The Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), University of Sierra Leone, on thursday 12 June 2025 officially launched the Sierra Leone Education in Entrepreneurial Pedagogy and Skills (SLEEK) project at the campus level.
Held at the Ekundayo Thompson Building, Tower Hill Campus, the event marked a significant milestone in reshaping the future of entrepreneurship education in the country.
Organized by the SLEEK IPAM Project Team, the launch drew over 170 attendees, including the university leadership, faculty members, administrative staff, students, partners, and even secondary school pupils.
The ceremony showcased the strong institutional commitment to fostering a culture of job creation, innovation, and enterprise development.
The event featured statements from distinguished university figures including Prof. Miriam Conteh-Morgan, Deputy Vice Chancellor of IPAM; Mr. Munda Lebbie, Acting Registrar of the University of Sierra Leone, and Mr. Albert Baio Deputy Registrar of IPAM.
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Aiah Lebbie, Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sierra Leone. Continually, the leadership of the University recognized the EU funding and the partnership with International Universities, especially Alicante University in Spain, and encouraged faculty and staff to pursue more of such international partnerships across the University.
In his keynote, Prof. Lebbie emphasized the transformative potential of entrepreneurship:“Entrepreneurship is a practical means of job creation and wealth creation, especially in the context of thousands of students graduating each year without a job”.
Prof. Conteh-Morgan highlighted IPAM’s proactive approach:“The university has evolved to now training and empowering students to be job creators rather than job seekers. IPAM has been a pioneer in playing that role as a University in Sierra Leone.”
Acting Registrar Mr. Munda Lebbie underscored the institutional progress:“IPAM already has a track record of mainstreaming entrepreneurship as a module across all courses and levels. With SLEEK, this is being taken to another level by equipping lecturers with specialized pedagogical skills and practical linkages with industries.”
The event was chaired by Mr. Alex Thomas, Head of the Entrepreneurship and Marketing Department, with contributions from Mr. William Conteh, who presented the background and vision of the SLEEK initiative as a pioneer team member of the project.
The formal launch was symbolized by the unveiling of the SLEEK roll-up banner by the VC and DVC supported by the SLEEK IPAM Project Manager, Ms. Joyce Coulson-Olowu. SLEEK is a three-year Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project that started on 15/01/2025 and will be completed on the14/01/2028 involving five Sierra Leonean partners and two European institutions:
EU Partners: Universidad de Alicante (Spain, Coordinator), FH Joanneum Gesellschaft MBH (Austria)
Sierra Leone Partners: IPAM, University of Sierra Leone(National Coordinator ), University of Management and Technology, University of Makeni, Milton Margai Technical University, and Innovation SL Limited the a non-University partner.
Associate Partner: United Methodist University (UMU)
The project aims to build institutional capacity in entrepreneurial teaching and learning, empower students with practical business skills, and strengthen academia-industry collaboration.
The interactive session saw enthusiastic participation from students and staff, with questions centered on how SLEEK will benefit academic programs, student employability, and entrepreneurial training across partner institutions.
The successful launch signaled a bold new chapter for entrepreneurship education in Sierra Leone—laying the foundation for a more empowered, innovative, and self-reliant generation.
