GRAINES: project launch continues in Guinea

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, the GRAINES project aims to strengthen innovation and employability centres, create an ecosystem conducive to entrepreneurship along the Labé-Mamou-Conakry axis, and adapt training programmes to the needs of the key sectors of Guinea’s economy. Until January 2028, Université de Labé will coordinate the activities carried out within the framework of the project.

Bridging higher education and the socioeconomic landscape

The second phase of the GRAINES project launch opened with a public conference that brought together nearly 150 participants, including staff from partner universities, students, and local entrepreneurship actors. The event continued with sessions involving more than 60 participants, including representatives from Université de Labé, Institut Supérieur de Technologie de Mamou, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, and Université Kofi Annan de Guinée, an associate partner of the project. Local businesses and stakeholders, such as the Guinean agency for employment promotion (AGUIPE), the National institute for training and development (INFP), and the Agency for the promotion of private investments (APIP), also brought their expertise and emphasised the need to strengthen ties between higher education institutions and the local socioeconomic landscape.

In his speech, the national deputy director of innovation at the Guinean Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation (MESRSI) reaffirmed the consortium’s ambition: to transform “Tech Hubs”, which are university-based innovation and entrepreneurship structures, into sustainable levers for development and professional integration. On this occasion, the universities of Labé and Kofi Annan provided an overview of their "Maisons de l'innovation", outlining the results achieved, existing needs, and areas for improvement.

Collaborative workshops to foster innovation

The second day began with a training session focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, followed by several collaborative workshops organised around the three strategic axes of the GRAINES project: the structural operationalisation of the "Maisons de l'innovation" to turn them into true drivers of growth; the enhancement and visibility of these structures through tailored partnership and networking strategies; and professional integration support mechanisms aimed at ensuring a lasting connection between universities and businesses. Recaps of the workshops provided concrete proposals, praised by the participants for their pragmatism and transformative potential.

With the successful second step of its launch in Labé, the GRAINES project is now entering its operational phase. The partners have reaffirmed their commitment to making innovation and employability true drivers of social and economic development for Guinea. The next partner meeting is scheduled for the end of 2025, with capacity-building workshops to be held in Labé and Mamou.