Embedding Entrepreneurship and Innovation Across the Education System to Empower the Next Generation of Innovators, Entrepreneurs, and Changemakers

EDI Organizes Executive Master Class on Public Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Building in Collaboration with the Ministry of Education

Adama, Ethiopia – The Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), in collaboration with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Ministry of Education (MoE), has launched a three-day Executive Master Class on Public Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Building in Adama. The high-level program brings together senior officials from the Ministry of Education to strengthen leadership capacity for fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and public problem-solving across Ethiopia's education system.

The Executive Master Class forms part of the implementation of the recently signed Memorandum of Action (MoA) between EDI and the Ministry of Education, which aims to transform Ethiopian universities into entrepreneurial and innovation-driven institutions. The initiative seeks to institutionalize the Entrepreneurial University Model across six regional clusters, creating vibrant ecosystems that promote innovation, commercialization, research, and enterprise development within higher education institutions.

Opening the workshop, H.E. Kora Tushune, State Minister for Higher Education Development, emphasized the importance of cultivating entrepreneurial and innovative thinking throughout the education sector. He noted that the master class is designed to transform mindsets, unlock individual potential, and equip leaders with the tools to address public challenges through innovation.

«"This workshop helps transform our thinking and attitude toward entrepreneurship and innovation. It enables us to unlock our inner potential and use it to solve public challenges," the State Minister said.»

In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Boru Shana, Deputy Director General of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), highlighted the Ministry of Education's strategic role in shaping an entrepreneurial culture that reaches millions of Ethiopians.

"The Ministry of Education provides the most effective pathway to reach millions of Ethiopians," he said. "From elementary schools to higher education institutions, the education system offers a unique opportunity to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets and innovation that drive national transformation."

Mr. Boru further underscored that entrepreneurship education goes beyond preparing graduates for employment.

"Entrepreneurship education is not only about ensuring industry has a steady pipeline of talent," he explained. "It is about making education the primary engine of national development by producing innovators, job creators, and public problem-solvers capable of addressing Ethiopia's development challenges."

As part of implementing this critical initiative, senior leaders from the Ministry of Education, including the State Minister and other high-level officials, are participating in the Executive Master Class to deepen their understanding of public entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystem development, and leadership approaches for driving institutional transformation.

Throughout the three-day program, participants will explore global best practices, policy approaches, and practical strategies for integrating entrepreneurship and innovation into higher education institutions. The sessions are designed to strengthen institutional leadership and foster collaboration that enables universities to become engines of innovation, enterprise creation, and sustainable socio-economic development.

By strengthening the partnership between EDI and the Ministry of Education, the initiative marks another significant milestone in Ethiopia's efforts to embed entrepreneurship and innovation across the education system.