About the opportunity
The Green and Digital Employability and Enterprise programme (GDEEp) is a British Council workforce development initiative designed to support South African tertiary students to succeed in careers and ventures at the intersection of the green and digital economies. Rather than addressing green and digital sectors in isolation, the program explores how digital technologies and tools advance climate action, clean energy, circular economy models, and sustainable resource efficiency. One co-led consortium of UK and South African institutions and industry partners will be awarded funding to design and deliver student-facing, institutional, and industry-oriented pilot components.
Funding and benefits
- A total grant award of £150,000 for one selected consortium.
- Project duration of 21 months commencing in December 2026.
- Funding to develop and deliver an integrated pilot supporting at least 50 South African tertiary students.
Who can apply?
- Applications must be submitted by a collaborative UK–South Africa consortium.
- The consortium must include one UK higher education institution or TVET/further education college serving as the UK Lead Partner.
- The consortium must include one South African TVET college and one South African university, one of which must be designated as the South African lead partner.
- The consortium must include one or more relevant South African industry partners.
Required documents
- Completed online application submitted through the Going Global Partnerships portal.
- Supporting documentation prepared according to the GDEEp Call Guidance.
- Completed budget and project implementation plan aligned with the GDEEp Grant Agreement template.
When to apply
- Call published: October 9, 2026.
- Submission deadline: November 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. UK time.
- Project implementation begins: December 2026.
How to apply
- Review the official GDEEp Call Guidance and Grant Agreement Template attachments.
- Register and initiate the online application through the Going Global Partnerships online grant platform (the application must be initiated and submitted by the lead UK institution).
- Prepare the consortium proposal, budget, and implementation framework in collaboration with South African university, TVET, and industry partners.
- Submit the completed online application before the deadline on November 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. UK time.
Additional information
- The grant is designated for direct practical implementation and pilot delivery, not for broad theoretical research, mapping, or scoping studies.
- The pilot must directly benefit at least 50 current students across the participating South African TVET college and university.
- Inquiries regarding the call can be directed via email to pertunia.mothiba@britishcouncil.org.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- UK higher education or TVET institutions with established partnerships or operational networks in South Africa.
- Academic teams with proven track records in designing cross-disciplinary curricula integrating digital technology with green, clean-tech, or circular economy initiatives.
- Institutions capable of actively engaging South African TVET colleges and industry partners to deliver practical workplace readiness and entrepreneurship outcomes.
What should you think carefully about?
- Only a single grant of £150,000 is available, making the selection process highly competitive across applicants.
- The lead submission must come strictly from the UK lead institution, requiring close coordination and early agreement among all consortium members.
- The project timeline is tight, starting almost immediately in December 2026 and requiring delivery across five integrated components within 21 months.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This grant supports higher education and TVET institutions aiming to build international partnerships, pilot innovative workforce curricula, and expand employability interventions in emerging green and digital markets. For South African participating colleges and universities, it offers a funded framework to introduce new student-facing entrepreneurship pathways, deepen ties with private industry, and embed lasting institutional teaching enhancements.
Our take
Tertiary education institutions in the UK with existing or readily mobilized South African partners in academia and industry should strongly consider applying. It is less suitable for standalone researchers or institutions seeking exploratory research grants, as the focus is squarely on collaborative, practical pilot execution.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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