SmartVille in Zambia: case studies and group discussions

During the week 35 of August 2024, the Developing Sustainable and Entrepreneurial Villages through Educational Living Labs in Namibia and Zambia – SmartVille project partners visited partner universities in Zambia according to the project’s mobility plan. (LAB 2024)

The visit in Zambia started with the partner universities representatives visit to Mulungushi University’s campus in Kabwe. At Mulungushi University Technical University of Dortmund representatives introduced an Entrepreneurial Mindset training to the students of Mulungushi University, to introduce tools to enhance better problem-solving skills.

At University of Lusaka an Innovation Challenge was conducted to the students by Senior Lecturer Ville Lehto (LAB University of Applied Sciences). Companies Afstor and Fiber-X (both located in South-Karelia, Finland), provided the students “real life” case study, a challenge in their business operations, engaging the students to innovate and suggest possible solutions for the companies’ representatives. In total 240 students, from both the University of Lusaka and Mulungushi University (through on-line), participated in the Innovation Challenge.

For the Innovation Challenge, participants were introduced additional tools for problem-solving through Entrepreneurial Mindset training provided by TU Dortmund team member. Team-learning method, using dialogue as an approach, was also introduced to the participants. Dialogue allows students to learn from each other by listening and accepting different opinions, empowering students to collaborate in teams and benefiting from shared knowledge, as well as enhancing respect among students. (Ekman 2024)

Well-being and entrepreneurship

As one of the ambitious goals for SmartVille project is to introduce innovative teaching and learning methods to increase practical entrepreneurial skills by offering also informal education in entrepreneurship in the rural villages of Namibia and Zambia, the partner universities representatives were able to visit the Luanshimba Health Center (Kapiri Mposhi) and Kasisi Agricultural Training Center (Lusaka area), where the Living Labs will be established in Zambia.

Luanshimba community has a special Women’s Center fostering well-being of women by promoting women’s health and recovery from violence, enhancing their capacities in building prosperity for themselves, as well as for their families and the community. Kasisi community on the other hand is specializing in organic farming and livestock farming. Findings of the conducted focus group discussions in both Luanshimba and Kasisi showed the specific needs of both communities for developing the learning materials for the informal courses to be offered through the Living Labs.

Partners visited also Mulungushi University Medical School premises in Livingstone, as well as the famous Victoria Falls. Work in the project will continue by defining the Living Lab communities in Namibia and conducting similar focus group discussions to define the specific needs of the chosen Living Lab community members in Namibia.

References

Ekman, M. Team learning: a method to tackle high unemployment rate in the rural parts of Namibia and Zambia? LAB Focus. Cited 13 Sep 2024. Available at https://blogit.lab.fi/labfocus/en/team-learning-a-method-to-tackle-high-unemployment-rate-in-the-rural-parts-of-namibia-and-zambia/

LAB. 2024. Developing Sustainable and Entrepreneurial Villages Through Educational Living Labs in Namibia and Zambia. Project websites. LAB University of Applied Sciences. Cited 13 Sep 2024. Available at https://lab.fi/en/project/developing-sustainable-and-entrepreneurial-villages-through-educational-living-labs-namibia