Transforming Academic Knowledge to Develop Entrepreneurial Universities in Pakistan Erasmus Project

Project Title

Transforming Academic Knowledge to Develop Entrepreneurial Universities in Pakistan

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Capacity Building in higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics:

Project Summary

With a high unemployment rate amongst university graduates in Pakistan and the expectation that this number is likely going to rise (IMF, World Economic Outlook, 2018) there is a need for systematically supporting entrepreneurial activities from students and recent graduates in order to create jobs for themselves and others. Although there are studies that suggest that entrepreneurial support structures at Pakistani universities are likely to increase the entrepreneurial intentions of students in the future, reports also show over 64% of the student startups do not perceive Pakistani universities to support the spirit of collaboration and entrepreneurship. Over 65% wish more support through proper coaching, over 79% wish more feedback on ideas and over 50% wish proper mentoring. And this is where TAKE-UP steps in and wants to significantly improve on the entrepreneurial cultures of the partner universities in Pakistan and transform them into role models for Pakistani universities. TAKE-UP wants to utilize expertise and capacity already present in Pakistan by including a diverse group of partners, extending their knowledge by adding value through European partners who can provide all universities with additional perspectives and expertise, and generate knowledge that can be transferred to non-partner universities in Pakistan. In particular, TAKE-UP wants to focus on the capacity building of (associated) staff members of business incubation centers and faculty members, as these play a crucial role in the motivation, development, and sustainability of business ideas at the HEIs and equip universities with necessary tools to facilitate the work of these incubation centers (i.e. FabLabs). Activities in the project are designed in a way that a holistic approach is taken to create a broad understanding of being an entrepreneurial university, so that our capacity building effort has a sustainable effect on the institutions.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 1000000 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT DES SAARLANDES & Country: DE

Project Partners

• ATHENS UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS – RESEARCH CENTER
• LAHORE UNIVERSITY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
• UNIVERSITY OF GUJRAT
• COMSATS UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD
• GOVERNMENT COLLEGE UNIVERSITY LAHORE