Sometimes, the most meaningful partnerships begin with a simple conversation and the right environment to spark it. For Kepler College in Rwanda and Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) in Nigeria, that environment was The Education Collaborative’s 2023 June Convening. What started as a casual exchange between two institutional leaders – Professor Baylie Damtie Yeshita, Vice Chancellor, Kepler College, and Dr. Nneka Okekearu, Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, PAU – quickly grew into a cross-country collaboration that would reshape how Kepler delivers entrepreneurship education. Fueled by shared values, mutual curiosity, and the open learning culture fostered by the Collaborative, the encounter led to the creation of Kepler’s now-thriving Entrepreneurship Centre.
This story is more than a tale of two universities – it is a testament to how African institutions can harness intentional engagement and shared experience to drive scalable, context-relevant solutions in higher education.
A Seed Planted in Kigali
Prof. Baylie recalls entering the 2023 Convening with a clear goal: to explore effective models for student entrepreneurship development. “We go to every convening with the mindset of sharing what’s working and learning from others. In 2023, we were focused on establishing our Entrepreneurship Centre at Kepler,” he explained. Meeting Dr. Nneka proved pivotal. “She shared the amazing things PAU was doing, and I thought, this is exactly what we need to learn,” he said. What began as a conversation quickly evolved into action. Kepler sent its Director of Entrepreneurship to Nigeria, where PAU welcomed them, openly sharing their model and approach. The result? Kepler’s Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking program was born, and is now a staple in the college’s curriculum, with incubation services and student-run businesses already taking off.
A Relationship Years in the Making
Interestingly, the roots of this partnership stretch back even further. “In 2022, I happened to be in Rwanda on holiday,” Dr. Nneka recalled. “Prof. Baylie hosted me at Kepler, and I had a session with faculty and student leaders. It was a rich exchange.” When they met again at the 2023 Convening, it felt like a full-circle moment. But as Dr. Nneka emphasized, outcomes like these don’t happen by chance alone. “The Collaborative is powerful, but its value depends on how intentional you are. If you don’t come with an open mind and clear objectives, nothing happens.”
The Education Collaborative: A Platform for Scaled African Solutions
Both leaders agreed that The Education Collaborative offers something rare and necessary: the opportunity for African institutions to learn from one another within the context.
“Before the Collaborative, most institutions were looking North for best practices that were often difficult to adapt. Now we look to each other,” said Prof. Baylie. “Through the Collaborative, we’ve been able to share our experiences around employability with other institutions and learn from them. This is how best practice can scale in Africa.”
Dr. Nneka echoed this sentiment. “Collaboration is the new sustainability. The more we open up, unlearn, relearn, and share, the more we grow together- not just in academia, but in entrepreneurship and beyond.”
Looking Ahead: Scaling Impact and Showcasing Success
With eyes on the future, both Kepler and PAU are aligned with The Education Collaborative’s continent-wide goals. “Each region has made commitments to student impact, to ethical leadership, to employability. We track progress every three months, and in two years at the next Convening, we hope to demonstrate significant scale,” said Prof. Baylie.
For Dr. Nneka, the next step is equally about visibility. “We need to change the narrative. So many good things are happening, but we’re not showcasing them enough, not just within Africa, but globally. These stories inspire and shift mindsets. We must tell them.”
Watch the full conversation between Prof. Baylie and Dr. Nneka Okekearu here: