A ground-breaking memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) and the China Europe International Business School (CIEBS). The goal of the MoU is to merge efforts by the two institutions to drive innovation, skills development and training in Africa. It will be in place until 31 March 2025.
It was signed at the school in Accra, Ghana by CHIETA CEO Yershen Pillay and CEIBS director, Prof. Kwame Tsamenyi. It will be in place until 31 March 2025. According to CHIETA, its role in the agreement includes sourcing corporate entrepreneurs in the chemicals sector for the purpose of upskilling them and identifying the 4th Industrial Revolution-linked programmes, which will benefit skills development in this sector. The objectives of the MoU include funding for learning programmes and short skills programmes on innovation excellence and collaboration on digital training initiatives.
It will also support corporate entrepreneurs in the sector to boost economic growth through CEIB’s Entrepreneurial Innovation for Impact Programme, as well as establishing a CHIETA-CEIBS Centre for Innovation Leadership. CEIBS has also launched its Corporate Innovation Lounge (CACIL), which will empower enterprises to be innovative and agile so they can adapt to future changes.
CEIBS is ranked one of the top business schools in the world, with several campuses in China, Zurich, Switzerland and Accra. Pillay said the agreement aligned with CHIETA’s four strategic pillars – innovation, digitisation, collaboration and transformation. It also aligned with CHIETA’s focus on successfully delivering skills development through cross-sector collaboration and international partnerships. And this meant that the partners would take full advantage of the new opportunities that may emerge from the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
“Our Vision 2025 is comprehensive and agile, and it enables excellent scope for international collaborative partnerships that ensure (that) we innovate for impact,” Pillay said. Also, the collaboration would boost diversity and innovation in South Africa and Ghana, which in turn created new and improved opportunities for growth. “We are grateful to CEIBS Africa for joining and collaborating with CHIETA and bringing their expertise, experience and new insights to South Africa’s chemical industries,” Pillay said. Tsamenyi noted that the agreement was another example of CEIBS Africa’s Pan-African quest and an opportunity to build capacity on the continent.
