MSM Supports Female Entrepreneurship Development in Algeria
Dr. Mulu Hundera, expert on gender and female entrepreneurship, recently conducted a training workshop on Female Entrepreneurship in Oran and Algiers, Algeria, in the framework of the RVO funded K2K project. The workshop, from October 15th to October 19th, was specifically designed for educators and researchers from various universities in Algeria where 24 participants (4 men) participated in the training.
The primary aim of the training was to capacitate Algerian universities to develop strategies that support female entrepreneurship by equipping the teaching staff with the essential skills and knowledge to foster gender-responsive entrepreneurial education and research. The training also aimed to enable these educators to guide and support female entrepreneurs and students, nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset.
The training focused on guiding the participants to comprehend and appreciate entrepreneurship's nuanced and gendered nature. This included a framework for understanding female entrepreneurship, identifying key challenges female entrepreneurs face, and exploring strategies and policies to enhance female entrepreneurship. As an illustrative example of the impact, one participant shared, "Before this training, the concept of female entrepreneurship was an overlooked facet of our curriculum, despite our dedication to teaching entrepreneurship. The training has opened our eyes. We now recognize the importance of dissecting the concept of female entrepreneurship for advancing private sector development." Another participant in Oran said,
"I have come to realize that understanding the dynamics of female entrepreneurship is essential in devising effective strategies to address their unique challenges."
The training also aimed at fostering entrepreneurial mindsets among researchers and educators to encourage a gender-responsive approach to entrepreneurial education while cultivating entrepreneurial attitudes within students.
One of the sessions delved into "Enhancing Entrepreneurship Education with the Effectuation Approach," equipping participants with the ability to implement entrepreneurial education methods that produce expert graduates. This hands-on experience involved introducing the concept of Effectuation and allowing participants to practice it in real-life scenarios. The positive learning outcomes were evident. For instance, one participant stated, "This approach provides me with a comprehensive framework for teaching and advising my students to help them grasp the dynamics of the entrepreneurial environment in a real-world context." Another participant expressed, "This training has addressed my curiosity about the practical applicability of our teachings in the real world. We must modify our approach to prepare our students and make them experts in their fields." Yet another participant pointed out that the Effectuation approach would be invaluable in guiding students through their business projects, emphasizing that in their university, students can work on business ideas instead of traditional academic theses. Furthermore, a participant recognized the potential of this approach in supporting female entrepreneurs within their community, stating, "We can utilize the Effectuation approach to empower female entrepreneurs as it naturally aligns with their decision-making processes."
In conclusion, the training workshop has not only shed light on the significance of female entrepreneurship but has also equipped educators and researchers with the tools to nurture a gender-responsive approach in entrepreneurial education, ultimately fostering entrepreneurial mindsets among students. This initiative will profoundly impact gender responsive entrepreneurial landscape in Algeria and beyond.
The project is funded by RVO and part of the Netherlands support to Algeria in creating employment for youth, by developing entrepreneurship programs that can improve the entrepreneurial mindset of students.
MSM's Expert Centre on Emerging Economies
This institutional collaboration project is part of MSM's Expert Centre on Emerging Economies. The department is an expert centre on local economic development in emerging and developing markets. We capacitate managers and professionals from government, private sector, NGOs, and post-secondary education in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Latin America. We offer consultancy and customized training programs, and we manage complex projects in key sectors, e.g. water, agriculture and health. For more information click here.
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