community engagement for employability and entrepreneurship. The programme has been available to students graduating from both universities who are unable to find work and will constitute a practical period in a village setting during which students will initiate an entrepreneurial project. They were supported by four one week university based modules. These modules focused in turn on: •Entrepreneurship and social enterprises (particularly in a village setting), •Sustainable development and environmental protection, •Reflection on experience and collating of employment ready skills •CV writing and interview skills.

The project was intended to pilot a more intense practical and applied course at the end of a more theoretical programme. It culminated in a regional conference in order to share experience of student community engagement and its role in increasing employability. It involved academic staff from both local universities, members of the regional network in sub-Saharan Africa and international partners and aimed to influence both undergraduate and post graduate approaches to teaching and learning.

Project Partners

Partner institution UK

The Community University partnership programme at the University of Brighton Project co-ordinator: Dr Juliet Millican Position: Development manager, Student Community Engagement Email j.millican@brighton.ac.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Partner institutions Africa

Participatory Research Network in sub Saharan Africa (RESH), Senegal Project co-ordinator: Professor Lamine Kane Position: Co-ordinator RESH (project co-ordinator to be recruited) Email: kane_lamine@hotmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal
Project co-ordinator: Professeur Aliou GUISSE Position: Directeur du Bureau de la Citoyenneté de l’UCAD Email: alguisse@orange.sn This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ecole Nationale D’Economique Appliquee (ENEA), Senegal Project co-ordinator: Mr Koumakh Ndour Position: Directeur Email: koumakh@hotmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Background

Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar is over-subscribed by 100%. Originally planned for 30,000 students there are now more than 60,000. There are high levels of unemployment after graduation (60%) and, following a traditional French system, teaching is more theoretical than applied.

The department of applied economics (ENEA) at Suffolk University Dakar Campus (SUDC) has a better rate of post graduate employment due to it practical orientation support. But students take time to establish meaningful employment due to their lack of experience and limited social networks. Employers expect applicants to have experience as well as qualifications and employment is closely linked to personal contacts. In the cities there is a lot of petty trading but students are ill equipped for this due to time spent studying. Some have developed personal networks but these are generally limited to their immediate discipline areas and those of their extended families. Increased contacts built up during a practical period would make a significant difference to them in seeking work.

The majority of academics at both institutions have limited experience of applied methods of teaching and learning and would benefit from an opportunity to see these played out in a local context. UCAD has, since 2000, provided two week practical periods for students in villages during August. Groups of 50 students undertake activities in the areas of Health, Environment, IT and Literacy. The programme has partners in 13 villages and now place 750 students a year with a waiting list for involvement.

It has been found to have a profound effect on student attitudes, but needs to be more extensive if it is to have a long term effect on the academy, the students and the communities in which they are based. A partnership with Suffolk, RESH and UoB raises the profile and the impact of this work and shares learning in these areas between partners.

The project seeked to pilot and demonstrate the value of an extended engagement programme in developing entrepreneurial projects and in students finding work.

Conference A conference was held in Dakar at the end of the project: African Regional Conference on Community University Partnerships and Community Based Research 25 – 26 March 2011, Cheikh Anta Diop University Dakar, Senegal

Contact

If you would like more information about this project, please contact Juliet Millican - j.millican@brighton.ac.uk.