Industry-linked STEM-Enterprise Education Model for Innovation Incubation and Graduate-to-Graduate/Industry Partnership in the Sub-Saharan Africa

Ekpo, Sunday ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9219-3759, Elias, Fanuel, Anumodu, Paul O, Ji, Helen and Oluwatayo, Isaac (2024) Industry-linked STEM-Enterprise Education Model for Innovation Incubation and Graduate-to-Graduate/Industry Partnership in the Sub-Saharan Africa. In: The Third International Adaptive and Sustainable Science, Engineering and Technology Conference (ASSET 2024), 16 July 2024 - 18 July 2024, Manchester, United Kingdom. (In Press)

Accepted Version File not available for download. Available under License In Copyright. Download (1MB)

Abstract

The concept of inclusive industry-linked STEM education offers a means through which all students can learn STEM subjects, digital and soft skills and incubate their innovative ideas to become industry-ready and technopreneurs. A holistic academe-industry partnership is needed to enhance graduate employability and Technopreneurship leadership. This research work presents a University Innovation Incubation and Graduate-to-Graduate/Industry Partnership model(s) for inclusive enterprise education and industry-linked Technopreneurship. The developed and implemented industry-linked pedagogy led to three world-leading international companies partnering with the Manchester to enhance the University’s graduates employability metrics. At least three international sustainable multi-year industry-sponsored projects have been secured for innovation incubation with the students/graduates within four years. The presented industry-linked engineering pedagogy has contributed to the Manchester Met University being ranked 7th and 4th in the UK for electronic and electrical engineering by The Guardian University Guide 2022 and 2023 respectively. The reported industry-linked STEM pedagogy model holds a great promise in strengthening the elements of the enterprise education ecosystems in the sub-Saharan Africa. It is time for engineering inclusive economies through inclusive industry-linked pedagogy.