EDHE Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards 2026 (South Africa)

The EDHE Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards 2026 recognise innovative entrepreneurship education practices at recognised South African higher education institutions. The awards celebrate academics and support professionals developing impactful entrepreneurship modules, programmes, courses, and initiatives while promoting knowledge sharing, collaboration, and excellence in teaching and learning.

Overview of the EDHE Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards 2026

The EDHE Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards 2026 is a national recognition programme that highlights innovative approaches to entrepreneurship education within South African higher education institutions.

The awards aim to showcase effective teaching methods, celebrate outstanding contributions from educators, and encourage the development of entrepreneurial cultures across universities and other recognised higher education institutions.

The programme provides a platform for academics and entrepreneurship education professionals to share successful practices and contribute to the broader entrepreneurship education ecosystem.

Objectives of the Awards

The EDHE Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards focus on:

• Recognising innovative entrepreneurship teaching and learning approaches.
• Highlighting outstanding pedagogical contributions.
• Encouraging practical and relevant entrepreneurship education methods.
• Supporting entrepreneurial culture within higher education institutions.
• Promoting collaboration among academics, educators, and support professionals.
• Sharing successful entrepreneurship education models.
• Showcasing impactful credit-bearing entrepreneurship modules, programmes, short courses, and initiatives.

Who Can Participate?

The competition is open to:

• Academics.
• Entrepreneurship education professionals.
• Support professionals involved in entrepreneurship learning initiatives.

Eligible submissions must be connected to:

• Recognised South African higher education institutions.
• Credit-bearing entrepreneurship modules.
• Entrepreneurship programmes.
• Short courses.
• Entrepreneurial education initiatives.

At least one author submitting an entry must be:

• A current staff member of the institution, or
• A formally contracted professional working with the submitting institution.

What Types of Initiatives Are Recognised?

The awards recognise innovative entrepreneurship education activities, including:

Entrepreneurship Modules

Examples include:

• Credit-bearing university entrepreneurship modules.
• Innovative curriculum-based entrepreneurship courses.
• Practical entrepreneurship learning experiences.

Entrepreneurship Programmes

Eligible programmes may include:

• University entrepreneurship development programmes.
• Entrepreneurial skills programmes.
• Student entrepreneurship initiatives.

Short Courses and Micro-Credentials

The awards also recognise:

• Entrepreneurship short courses.
• Micro-credential programmes.
• Professional entrepreneurship learning opportunities.

Entrepreneurial Initiatives

Submissions may include initiatives that:

• Improve entrepreneurship learning.
• Encourage innovation and creativity.
• Support entrepreneurial thinking among students.
• Address challenges in entrepreneurship curriculum development.

Benefits of Participating

Participants gain opportunities to:

• Showcase innovative entrepreneurship education practices.
• Receive national and international recognition.
• Highlight contributions to teaching excellence.
• Connect with academics, practitioners, and policymakers.
• Share knowledge with the entrepreneurship education community.

Additional opportunities include:

• International expert review of submitted case studies.
• Potential development of high-quality submissions into peer-reviewed book chapters.
• Possible publication through an international academic publisher.

Award Selection Process

The competition takes place through two rounds:

Round 1: Academic Abstract Submission

Applicants must submit a 300-word academic abstract through the EDHE website.

The abstract should describe:

• Title of the programme, module, initiative, project, or course.
• Purpose of the initiative.
• Target audience.
• Problem being addressed.
• Educational solution or approach.
• Implementation process.
• Results achieved.
• Impact and benefits.
• Details of academic credit or micro-credential recognition.

Applicants must also provide:

• Initiative name.
• Author information.
• Submitting person’s details.
• University name.
• Contact email address.

Round 2: Detailed Case Study Submission

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full case study.

The case study must include:

• Author details.
• University information.
• Contact details.
• Submission date.
• University representative contact information.

Case Study Requirements

The case study must:

• Be submitted through the EDHE website.
• Not exceed 7,000 words (excluding references and appendices).
• Follow the required formatting guidelines.

Formatting requirements:

• Font: Arial.
• Font size: 11.
• Line spacing: 1.15.

Required Case Study Content

A strong case study should explain:

• Background and context of the initiative.
• Entrepreneurship education challenge addressed.
• Learning and teaching approach used.
• Implementation process.
• Student or institutional outcomes.
• Evidence of impact.
• Lessons learned.
• Potential for wider adoption.

Why It Matters

Entrepreneurship education plays an important role in preparing students with innovation, problem-solving, and business development skills.

The EDHE Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards help strengthen higher education by:

• Encouraging teaching innovation.
• Supporting entrepreneurship-focused curriculum development.
• Sharing successful education models.
• Building stronger academic networks.
• Promoting collaboration between universities and entrepreneurship stakeholders.

The programme contributes to improving entrepreneurship education quality across South Africa and beyond.

How to Apply

Applicants should follow these steps:

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Ensure that:

• The initiative is affiliated with a recognised South African higher education institution.
• At least one author is a current staff member or contracted professional.
• The submission relates to entrepreneurship education.

Step 2: Prepare the Abstract

Develop a 300-word abstract covering:

• Initiative purpose.
• Target audience.
• Challenge addressed.
• Approach and implementation.
• Results and impact.
• Academic recognition details.

Step 3: Submit Round 1 Application

Upload the abstract and required participant information through the EDHE website.

Step 4: Develop Case Study (If Shortlisted)

Prepare a detailed case study following the word count and formatting requirements.

Step 5: Submit Final Case Study

Submit the completed case study through the official platform for international expert review.

Common Application Mistakes and Tips

Common Mistakes

Applicants should avoid:

• Submitting initiatives without formal university affiliation.
• Missing academic credit or micro-credential information.
• Exceeding the case study word limit.
• Providing unclear evidence of impact.
• Focusing only on activities instead of learning outcomes.

Application Tips

To create a strong submission:

• Clearly explain the innovation in teaching practice.
• Provide evidence of student and institutional impact.
• Highlight practical entrepreneurship learning methods.
• Describe challenges and solutions.
• Demonstrate how the approach can benefit other institutions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What are the EDHE Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards?

The awards recognise innovative entrepreneurship teaching and learning practices at South African higher education institutions.

2. Who can submit an application?

Academics and support professionals involved in entrepreneurship education initiatives can submit applications if their work is affiliated with a recognised South African higher education institution.

3. What types of initiatives are eligible?

Eligible initiatives include entrepreneurship modules, programmes, short courses, micro-credentials, and other credit-bearing entrepreneurship education projects.

4. How does the competition process work?

The competition has two rounds: an initial 300-word abstract submission and a detailed case study submission for shortlisted applicants.

5. How long can the case study be?

The case study must not exceed 7,000 words, excluding references and appendices.

6. Who reviews submissions?

Submitted case studies are reviewed by international experts in entrepreneurship education.

7. Can selected case studies be published?

Yes. High-performing submissions may be invited for development into peer-reviewed book chapters published by an international academic publisher.

Conclusion

The EDHE Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards 2026 provide a valuable platform for recognising and sharing innovative entrepreneurship education practices in South African higher education. By celebrating teaching excellence, collaboration, and impactful learning approaches, the awards help advance entrepreneurship education and inspire future innovation across the academic ecosystem.