Research objectives

The research project attempts to:

• Broadly speaking, understand the type of knowledge, mindset and know-how gained at both Sciences Po and AIMS and their capacities to help alumni succeed in an African entrepreneurial context,

• Leveraging the experience and expectations of Alumni, identify ways to improve the quality of entrepreneurial training in those Institutions and beyond,

• Address the African employment gap through a better understanding of areas of entrepreneurial curricula that may be outdated, ill-designed or may require updates and improvements,

• Study the needs in terms of entrepreneurial courses providing Scholars with skills to influence their entrepreneurial ecosystem, manage pro entrepreneurial institutions (employers’ associations, export agencies, notably) or influence policies affecting entrepreneurship (private sector reforms, etc.),

• Refine the understanding of micro and macro factors affecting specifically entrepreneurial trajectories of young graduates,

• Identify assets and the right timing to increase Scholars capabilities and provide them with the right Push to accelerate their entrepreneurial trajectories,

• Grow entrepreneurial spirit and reinforce the capacity of future generations of AIMS, Sciences Po and African students to better advance in their entrepreneurial careers.
  

Nine main questions were identified by the team for the research project, which you can find listed below:

• What is the current state/status of entrepreneurial education and its content at AIMS, Sciences Po and in the five countries of the study?

• What is the entrepreneurial trajectory of alumni ?

• Which factors drove Scholars interest in business and entrepreneurship?

• What are the challenges encountered by AIMS and Sciences Po graduates when implementing their entrepreneurial and managerial projects?

• What are the skills, knowledge and know-how needed by graduates from AIMS, Sciences Po and other African higher education institutions to advance their entrepreneurial careers?

• Which changes, concerning entrepreneurial syllabus, appear essential to Alumni in view of their managerial and entrepreneurship experience?

• Beyond academic institutions, what are the alternative sources of entrepreneurial skills acquisition for alumni?

• What assets do graduates consider essential to develop their business and entrepreneurial ventures and what is the optimal timing and levels for their allocation?

• What could be done to support vulnerable graduates in their entrepreneurial careers?