South East Technological University (SETU) was delighted to collaborate with colleagues and students from Rovuma University, Mozambique, to an online networking skills workshop in March 2025 as part of the Pathways to Mozambique Project.
Led by Dr Sheila Long from the Faculty of Humanities at Carlow campus and Prof Felicity Kelliher from the Faculty of Business at Waterford campus, this initiative is the latest in a series of knowledge-sharing events aimed at strengthening SETU's connections with Rovuma University and advancing Pathways for Agri-Preneurship and Technology for women and youth in Niassa Province, Mozambique.
The project seeks to foster collaboration between researchers from the Global South and Global North, exploring the role of universities in developing interdisciplinary solutions to address food insecurity and youth unemployment in Northern Mozambique.
Prof Felicity Kelliher reflected on the workshop, stating, “Empowering students with networking skills is crucial for their entrepreneurial success. This session demonstrated the power of collaboration, showing how strong professional connections can drive innovation and create sustainable business opportunities.”
Attended by over 40 students, the session focused on equipping the participants with the skills to build their professional networks. Prof Kelliher and Dr Long introduced key networking and relationship-building concepts and provided insights that entrepreneurs can utilise to set up and sustain successful businesses. The students pinpointed key figures they needed to connect with—local and regional influencers who could help integrate them into the wider business community. The students engaged in mapping out their existing networks, which encouraged them to reflect on the significance of networking in shaping their business journeys.
This workshop reinforced the importance of understanding the professional community and cultivating meaningful relationships, the importance of attending trade events where possible and working to establish their presence and make lasting impressions on industry contacts.
The webinar featured an engaging discussion between students, their tutors in Mozambique, and Prof Kelliher, where the conversation focused on competition, reframing competitors as potential ‘coop-etition’ partners—businesses that engage in both cooperation and competition.
The discussion concluded that working alongside their competitors could be mutually beneficial in expanding market reach, rather than engaging in direct price competition, which can be challenging. Marketing strategies were also considered as a key topic, with the students recognising the necessity of digital platforms to attract customers and highlight their offerings.
The final outcomes of the workshop exceeded expectations, with discussions extending beyond networking to trade market events, price competition, digital marketing, and strategies for building a comprehensive and sustainable business model.
Reflecting on the event, Dr Sheila Long commented, “The session was an extremely positive experience for SETU, and we look forward to continued collaboration with colleagues and students from Universidade Rovuma, Mozambique, in the future.”
The Pathways to Mozambique Project is supported by IrishAid/ Embassy of Ireland, Mozambique and the SETU Research Connexions Fund. For further information about the Pathways to Mozambique Project, please contact [email protected].
