The International Association of Universities features the Global Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship Center

By Taigu Muchiri

USIU-Africa through its GAME center was part of thirty-four IAU member institutions that were featured by the Aiming Higher initiative that showcased a series of videos on higher education, produced by BBC Story Works. These impact videos are a tool to show that higher education is instrumental to the development of sustainable and democratic societies; shaping minds, promoting diversity, ethical leadership and social responsibility. In light of increasing global challenges, higher education institutions play a key role in addressing the societal transformations that will take place in the future.

Universities across the globe are shaping sustainable, democratic societies, and helping to tackle some of the biggest challenges societies face such as climate change, poverty, and food insecurity among others. Each film highlights how these universities contribute to these goals through projects that work towards sustainable development, internationalization, leadership and innovation. Various institutions had the opportunity to show how these important core values are fostered and implemented. They also show to what extent higher education is central to prosperity, innovation and social change, and contribute to fairer and more sustainable societies.

The four-minute video, featured under the sustainable development category, tells the story of a small scale farmer in Makueni County who has been able to improve her livelihood by running a chicken farm. Eunice Musyoka was a recipient of the GAME agribusiness entrepreneurship program conducted at USIU-Africa. The center and it’s consortium of partners Busara Center for Behavioral Economics and Signifide Group is conducting a research project titled ‘The Effectiveness of the Metro Agri-Food Living Lab for Gender Inclusive Youth Entrepreneurship Development in Kenya’, funded by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). This project has been designed to identify and test innovative business models for taking innovations to scale, and supporting Kenya’s youth to actively engage in profitable agri-businesses. The research uses the metropolitan living lab model to guide current and aspiring youth entrepreneurs in developing profitable agri-business enterprises. To view the complete video, click here.

The International Association of Universities (IAU) is a membership-led organization with the purpose of advancing higher education and its important role in the development of our society. Founded in 1950 under the auspices of UNESCO, it is the leading global association of higher education institutions and organizations around the world, comprising more than 650 Members in some 130 countries. IAU serves as a global forum for leaders in higher education to reflect and rally around common priorities. It acts as the voice of higher education to UNESCO and other international higher education organizations. The Association caters to its Members but extends its services to organizations, institutions and authorities, as well as other stakeholders in the field of higher education, by offering various services such as networking events, research, trainings and advisory services. IAU is an independent, non-governmental organization and official partner of UNESCO (Associate Status) and has consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council.

Social Media

X