New K2K project to strengthen entrepreneurship education in Burundi

Maastricht School of Management’s (MSM) Expert Centre on Emerging Economies (ECEE), part of Maastricht University, has been granted a new project under the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) to strengthen entrepreneurship education in Burundi. The project, Knowledge-to-Knowledge (K2K) Burundi, will run from September 2025 to May 2027 and aims to better equip Burundian students for the labour market by embedding practical, digital, and opportunity-driven entrepreneurship skills into higher education.

K2K Burundi will be implemented with five Burundian universities: the University of Burundi, Université du Lac Tanganyika, Hope University, Université Lumière, and the University of Ngozi. Together, they will update curricula, train lecturers, and engage the private sector to ensure that entrepreneurship education responds to market needs.

Through the project:

• At least 15 courses (3 per university) will be developed/revised;
• A minimum of 30 lecturers and university leaders will be trained on pedagogical and leadership capabilities;
• More than 500 students will participate in practical entrepreneurship education (40% females).
• At least 150 students will participate in a design challenge, gaining awareness of entrepreneurship and experience project-based and challenge-based learning education (40% females).

In this large-scale Design Challenge, students will work with businesses on real-life cases, particularly in the agribusiness sector. The project will also support the creation of incubator strategies to provide a platform for student-led ventures.

Inclusivity and digital entrepreneurship are also central themes in the project. Female entrepreneurship will be actively promoted through tailored workshops, while students and lecturers will be introduced to tools and methods for digital innovation, including design thinking and lean startup methodologies.

The project is funded by RVO and is part of the Orange Corners Program and will be led by MSM Project Manager Antonella Maes-Anastasi in close cooperation with local partners CTJEBU (Chambre Transversale des Jeunes Entrepreneurs du Burundi) and 3HI Africa, both of which bring strong connections to the Burundian entrepreneurship ecosystem.

By building institutional and human capacity in higher education, the project aims to transform Burundian universities into engines of innovation and job creation, laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and opportunity-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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 sustainable private sector 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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