Center of Evidence-based Entrepreneurship Development (CEED)

Welcome to the CEED newsletter, covering the latest news on the Student Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion (STEP) and Personal Initiative (PI) training!

If you want to contribute, please contact us via our CEED e-mail. 

This newsletter informs you on a quarterly basis about current events, projects, and the implementation of both our training programs STEP and PI. On top of sharing news from our side, we would like to encourage you to contribute to this newsletter so that we can establish it as a medium for mutual updates. Because just like us, you’re gaining valuable experiences with the training programs. In fact, you run great projects that always amaze us and that the whole community should know about!

Topics of this Newsletter

• South Africa: Train-the-Trainer Workshop at the University of Venda
• Madagascar: Towards a Dynamic Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the Indian Ocean Region​​
• Kenya: Train-the-Trainer Workshop at Mount Kenya University
• South Africa: Testing Podcasts as Alternative STEP Format
• Doorways: Website Relaunch

South Africa: Train-the-Trainer Workshop at the University of Venda

As part of the DAAD-funded SDG Partnerships Project, another Train-the-Trainer (TTT) workshop took place from February 3rd to 7th, 2025, at the University of Venda in Thohoyandou, South Africa. During the TTT, eleven new STEP Sustainability trainers were successfully certified to deliver the STEP Sustainability training at the University of Venda. These newly trained facilitators will immediately apply their skills in the STEP Sustainability training, which started in March. Their contribution will help empower students with entrepreneurial skills while fostering sustainability-focused initiatives.

A notable milestone was also reached during the workshop: Dr. Mikioni from the University of Venda successfully completed the final stage of the STEP Sustainability master trainer qualification. With this achievement, Dr. Mikioni is now officially certified to train new STEP Sustainability trainers. The CEED team warmly congratulates him on this accomplishment.

Madagascar: Towards a Dynamic Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the Indian Ocean Region​

As part of the "Entrepreneurship and Business Facilitation in the Indian Ocean" (ENFA-OI) program, initiated by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and funded by the European Union, move-eti facilitated a PI Train-the-Trainer workshop in Antananarivo, Madagascar, from January 27th to February 2nd, 2025. This workshop brought together 22 participants from Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, and Seychelles, aiming to train them in the action-oriented PI training.​ 

This initiative resulted in the certification of 16 PI trainers, thereby strengthening local capacities to support entrepreneurs in the Indian Ocean region. These newly certified trainers are now equipped to impart essential skills to beneficiaries, enabling them to enhance and expand their economic activities.​

This achievement marks a significant milestone in bolstering the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Indian Ocean region, laying the groundwork for a prosperous future for local entrepreneurs.

Kenya: Train-the-Trainer workshop at Mount Kenya University

A key milestone was reached during the recent Train-the-Trainer (TTT) workshop held from March 24th to 28th, 2025, at Mount Kenya University in Thika, Kenya. Christopher Uwakwe from Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Nigeria, successfully completed the final phase of the STEP Sustainability master trainer qualification and is the first STEP Sustainability master trainer in Western Africa. The CEED team extends its heartfelt congratulations to Christopher on this important achievement.

The TTT workshop was part of the DAAD-funded SDG Partnerships Project and brought together twelve participants who were certified as new STEP Sustainability trainers. Equipped with their new skills, they are now ready to implement the STEP Sustainability training, focusing on student teachers at Mount Kenya University. We would like to especially thank Joel Malala for the excellent organization of the TTT. We also look forward to supporting him during the final phase of his master trainer education at a TTT at Godfrey Okoye University in July.

South Africa: Testing Podcasts as Alternative STEP Format

In February 2025, we launched a new project in cooperation with the North-West University and the Kitso Information Development Centre in South Africa. In this project, the use of podcasts as an alternative to classroom training is being tested with a sample of 112 unemployed adults in Sharpeville, South Africa.

Half of the sample is participating in the traditional 3-hour classroom training facilitated by a STEP trainer. The other half is participating in 30-minute podcast listening sessions. The podcasts convey the most important training content in form of storytelling. They include reflective exercises and assignments that encourage the participants to engage in entrepreneurial action between the listening sessions. Both STEP interventions consist of twelve weekly sessions over a span of three months. Our idea is that podcasts could be a cost-effective and potentially highly scalable intervention to foster an entrepreneurial mindset.

The project is being evaluated in a mixed methods approach with data collections before, during, and after the interventions. First results are expected in June.

For more information, feel free to contact Janina.

Doorways: Website Relaunch

New Look, Same Mission – Our Website Relaunch Is Live!
We're turning three and celebrated our anniversary with a fresh new website that better reflects who we are and what we do at Doorways gGmbH. The new design is clear, modern, and focused on what matters most: empowering entrepreneurial thinking and action around the globe.
As before, you can find us at www.doorways-training.org, and we invite you to explore our updated project overview.
We’re excited to share this new chapter with you and would love to hear what you think. Take a look around – and let us know your thoughts!
 

We’d love to hear from you! Send your feedback and thoughts to ceed@leuphana.de.

For more information follow us on social media,
for STEP: Website, Facebook, Instagram,
for PI: Website.