NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, November 19, 2024—Today, the Stevens Initiative announced the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan is one of nine schools, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations to receive funding to run virtual exchange programs that connect young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa. The programs will help reach 8,000 young people along with the new J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative Grantees, supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“I’m proud to celebrate the addition of nine new grantees to our 2024 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative portfolio today. Over the last year, we have taken great strides to bridge cultural divides and prepare rising generations of global leaders,” said Christine Shiau, Executive Director of the Stevens Initiative. “Everything we do is centered around making transformative global experiences accessible to young people, and that would be impossible without the partnership of these incredible organizations and educational institutions.”

Through virtual exchange, participants build a better understanding of the world around them and develop critical thinking and cultural fluency skills needed to be successful in an ever changing world. It is a powerful tool to reimagine what global learning looks like, how it can be conducted, and how many people participate.

Climate Entrepreneurship Exchange will connect undergraduate students across four universities in Michigan and three in North Africa to build the business skills for creating a climate startup concept, while helping students generate confidence to make an investment pitch.

Beginning in February 2025, the eight-week, no-cost online certificate program will connect undergraduate students across Michigan, Egypt, Libya, and Morocco. The program will be offered in four cohorts, through June 2026 reaching 1,100 undergraduate students. The curriculum provides an in-depth exploration of climate change, highlighting its urgency and the entrepreneurial opportunities it presents.

Participating U.S. universities and institutions include The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses; Wayne State University, Michigan State University, and Eastern Michigan University. Participating universities and educational institutions in MENA include American University in Cairo, Egypt; ESCA School of Management, Casablanca, Morocco; and Benghazi Youth for Technology & Entrepreneurship (BYTE), in Benghazi, Libya.

“Climate change is the defining challenge of our times and it affects us all. Businesses play a critical role in tackling it,” said Amy Gillett, Vice President, Education at WDI. “The Climate Entrepreneurship Exchange is a unique opportunity for enterprising students to develop innovative business solutions that can drive real change.”

The key modules of the program include an overview of climate change, design thinking, transforming an idea into a viable business, marketing an enterprise, procuring financing, and developing an effective pitch.

WDI will implement the program in four cohorts:

• Cohort 1 – mid-February – mid-April 2025
• Cohort 2 – mid-September – mid-November 2025
• Cohort 3 – mid-January – mid-March 2026
• Cohort 4 – mid-April – mid-June 2026

The virtual exchange will assemble students in small teams to identify a local issue in Egypt, Libya, or Morocco and create a climate-related business concept to address it. During the eight-week program, students will collaborate in a cross-cultural team, work together to complete team assignments and learn to develop innovative climate business solutions. The program culminates in a virtual pitch competition.

Members of the top two winning teams from across the four cohorts will be invited for a study trip. North Africa-based winners will travel to Michigan for a weeklong immersion in the U.S. entrepreneurial ecosystem, while Michigan-based winners will embark on an unforgettable journey to Morocco, learning from regional entrepreneurship experts and exploring local culture.

WDI is a leader in virtual exchange programs that build workplace skills, create international linkages, and promote economic growth in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to implementing two previous Stevens Initiative programs, M²GATE (2017–2018) and Business & Culture (2019–2023), WDI has also conducted several other virtual exchange programs in areas including team building, starting a business, leadership and communication skills. The Stevens Initiative recently named Gillett as a Global Champion of virtual exchange for her leadership in creating and implementing these programs.