All set for GET 2017

THE second edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Training (GET) 2017, Southern Africa is set for Bulawayo from July 10 to 18, 2017 at the Zimbabwe School of Mines under the theme “Opportunistic Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Industrialisation”.

The GET programme is run by the Harare Institute of Technology’s School of Business and Management Sciences, in joint collaboration with the Handong Global University of South Korea. It is partly funded by the Korean Government and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The entrepreneurship thrust of the GET programme equips participants with business design thinking skills to establish profitable and sustainable enterprises thus creating wealth and combating poverty.

The Global Entrepreneurship Training (GET) programme focuses on poverty alleviation, inculcating the entrepreneurship mindset among participants, providing opportunities for creation of regional ventures and building capacity for sustainable development.

Facilitators from Korea’s Handong Global University and the Harare Institute of Technology will deliver training on the following subjects: Entrepreneurship Mindset and Creative Innovation, Entrepreneurial Finance, Accounting and International Business, Business Law, Ethics and Intellectual Property, Design Thinking, Structured Finance, Global Development to mention just a few. Commenting on the forthcoming Global Entrepreneurship Training (GET) 2017 Southern Africa, Dean in the School of Business and Management Sciences, Mr Willard Gwarimbo said participants of this programme will be equipped with requisite skills which will facilitate a mindset change; enabling them to become global entrepreneurs, capable of starting their own hi-tech enterprises.

“HIT, together with its partners is rolling out this programme in our quest to transform knowledge into practical and life changing experiences, as we seek to eradicate poverty from our communities,” he said.

Government has also commended the Harare Institute of Technology for playing a transformative role in society by embracing opportunities that are availed by the United Nations’ UNESCO-UNITWIN programme to address issues of poverty eradication, empowerment and the dignity of people.

Speaking at the Official Opening Ceremony of the Global Entrepreneurship Training Programme in 2016, Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Dr. Godfrey Gandawa, congratulated HIT for hosting and playing a lead role in spreading the Global Entrepreneurship Training in the SADC region.

“This training programme will cultivate innovation and creativity among participants who will become creators of wealth within their areas of endeavour, thereby creating jobs and ultimately reducing unemployment. I am confident that (HIT) will harness the necessary support to ensure that this programme will spread to all corners of the region. As this is a regional programme; the intended benefits of the training will flow not only to HIT, but to Zimbabwe and the SADC region; resulting in the technological and economic transformation of the SADC region through industrialisation, modernisation, skills development, science and technology, financial strength and deeper regional integration,” he said.

Speaking at same occasion, UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa director, Professor Hubert Gijzen said he was pleased to see such diverse participation in the programme from academia and the private sector; adding that this will contribute to the success of the programme and provide opportunities for dynamic exchange of ideas and experience.

“This programme aims to build capacity for sustainable development through developing an entrepreneurship mindset among citizens, thus giving incentives and nourishing the capacity for development. The African Union and SADC have recognised the importance of entrepreneurship and the significance of an up-to-date technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a priority for sustainable economic development,” said Prof Gijzen.

UNESCO will work with everyone in making innovation and entrepreneurship work for Africa’s sustainable development.

“By working together we will ensure that transformational change, economic empowerment with shared prosperity for all, will characterise Africa’s further development towards the future we want for all people in Africa,” said Prof Gijzen.

Last year, over 100 participants attended the first edition of Global Entrepreneurship Training Programme, (Southern Africa) at the Harare Institute of Technology. ◆ For more details on the GET programme, and to register, contact Mr W. Ukama on Mobile: 0773 035 362; Telephone: (04) 741 422-36, Ext 2325; Email: wukama@ hit.ac.zw or getsadc@hit.ac.zw; Website: https://www.hit.ac.zw/get/