The AUN Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Hub (ESIH) has made two key appointments of Rukkayyatu Bashir Ribadu as Director and Zainab Jala-Eddeen as Innovation Hub Analyst.
The AUN Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation Hub is focused on fostering entrepreneurial education, social innovation, and research (data) aimed at reimagining existing approaches towards social entrepreneurship and innovation. It is a carefully curated multifunctional space designed to spark creativity, drive innovation, integrate technology, and bridge interdisciplinary and human-centered collaboration. Thus, it is conceptualized to reflect the local context, foster partnerships, design, prototype and incubate student and alumni-led community-driven solutions. Embodying the AUN mission and vision, the ESIH will bring together students (explorers, entrepreneurs, innovators), faculty, and thought leaders from across disciplines to challenge norms, interact with real-world problems through a co-creative process to educate, build local capacity, nurture and scale sustainable ventures and impactful solutions.
Ms. Rukkayyatu Bashir served as Director, of the Centre for Women Empowerment & Youth Development at Atiku Institute(AI), American University of Nigeria, where she developed, directed, and oversaw all programs on women empowerment and youth development to address key issues like education, and leadership development, and provide economic opportunities.
Ms. Zainab Jalal-Eddeen holds a first-class degree in Information Technology from Middlesex University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. She worked as an IT Support Specialist in AUN during her mandatory National Youth Service.
The newly filled positions are supported by a special grant from FODE Engineering Limited (an oil services company) in memory of Michael Babatunde and Mary Ajoke Taiwo.