To become a top entrepreneurial university in Africa is a core strategic direction adopted by CUT's Council. Following extensive consultations, the CUT Entrepreneurship Development Unit (CUT-EDU) was established in 2021 as our dedicated "Entrepreneurship Centre of Excellence".
CUT-EDU emphasises entrepreneurial scholarship, theory, and practical application. We utilise innovative education and technology to deliver first-class formal and informal training programmes, equipping students, staff, and the broader community with the skills to transform ideas into successful, sustainable businesses.
Strategic Objectives
Our programmes and initiatives are designed to achieve the following core objectives:
Institutional Integration: Making entrepreneurship part of the fabric of CUT to drive sustainable socio-economic development in South Africa and beyond.
Dedicated Focus: Operating as a specialised academic unit with a singular mandate to advance entrepreneurship education and support.
Community Skilling: Collaborating with CUTis and Idea Gym to deliver short courses that empower unemployed youth, adults, and budding entrepreneurs.
Advanced Education: Providing formal entrepreneurship education up to the doctoral level to produce recognised experts locally and internationally.
Programmes Offered
We offer a comprehensive suite of qualifications and short courses designed for diverse learning needs, from undergraduate skills development to advanced doctoral research.
Local Postgraduate Programmes
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management Sciences
- Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Management Sciences
- Master of Management Sciences in Entrepreneurial Management (Flagship Programme)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurial Management
- Advanced Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation
International Programmes
Delivering PQM qualifications internationally:
- Advanced Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation
- Advanced Diploma in Applied Management
- Advanced Diploma in Human Resources Management
- Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management
- MPhil & PhD in Management Sciences (all specialisations)
Skills Development
From 2023, the Unit offers a non-credit-bearing entrepreneurship short course at NQF level 6 for all registered CUT students and the general public.
We are also developing SETA-registered entrepreneurship short courses at lower NQF levels (1–5) to broaden access to foundational business skills.
Flagship Programme: Master of Management Sciences in Entrepreneurial Management
This first-ever structured master's degree at CUT is designed for mature learners and students seeking specialised entrepreneurial skills. Delivered in a blended learning mode, the programme draws on international academics, offers modules as stand-alone credit-bearing short courses, and includes a mini-research project component.
Strategic Partnerships & Research
Global Partnerships
Our network of strategic partners continues to evolve. Our key partner is the Coventry University International Centre for Transformational Entrepreneurship (ICTE).
We also collaborate with the Aalen University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and several universities with strong entrepreneurial focuses in Ireland and Scotland.
Innovative Research
Academic excellence requires robust research. Our primary outputs emerge from the research projects of students in our MPhil, PhD, and Master of Management Sciences in Entrepreneurial Management programmes.
We collaborate with the Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies (CEES) to organise the prestigious International Conference on Entrepreneurship Development (ICED), generating substantial publications that address global entrepreneurship challenges.
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