Entrepreneurship Education in Morocco and Africa: ESCA Opens the Dialogue through “Voices of Africa”
Through “Voices of Africa – The Continental Dialogue on Entrepreneurship Education,” ESCA Ecole de Management opened a unique space for dialogue in Casablanca around the practices and realities shaping Entrepreneurship Education in Morocco and across Africa. By starting with field experiences before bringing them into conversation with international perspectives, the initiative generated key insights into how entrepreneurship is learned, the conditions required to move from knowledge to action, and the responses that can be built collectively.
On October 7, 2026, “Voices of Africa” mobilized more than 63 voices from 14 countries, including Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Pakistan.. Educators, researchers, practitioners, institutional stakeholders and entrepreneurship ecosystem professionals enriched the collective reflection through the diversity of their experiences, practices and realities in Entrepreneurship Education.
The dialogue took place in the presence of representatives of the U.S. Mission to Morocco, alongside several international experts, including Prof. Saras Sarasvathy (University of Virginia Darden School of Business, USA), Prof. Martin Lackéus (Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden), Michael Hoffmeyer (University of Maryland, USA), Raza Abbas (Institute of Business Management, Pakistan) and Prof. David Hayes (UM6P Global Hubs, USA).
Organized by ESCA Ecole de Management, the initiative is led by Prof. Zeinab Hmama, Professor and Researcher in Entrepreneurship Education at ESCA, in partnership with the Dingman-Lamone Center for Entrepreneurship (University of Maryland, USA), Legacy International and the Africa Academy of Management, with the support of the U.S. Department of State.
The initiative stems from a clear observation: numerous practices, experiments and bodies of knowledge in Entrepreneurship Education already exist across the continent, yet they often remain dispersed and insufficiently connected. Voices of Africa therefore aims to make them visible, connect them and transform them into collective learning.
From Experience to Action
“Voices of Africa” was designed as a collective intelligence process. The dialogue began with African practices and realities, before bringing them into conversation with international perspectives and translating the resulting insights into avenues for action. Three major lessons emerged :
- Experience alone is not enough: entrepreneurial learning also requires feedback, reflection, iteration and questioning.
- Knowing does not necessarily mean knowing how to act: autonomy, judgment, adaptability and the ability to make decisions under uncertainty have become central dimensions.
- Context matters: access to resources, the cost of failure, informality and fragmented ecosystems strongly influence how people learn and engage in entrepreneurship.
The day concluded with a co-creation phase, during which participants identified shared challenges and developed initial experiments to be tested over the next 90 days. The contributions gathered will now feed into a White Paper on Entrepreneurship Education in African contexts, the continuation of a Community of Practice, and new collaborations among participants.
Through this approach, Voices of Africa and ESCA Ecole de Management aim to position African experiences not only as a subject of discussion on the continent, but also as a source of knowledge capable of contributing to international conversations on the future of Entrepreneurship Education.
Statement
« Voices of Africa was born from the desire to start from our own realities and experiences and learn from one another. This first gathering demonstrates the richness of the knowledge being produced across the continent and the importance of better connecting it to advance Entrepreneurship Education in Africa and contribute to international conversations. » Prof. Zeinab Hmama, Founder & Head, Voices of Africa, Professor and Researcher, ESCA Ecole de Management
About ESCA Ecole de Management
Founded in 1992, ESCA Ecole de Management is a pioneer in management education in Morocco and Africa. For more than 34 years, it has educated leaders capable of addressing economic, social, and environmental challenges. The first Business School to receive State Recognition in Morocco (2017), ESCA earned AACSB accreditation in 2018 and AMBA accreditation in 2025, placing it among the top 2% of Business Schools worldwide and among Africa’s most internationally recognized institutions.
Ranked #1 in Morocco and Francophone Africa by Eduniversal 2025 for the 14th year, ESCA welcomes more than 1,300 students, including 320 international students representing 40 nationalities, at its Casablanca Finance City campus. It collaborates with 145 academic partners across 55 countries. Its applied research focuses on digital transformation, governance, entrepreneurship, sustainable finance, and innovation in Africa. In line with its mission, ESCA develops responsible, agile, innovative, and globally minded decision-makers.
About the Dingman-Lamone Center for Entrepreneurship
The Dingman-Lamone Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business is an award-winning hub for entrepreneurship and experiential learning. Through education, venture development, mentoring and access to a dynamic entrepreneurial network, the Center equips emerging entrepreneurs to transform ideas into action and create meaningful impact. Its work bridges academic learning and real-world entrepreneurship while connecting the University of Maryland to the wider innovation ecosystem.
About the U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Department of State, through its Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), advances international cooperation and mutual understanding through educational, cultural and professional exchange. Its programs connect emerging leaders, educators, professionals and institutions across more than 160 countries, fostering knowledge exchange, leadership development and lasting international partnerships. Through initiatives such as the Professional Fellows Program, the Department supports individuals and institutions in transforming international exchange into locally rooted collaboration and impact.
About Legacy International
Legacy International is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and connecting emerging leaders through education, entrepreneurship, international exchange and meaningful dialogue. Since 1979, it has created cross-cultural learning experiences that equip individuals with practical skills, global perspectives and networks to generate sustainable impact in their communities.
About the Africa Academy of Management (AFAM)
Africa Academy of Management (AFAM) est la principale association académique dédiée à la recherche et à l’éducation en management sur le continent. Sa mission est de favoriser l’avancement général des connaissances et de la recherche sur la théorie et la pratique du management auprès des chercheurs et universitaires africains qui s’intéressent aux questions de management et d’organisation en Afrique. L’entrepreneuriat demeure un domaine majeur de la recherche en management en Afrique et fait l’objet d’un track dédié lors des conférences de AFAM, apportant ainsi une expertise précieuse au dialogue de Voices of Africa et, plus largement, au Hub.
Press Contact : Olena Antipova I +212 646-148910 I oantipova@esca.ma