Ahmedabad: Seventy-one foreign professionals from 27 developing countries were awarded certificates in a valedictory ceremony organized by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) on Friday. Three programs sponsored by the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, including Infrastructure and Sustainable Project Preparation & Appraisal and Informal Sector Enterprise; Entrepreneurship Education, Knowledge Management and Policy Research, and Promoting Startups in Developing Economies through Innovation and Incubation, concluded at EDII on Friday.
The professionals were from developing countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
The Chief Guest at the valedictory function was Smt. Abhilasha Joshi, Additional Secretary [DPA-II & IV], Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Also present on the occasion was Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII. The three Capacity Building programmes, were offered during 1 – 19 January 2024.
Addressing the participants, Ms. Abhilasha Joshi said, “India has a long tradition of sharing knowledge and focusing on education and learning. We place a high value on our civilizational ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning that the ‘world is one family,’ and driven by that, we ensure that our guests are looked after in every possible way. The programs under the ITEC, Ministry of External Affairs, are highly relevant, based on contemporary requirements, and these subscribe to the ethos of South-South cooperation. I also notice increased women participation in these programmes which again is a promising indication towards women-led development.” Ms. Joshi urged the participants to implement the learning back in their country and organization for national well-being.
Dr. Sunil Shukla, in his address, said, “The commitment of the government towards offering a helping hand to more than 160 countries across the world is unparalleled. While the participants of the three programs learned subject-related skills, they also got an opportunity to observe how the nation and the state of Gujarat prioritize economic growth, infrastructure, education, startups, and social development. I am sure the experience has been wholesome, and it will have a percolating effect in terms of the advantages reaching down to several layers of society. I request the participants, therefore, to spread the learning back in their home country.”
The program Entrepreneurship Education, Knowledge Management and Policy Research which had 28 participants from 18 countries, aimed at enabling the participants to formulate customized and need-based entrepreneurship education policies, strategies, and programs in the country. Dr. Pankaj Bharti was the Programme Director for this program.
The program, Infrastructure and Sustainable Project Preparation & Appraisal and Informal Sector Enterprise, aimed at improving and updating the knowledge of officials in the areas of project preparation & appraisal techniques, the decision-making process in sectors of industrial, infrastructure & sustainable opportunities leading to improved viability, returns, and effective investment decisions. Dr. Amit Kr. Dwivedi was the Programme Director for this program, which had 17 participants from 10 countries.
The program, Promoting Startups in Developing Economies through Innovation and Incubation, was designed to prepare a cadre of professionals for leading the Startup movement in developing countries through the establishment and support of incubation centers. Dr. Satya Ranjan Acharya was the Programme Director for this program, which had 26 participants from 16 countries.
The participants gained insightful knowledge and were able to link the theoretical knowledge with the practical aspects through relevant exposure visits.
About Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII):
The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad, was set up in 1983 as an autonomous and not-for-profit Institute with the support of apex financial institutions – the IDBI Bank Ltd., IFCI Ltd., ICICI Bank Ltd., and State Bank of India (SBI). The Government of Gujarat pledged twenty-three acres of land on which stands the majestic and sprawling EDII Campus. EDII has been recognized as the CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India. The Institute has also been listed as the Institute of National Importance by the Education Department, Govt. of Gujarat. EDII operates across the country through its seven regional offices and PAN India project offices. It has international affiliates in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and Rwanda.
