FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 April 2024
Student Entrepreneurship Co-ordinator, and a student go to the UK
An MUT academic and a student are attending the UK Residential Study Exchange Visit of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP), from 24 May to 2 June 2024. Ntombifuthi Mthembu, Entrepreneurship Coordinator, and a Lecturer in the Department of Human Resources and Management, in the Faculty of Management Sciences, and Mbalenhle Nzama, MUT SWEEP President, will be representing MUT in this exchange programme, and as part the interlocutors who will listen to a programme that will be delivered by the London School of Economics Enterprise. The event is supported by the British Council and EDHE. Mthembu said “the aim of this initiative is to empower student women and professional women entrepreneurs to become successful in the world of entrepreneurship, and to create businesses that have a positive societal impact”.
Mthembu said that the Mbalenhle was selected because the SWEEP MUT met the criteria for selection, which are: the university SWEEP Student Chapter must have been registered with the EDHE website; the university must have submitted its institution’s SWEEP Chapter Constitution to EDHE; the SWEEP Student Chapter must have hosted some activities especially in the year 2022 and 2023; and the university should have attended the SWEEP Executive Workshop hosted by EDHE in 2023 and must have officially launched the Chapter on campus.
Commenting on how MUT will benefit from the visit, said that the exchange programme was viewed as a capacity-building initiative that would enrich participants’ experiences “in many ways than one. One of MUT’s entrepreneurship development initiative is the establishment of the Centre for Entrepreneurship. This exchange programme includes visits to impact start-ups and incubation centers in Oxford and Liverpool, thus creating excellent benchmarking opportunities for the establishment of the Centre for Entrepreneurship. Students participating in this programme will be exposed to unique learning experiences that will broaden their understanding on entrepreneurship matters affecting student women”, Mthembu said. Mthembu also said that was envisaged that MUT female students would view entrepreneurship activities as a means of economic participation. “Upon returning to the University, learning experiences will be transferred to fellow SWEEP members through discussions, information sessions and workshops thus connecting the trip to MUT entrepreneurial drive,” said Mthembu.
Mthembu also added that through a governance structure that includes co-ordinators of SWEEP in public universities, the project was designed to contribute to system-wide change by advancing gender equity and economic empowerment of student and graduate women at a national level. Mthembu said only nine public universities in South Africa have been afforded this opportunity to travel to UK, “with MUT being the only University in the province of KwaZulu-Natal”.
For media inquiries and interview requests, please contact MUT Media Liaison Officer, Bheki Hlophe +27 82 432 1805 or via email hlophe@mut.ac.za
… END …
About Mangosuthu University of Technology
Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) is a leading institution of higher learning in South Africa, renowned for its commitment to excellence in education, research, and innovation. Located in a township, MUT has extended its global reach through strategic partnerships and collaborations. The university is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, diversity, and social responsibility, empowering its graduates to make meaningful contributions to their communities and society as a whole.