Chuka University in collaboration with University of Saarland, Germany, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) and Karatina University, won a grant for Development of Entrepreneurial universities in Kenya. The project is expected to structure the university in such a way that it stimulates and supports the development of entrepreneurial mind-sets and skills. The university is putting up specific structures such as Science Park, which will facilitate entrepreneurial development across all university activities. Therefore, the project came at right time as the university readies itself to incubate innovations. Chuka university aim to inculcate good leadership and governance, capacity incentives, entrepreneurship in teaching and learning, a culture of entrepreneurship, stakeholder partnerships, and internationalisation. These are key elements towards Chuka University becoming an entrepreneurial university.
The development of an entrepreneurial university will be a major driver for self-development and innovation and as an appropriate response to succeeding in highly turbulent and unpredictable markets. This is expected to stimulate entrepreneurship of its students, staff and other stake holders. This will afford an opportunity for Chuka University to enter the league of entrepreneurial universities in the world, which leverages on research and innovations to create intellectual property rights, launch start-up and spin off companies, and entrepreneurships to promoter sustainable economic growth of the university, nation and world at large.
The project aims to train university lecturers in competency-based learning formats and entrepreneurial thinking. It will also support exchange with industries and other universities. The project will provide a systematic support for students to enhance their entrepreneurial intentions and exposures, business development such as developing prototypes and concepts, start of companies or increase their employability.
Since its inception, the project has enabled many students and lecturers across various faculties to undergo entrepreneurial training through workshops, start-ups and E-learning modules on entrepreneurship. The project has made it possible for a total of twenty-eight students that participated in the E-Learning course to receive Germany recognition for participating in the entire course. The inculcation of the entrepreneurial mind-set to students has shown fruition as the number of students with start-up ideas has increased during the recent career week in the University.
