VISION

To be regarded as the foremost entrepreneurship and general study centre anchored by the university to provide sustainable entrepreneurial skills and general knowledge through comprehensive reach that exceeds all barriers. 

MISSION

To provide functional cost-effective flexible learning which adds life-long value to student’s entrepreneurial initiative, creativity, research, and innovation?

Motto

Explore. Develop. Deliver.

Objectives

Specifically, the objectives are:

• Acquisition, development, and inculcation of the proper value-orientation for the survival of an individual and society

• To prepare the students for a post university life with opportunities for job creation and entrepreneurial skills.

• To promote the culture of entrepreneurship among NOUN students

• To identify students with creative and innovation ideas for start-ups

• To produce graduates who will be capable to communicate effectively

• To develop the intellectual capacities of the students to understand, appreciate, and promote peaceful co-existence.

• To produce graduates with broad knowledge of the Nigerian Nation and people with a view to inculcating in them mutual understanding and patriotism

• To expose graduates of National Open University of Nigeria to the rudiment of ICT for computer literacy and ability to live usefully in this ICT age

 

General Philosophy/ Goal

The Directorate has two main functions- to build soft skills into students by exposing them to general courses and to prepare them to be self-reliant; hence the focus on entrepreneurship and general studies. Therefore, the goals are to produce:

• Graduates with some value addition over their field of study for being self-reliant.

• Well-rounded, morally and intellectually capable graduates with vision and entrepreneurial skills in an environment of peace and social cohesiveness

 

NOUN Entrepreneurship Education and Incubation Centres 

Over the years the federal government of Nigeria has floated several programmes to strengthened Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and to encourage youth in entrepreneurship.  Some of such programmes are Nigerian Industrial Development Bank Ltd (NIDB), Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry (NBCI), Small and Medium Enterprises Equity Investment Scheme (SMEEIS), and Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP) which was established on 15th March 2016.  Despite the several programmes, youths have less presence in entrepreneurship and unemployment is on the increase.

To meet the need of the Nigeria society, the National Universities Commission (NUC) introduced entrepreneurship into Nigeria university curriculum.  Even at that the teaching of entrepreneurship at the university level, it did not have much impact on the youth.  In compliance with the NUC directive and its provision that each university has about 40% liberty to review the minimum benchmark; The National Open University of Nigeria Centre for Entrepreneurship and General Studies was upgraded to Directorate for Entrepreneurship and General Studies in 21st May 2019. With the mandate of the university, the Directorate carried out a study to identify the gaps. It was found that most university students are not interested in vocational training skills such as barbing, hair dressing, fishing, tailoring, carpentry etc rather they want opportunity where they can demonstrate their creative and innovative ideas and skills.  Also, the findings revealed that the country needs creative and innovative entrepreneurs to grow the economy.  Most of the corps members who acquired vocational skills during service were found not to use the skills after the service year.  It was also found that most trainees who were monetary empowered through government organised skill trainings do not continue with the skill rather such monies are diverted to some other things.  From the result of the interview held with some of the trainees and serving corps and those who have completed their service year, majority do not know where their ability lies.  Some have the view that participating in empowerment scheme is an opportunity to share from the national cake.  Therefore, what is NOUN doing differently?

Based on the findings, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) developed a framework that gave opportunity to NOUN students to demonstrate their creative and innovative ideas.  NOUN entrepreneurship prepares student entrepreneurs by taking them through entrepreneurship education and mentorship with focus on meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) towards achieving 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and beyond.  

 During entrepreneurship education, the students learn how to:

•    Discover and direct their innate abilities for economic viability

•    Improve on their creativity and innovation

•    Direct their passion for their new discoveries 

•    Manage creativity and innovation

•    Relate with other people and the society for peaceful co-existence

 

The student’s creative and innovative ideas are directed towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).   To make it manageable during enterprise idea presentations, incubation, and mentor-ship, the SDGs are grouped into four categories:

 i.    Well-being:    This covers Goals 1, 3, 4, 5, 10 & 16

ii.    Infrastructure:    This covers Goals 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, & 11

iii.    Natural Environment:    This covers Goals 13, 14, & 15

iv.    Partnership:    This covers Goal 17

 

Students’ creative and innovative ideas are not only focused on products.  It also covers social entrepreneurs and research.  

In NOUN, 200 and 300 level students go through entrepreneurship education.  At the last semester of 300 level, students present their enterprise ideas which is accompanied with a business plan.  As at December 2019 12,502 students presented their enterprise ideas across the seven incubation centres in the country.  Those with creative and innovative ideas were selected and enrolled into the incubation centres.  188 incubatees were enrolled in year 2019.  This started student incubation in NOUN.  The centre has both resident and non-resident incubatees.  Those with creative and innovative ideas create enterprise for others to imitate or use.  NOUN differentiates between a businessman and an entrepreneur.  

 

The Directorate also renders service to non-NOUN students by:

•    Training Micro, Small and Medium Entrepreneurs

•    Training individuals on creative thinking and innovation

•    Providing access for loan opportunities for start-ups and growth

•    Providing mentor-ship for start-ups

 NOUN Incubation Centres Competitive Advantage

• Incubate students to start-up

• Provide mentor-ship during incubation and a year follow-up after start-up

• Provide equipment and facilities for practice 

• Active involvement in innovative research

• Protect the rights of innovators

• Collaboration with Industries, Research Institutes, governments and non-government   agencies for guidance and mentor-ship

• Guide the business registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)

• Extends hand of fellowship to the community

• Provide opportunity to all trainees (students and non-students) to obtain loan for start-up or grow their business

• Provide support in business plan development