University of Manouba Hosts Third National Student Entrepreneur Status Ceremony
The University of Manouba campus welcomed the third National Student Entrepreneur Status (SNEE) ceremony on July 2nd. This event brought together a diverse ecosystem of academic, institutional, and socio-economic actors, testifying to the growing interest in entrepreneurial culture within the Tunisian university community.
A Collective Effort During the opening ceremony, Ameur Chérif, President of the University of Manouba, highlighted the diversity of partnerships that have enabled the success of this initiative. He emphasized that this dynamic was not solely the result of the university's general services, but rather a collective effort involving numerous partners.
Celebrating Innovation and Entrepreneurship Chérif stressed the importance of this day, which he considered not only a formal ceremony but also a moment of celebration. He mentioned that several panels would focus on key themes such as sustainable innovation and strategic entrepreneurial education, prior to the official awarding of the SNEE certificates. For him, this recognition marked the beginning of a journey, and the university remained committed to supporting students beyond the attainment of the SNEE.
A Strategic Vision for the Entrepreneurial University Chiraz Bassoumi, Director of the Student-Entrepreneur Hub at the University of Manouba (UMAPEE), expressed her pride in the progress made. She affirmed that the awarding of this status did not only represent the success of a cohort, but also reflected a vision of a university anchored in innovation, sustainability, and inclusion. According to her, the university's mission was to identify, support, and valorize students who already possessed an entrepreneurial spirit.
Recognizing Three Profiles of Student Entrepreneurs The initiative aims to recognize three profiles: initiators (idea carriers), innovators (with a structured business plan), and promoters (in the concrete creation phase).
Quantitative and Qualitative Progress Bassoumi highlighted the qualitative and quantitative evolution of successive cohorts. She mentioned that the first cohort, launched in December 2022 with 6 establishments, had 18 student entrepreneurs. The second cohort, with the participation of 10 establishments, had doubled the number of students. The 2024-2025 academic year, with 11 participating establishments, including the newly integrated IPSI.
Third Cohort Achievements For the third cohort of the 2024-2025 academic year, the program recorded a notable progression, with 62 selected student entrepreneurs. These students are divided into:
- 2 promoters, in the advanced phase of creating a business
- 28 innovators, who have validated their business plan
- 32 initiators, carrying project ideas in the structuring phase
The cohort mobilized 11 university establishments, with a marked participation of female students, representing 58% of the total number.
National Recognition Mondher Belaïd, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, praised the pioneering role of the University of Manouba, the first entrepreneurial university recognized in Africa and the Arab world.
A Turning Point in Higher Education For Belaïd, this transformation marked a turning point, as the university was no longer just training job seekers, but had become a true breeding ground for job creators. He emphasized the relevance of green and social entrepreneurship in the current higher education strategy, highlighting that initiatives like the SNEE enabled the conversion of young people's potential into viable and responsible businesses.
Local Support Mahmoud Chouaib, Governor of Manouba, expressed his support for this university dynamic, which aligns regional priorities with national ambitions in terms of innovation, sustainable development, and professional integration. He congratulated the laureates and reiterated the importance of territorial anchoring in the success of such initiatives.
A Growing Ecosystem This steady progress demonstrates the impact of the device, both in terms of the quantity of projects supported and the quality of entrepreneurial maturity. The event was more than just a certificate handover; it embodied the rise of a university ecosystem committed to innovation and inclusion, capable of fostering a new generation of entrepreneurs in tune with Tunisia's economic, social, and environmental challenges.
