MMTU Wins €100,000 Erasmus Grant to Launch Entrepreneurial Education Project in Sierra Leone

The Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU) has secured a grant of over €100,000 from a total pool of €700,000 under the European Union Erasmus+ programme to implement the Sierra Leone Education in Entrepreneurial Pedagogy and Skills (SLEEK) Project. Once fully implemented, the project is expected to be a transformative force in Sierra Leone’s higher education landscape by strengthening the critical link between academia and the business sector.

The SLEEK Project was officially launched on Thursday, 12th June 2025, at the Great Hall of MMTU’s Congo Cross Campus.

The project aims to equip students and other beneficiaries with practical, real-world skills including idea pitching, data collection and analysis, creative thinking, and problem-solving in uncertain environments. It will also promote solution-oriented learning to tackle global and local challenges.

A detailed survey and comprehensive pedagogical framework have already been developed. As part of the initiative, the curriculum will be reviewed in collaboration with partner institutions, and faculty members as well as market women will receive targeted training. The project will be implemented through various work packages, including project management and quality assurance.

Other beneficiaries of the Erasmus+ grant include the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), the University of Makeni (UNIMAK), the University of Management and Technology (UNIMTECH), and Innovation Sierra Leone. The United Methodist Church University is participating as an observer.

Launching the project, Director of Higher Education at the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Mr. Emmanuel J. Momoh Esq., emphasized the importance of academic research as a foundation for national policy. He commended MMTU for its leadership and innovation in technical education, referencing the institution’s showcase of an electric vehicle and solar generator during last year’s Education Week.

“Technical and vocational education is the cornerstone of national development,” he said, urging universities to pursue grant opportunities and public-private partnerships, given the government’s competing financial priorities. He also stressed the importance of involving market women and businesspeople in the project to ensure widespread impact.

Mr. Papa N’Jai, MMTU’s Coordinator of Short Courses, provided an overview of the SLEEK Project. He pledged to conduct awareness campaigns across all faculties in the coming months, emphasizing that the initiative aligns with the government’s Human Capital Development agenda. He highlighted that entrepreneurship spans all academic disciplines and has the potential to reshape student mindsets by fostering innovation and self-reliance.

“Government can provide the enabling environment, but it is up to citizens to seize the opportunity to be creative and productive,” he said, urging students and entrepreneurs to utilize the incubator hub at the Goderich Campus to further develop their ideas.

He also announced that a combined institutional launch will take place in September 2025, followed by Entrepreneurship Week in October and International Innovation Sierra Leone in December.

Vice Chancellor and Principal of MMTU, Professor Philip John Kanu, praised the European Union and other partners for their support. He described the project as a potential “game changer” that aligns with MMTU’s five strategic priorities: increasing access and relevance, ensuring financial sustainability, upholding quality assurance, advancing applied research, and deepening community service.

“We are committed to training students who are relevant to society. But more than that, they must be passionate about what they do,” he stated.

Engineer Rodney Jenner-Lewis, Acting Dean of the Congo Cross Campus, welcomed participants and reiterated that the project is designed to link academia with entrepreneurship across all disciplines, provide vital business and management skills, and generate innovative solutions to real-world industry challenges.

Mr. Abdul Bademba Barrie, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management Studies, noted that the project will help lecturers deliver more effective entrepreneurship education, bridge gaps between academic knowledge and business practice, and promote job creation over job seeking.

“This initiative will not only capacitate lecturers but build strong networks with businesses and create a multiplier effect in employment generation,” he said.

The event was moderated by Madam Elizabeth Sesay, MMTU’s Public Relations Officer, while Foday Sorie Kamara, Governor of the Students’ Union at the Congo Cross Campus, gave the vote of thanks.