Capital College open for International business as Ghanaian project progresses

Edinburgh College demonstrated its global learning and teaching capabilities recently as it progressed a unique entrepreneurial knowledge exchange programme with Ghana's Sunyani Technical University (STU) - part of the British Council's Going Global Programme.

The College welcomed delegates from the west African university for an official visit as it continues to deliver learning and teaching packages aimed at embedding entrepreneurialism at the university - empowering students and staff by providing them with the knowledge and tools required to pursue start-up and self-employment opportunities.

Throughout the year-long programme, Edinburgh College lecturers are delivering a suite of both face-to-face and online training aimed at enhancing the capabilities of staff at the university to design and deliver entrepreneurial-focused learning for their own students, colleagues and communities.

During the visit to Scotland's capital, STU delegates spent time with college lecturers, learning of the entrepreneurial modules and support systems in place for Edinburgh College students, as well as taking part in a round-table discussion with Senior Management Team members and a variety of college staff. The visitors also took in tours of the state-of-the-art facilities housed at Granton Campus including the Renewables and Energy Efficiency Training Centre, Performing Arts Studio Scotland (PASS), training restaurants, hair and beauty salons, and mock aircraft cabin.

Shona Pettigrew, Director of Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange at Edinburgh College, said: "It was fantastic to welcome our partners from the Sunyani Technical University to our Granton Campus. We have been working closely over the past seven months on this innovative and progressive entrepreneurial programme and it has been wonderful to connect in person and to see our partners benefitting from working with our expert lecturers."

CBT Coordinator for Sunyani Technical University (STU), Juanita Ahia Quarcoo, said:

"The visit facilitated fruitful exchanges on best practices for integrating entrepreneurial elements into our curriculum, aimed at equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to become successful job creators. We also visited some of Edinburgh College's departments to observe delivery and classroom setup strategies all geared towards enhancing learner engagement in the classroom as well as enriching their learning experiences. This initiative aligns with our broader vision of preparing students not only to enter the workforce but also to drive innovation and economic growth through entrepreneurship.

"The partnership emphasises a shared commitment to enhancing the quality of education by embedding entrepreneurship across various disciplines. Both institutions are now working closely together to develop tailored academic programmes and workshops that will encourage students to cultivate business acumen, creativity, and leadership from within their fields of study.

"This collaboration marks a significant step toward ensuring that our graduates are better positioned to navigate the challenges of the global economy, ultimately contributing to a culture of innovation and enterprise development in our communities."

The success to date of the Going Global partnership with STU highlights the College's scope to deliver thematic knowledge exchange programmes to educators across the world. Such is the positivity surrounding the entrepreneurial offer, the college has recently secured a similar partnership with a second institution in sub-Saharan Africa - with full details to be announced soon.

Victoria Paterson, International Business Manager, said: "We're delighted with the progress of the Going Global project with STU which is really showcasing the work that our college is capable in the delivery of higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) internationally.

"We are seeing high demand for the model we have developed whereby our expert lecturers deliver online and face-to-face learning and teaching for educators which can then be embedded into universities and other educational settings around the world. This allows us to make important positive impacts in communities across the globe - something we are immensely proud of."