Goa’s Pioneering Faculty Mentor Programme Launches in Ahmedabad

Goa: The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) established its Goa Centre on March 12, 2024, as an outcome of communication between the Hon’ble Chief Ministers of Goa and Gujarat – Dr. Pramod Sawant and Shri Bhupendra Patel – regarding strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Goa. The Centre, inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, was set up with the support of EDC Limited, Goa.

Recently, Goa Government launched the Mukhyamantri Swayam Rojgar Yojana (MSRY), a flagship scheme designed to build a vibrant, inclusive, and future-ready entrepreneurial ecosystem. This initiative is being spearheaded by EDC Limited, Goa, in strategic partnership with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), under the overall supervision of the Directorate of Industries, Trade and Commerce (DITC), Goa.

Under the scheme, EDII will undertake initiatives to create a conducive entrepreneurship ecosystem in Goa by undertaking programme s and activities to sensitize, educate, train mentor and empower youth, faculty and the society at large. With this mission, EDII undertook the first one-week residential Faculty Mentor Development Programme (FMDP) under MSRY at EDII Ahmedabad campus.

Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant virtually inaugurated the FMDP under MSRY. Talking about the Mukhyamantri Swayam Rojgar Yojana (MSRY), he said, “The scheme will go a long way in shaping the entrepreneurial journey of Goa. With the right kind of interventions by EDII and the EDC Ltd., the Goa entrepreneurial ecosystem will gear up to propel innovation and startups in a big way. This first Faculty Mentor Development Programme under the scheme, is a landmark step towards an entrepreneurially ahead Goa.”

Also present at the inauguration were, Shri Bhushan K. Savaikar, Director, Directorate of Higher Education (DHE) and Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Goa; Dr. Niyam Marchon, Programme Director, Directorate of Higher Education, Goa and Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII.

Appreciating the efforts of EDII, Shri Bhushan K. Savaikar, mentioned, “Through this FMDP, a cadre of educators will be instituted to mentor and support young entrepreneurs. This is a unique initiative and will spark a result-driven movement among the youth of Goa. We all look forward to creating long-lasting benefits.”

Dr. Niyam Marchon, said “Building a strong pool of trained faculty mentors is essential for developing a vibrant innovation ecosystem across Goa. This programme will build skills, provide exposure and practical frameworks necessary to guide students of Goa in their entrepreneurial journey. We appreciate EDII’s expertise in designing programmes that have valuable depth and relevance.”

Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII, said, “Through this first FMDP under MSRY, our goal is to create a network of educators who can cultivate entrepreneurial thinking at multiple level. EDII is grateful to associate with the Government of Goa in this initiative towards developing and nurturing mindset of Goa’s youth.”

The on-going FMDP has 40 faculty members from various institutions across Goa and aims at equipping them with the knowledge and tools required to promote design and execute entrepreneurship related initiatives among students of Goa. The Faculty members are also getting trained on mentoring students on diverse entrepreneurship related aspects and issues.

The FMDP is designed to enhance the pedagogical and practical traits of faculty members, in the context of entrepreneurship teaching. Through focussed sessions, the programme is preparing faculty members to mentor students in identifying and developing entrepreneurial ideas and opportunities. It is also equipping them to integrate entrepreneurship into classroom teaching, thereby strengthening entrepreneurship within their respective institutions.