Dr Crespen Ndlovu PhD on Enactus and Human Development

Celebrating Academic Excellence: Dr Crespen Ndlovu’s PhD Achievement in Social Entrepreneurship and Human Development

Enactus South Africa proudly celebrates the academic milestone of Dr Crespen Ndlovu, Faculty Advisor to the Enactus University of the Free State – Bloemfontein team, on the successful completion of his PhD, awarded on 14 April 2026.

Dr Ndlovu’s doctoral thesis, “Human Development Through Social Entrepreneurship: The Case of Enactus South Africa and Higher Education Institutions,” makes a significant contribution to the fields of Human Development and Higher Education, with a strong focus on the role of student-led social entrepreneurship in shaping holistic student development.

Through this research, Dr Ndlovu explored how participation in Enactus - an experiential, student-led social entrepreneurial organisation contributes to human development among students within South African higher education institutions. His work highlights Enactus as a transformative learning platform where students apply academic knowledge to real-world social and economic challenges.

Using qualitative research methods and data collected from 55 participants, the study examined the developmental impact of social entrepreneurship within the Enactus ecosystem. Key findings reveal that:

• Social entrepreneurship fosters entrepreneurial agency, enabling students to take initiative, make decisions, and develop innovative ideas that improve lives and communities.
• It enhances student functioning, reflected in the acquisition of practical skills and the ability to actively address social challenges through entrepreneurial action.
• Student entrepreneurial initiatives are influenced by conversion factors, which shape how students utilise available resources to achieve outcomes aligned with their aspirations and values.

These findings reinforce the importance of higher education institutions as spaces for both academic and experiential learning, where students are empowered to grow into socially responsible, solution-driven leaders. Dr Ndlovu’s research affirms the critical role of Enactus South Africa in advancing this model of learning and impact.

His contribution provides valuable insight into how structured social entrepreneurship programmes can bridge the gap between education and real-world transformation, supporting both personal student development and broader community impact.

Enactus South Africa congratulates Dr Crespen Ndlovu on this outstanding achievement and celebrates his continued commitment to advancing knowledge in social entrepreneurship and human development within higher education.