Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies (CES)

ABOUT CES

The CES-MOUAU. is established and committed to holding lectures, capacity building seminars, conferences, workshops to the University undergraduates across the University Faculties, schools and departments and beyond, in certain freely chosen areas of entrepreneurship available at the Centre with heavy emphasis on agribusiness and cottage/rural enterprises in line with the vision and mission of MOUAU of ensuring “self-sufficiency in food and fibre production by producing professionally competent and self-reliant graduates in agriculture and related discipline, able to generate employment for themselves and objectives and for others”,

The full attainment of the above objectives will be effected with full cooperation of the existing University staff together with temporary or ad hoc resource personnel with years of ground breaking work and experience in the entrepreneurial venture(s) in view.

CES-MOUAU DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

CES-MOUAU is unique and distinguishable by several key features, prominent among which include: Community-centered, as it ensures that both MOUAU students and the people from the immediate community in which the University is situated are the ultimate beneficiaries of its educational and entrepreneurial realities.

Creative and innovative, exploring new areas, new opportunities for capacity building offered by technological change and research on learning while on the job, with the ultimate objective of expanding the employability of MOUAU graduates and the undergraduates to gain work experience while they are still in school.

Responsive and sensitive to entrepreneurial priorities and needs as defined by the clientele, the students themselves and the benefiting community people, offering solutions appropriate to prevailing circumstances at the students’ major Faculty and the community workplace.

VISION:

To promote the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) to the level of being regarded as one of the first five prominent universities and the foremost University of Agriculture Nigeria that provide comprehensive and highly accessible quality entrepreneurship education and training.

MISSION:

To provide students of MOUAU and catchment community people with functional, cutting-edge knowledge and skills needed for the set ups of viable small medium scale enterprises for self-help, self-reliance and job creation.

CORE VALUE:

“Creativity & Innovativeness “Self-help & Self-reliance (CISS)

STRAGEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVES

Provide quality entrepreneurship studies to all MOUAU Students through appropriate academic alternatives
Undertakes and promotes research and publications in the area of entrepreneurships and career awareness and development initiatives.
Ultilizes the resources and capacities of the Centre in particular and MOUAU in general in community development initiatives, and collaborative partnerships.
Provides training and retraining on short term and long term basis through seminars, conferences and workshops to Individuals, Institutions and corporate organizations, already employed in the country’s various workplaces.
Avails students and participating community people the opportunity of having contacts with prominent practicing local business men and women, local craftsmen and women, in relevant entrepreneurial areas.

CES-MOUAU WORKPLAN AND PROGRAMME

CES-MOUAU is extremely helpful in creating awareness of existing wide range of entrepreneurial opportunities in cottage Industries and small scale factories besides the University traditional agri-businesses that you can explore on graduation, as well as in providing training and retraining, short term courses, refresher courses, conferences, seminars, workshops, and so on, to individuals, community people and groups, Institutions, corporate organizations, companies, banks and Industries, to this end, the centre has designed programmers’ which include but not limited to the following:

Entrepreneurship and Small Business Opportunities

Identifying Sustainable Small Business Ideas
Carrying out Feasibility Studies
Personnel Management
Writing and presenting a Business Plan
How to raise capital for a few business, etc.
Keeping your Business Alive, etc

Agribusiness Economics

Agro-based Technology and agri-business Initiatives (Agriculture and Rural Enterprises) Honey Beekeeping and Production of Mushroom; Horticulture, Mulberry (Sericulture) Snail (Snailry): Cat Fish Pond (Fishery); Grass cutter, Gazelle; Geese, Poultry Farming; etc;

Food Processing Technology – Production of Corn meal nutrients food; Semovita; Flour; Beverages; Ice cream (ordinary, chocolate, Banana, milk), and so on.
Animal feed production – chicks mash; grower mash; turkey feed; broiler starter; layers mash; broiler fisher, pig feed; fish feed. Alternate Energy System Production – Solar Energy; Impact Energy; Tube Energy Bio/Chem/Industrial Production- Shoe polish, Wood polish, House/Car paint manufacturing, Insecticide, Izal, Bleach making, Chalk production,Candle production, Soap/Detergent production, Pomade, Vaseline, Perfumery (of various types and qualities), Balm production (for the cure of catarrh, Cough and running nose).

Business communication

Computer Literacy and Internet connectivity, Women’s entrepreneurship and Management, Marketing, Restaurant Management, Medical and Dental Office Practice (for Doctor’s Auxiliary staff), Product Repairs and Maintenance Technology – Repairs of Home Appliances (electrical/electronic appliances, Woodwork, etc): Cell Phone \repairs and Maintenance; Computer Repairs and Maintenance, etc.
Interior Decoration, Alternate Energy System Production – Solar Energy; Impact Energy; Tube Energy, Satellite installation and servicing, Sculpture, and design, including POP edgings and, decorative quasi-plastic celling.

A wide range of practical skills acquisition covering over 100 practical skills (see details at the Centre’s portal) out of which a learner may choose any two or more. Any other practical skill as may be demanded by the students could be mounted by the Centre subject to the availability of resource personnel