The University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) has launched a master’s programme that is seeking to recruit free thinkers to invent and reinvent relevant, inclusive, innovative solutions for African socio-economic challenges.
The programme is looking for highly motivated individuals to spend a year in a unique, free thinking, applied academic programme to envision a better future for Africa.
The MPhil in Inclusive Innovation is a new Master’s degree that gets underway in February 2013. The programme aims to explore unorthodox, innovative and applied solutions to African challenges.
Dr François Bonnici, director of the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the GSB, says that creating the conditions for creative people from across the spectrum of disciplines to work together on complex challenges is a vital first step in allowing such innovation to thrive.
Unconstrained innovation
“The source of innovation increasingly flows from individuals who are unconstrained by set cultures or organisations, who are deeply committed to changing the world for the better, and who are given the opportunity to collaborate with others,” said Professor Kosheek Sewchurran, who co-convenes the MPhil with Bonnici.
“The fuel to innovate is created when these kinds of people, with their vast expertise, life experience, passion and ideas, come together with free rein and in an environment poised to support new possibilities,” he said.
“We are not placing limits on anything,” says Bonnici. “Our goal is radical innovation and sustainable solutions for Africa and we don’t really worry what shape or form these take – only that they work.”
Unique approach required
Students will spend the majority of their time on research activities and the creation and live demonstrations of their inventions.
While each student will be expected to produce a unique idea or process, they will work in collaboration with their peers for the duration of the year-long programme.
Full scholarships offered
As part of the school’s investment in this new programme it is offering several full scholarships for the 2013 intake – to be awarded on merit to the best applicants.
For more information go to www.gsb.uct.ac.za/inclusiveinnovation