British Council Green and Digital Employability and Enterprise Programme 2026: £150,000 Grant for UK–South Africa Consortium
The British Council is inviting applications for its Green and Digital Employability and Enterprise Programme (GDEEp) 2026, offering a grant of £150,000 to a UK–South Africa consortium to design and deliver an innovative employability and enterprise development programme in South Africa.
The funding opportunity is aimed at UK higher education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions interested in partnering with South African universities, TVET colleges and industry organisations to strengthen graduate employability in the green and digital economies.
One consortium will be selected to implement the pilot programme over 21 months, starting in December 2026.
The initiative will support at least 50 South African students to develop practical green and digital skills, explore entrepreneurship opportunities and gain exposure to industry. It also aims to strengthen partnerships between tertiary education institutions and employers while improving institutional approaches to workforce development.
Interested institutions and organisations are encouraged to explore this opportunity and prepare their consortium applications before the November deadline.
Overview of the British Council GDEEp Grant 2026
- Funding Organisation: British Council
- Programme: Green and Digital Employability and Enterprise Programme (GDEEp)
- Grant Amount: £150,000
- Number of Grants: One
- Eligible Countries: United Kingdom and South Africa
- Project Duration: 21 months
- Expected Start Date: December 2026
- Target Beneficiaries: At least 50 South African students
- Application Deadline: 17 November 2026
- Submission Time: 11:00 a.m. UK time
About the Green and Digital Employability and Enterprise Programme
The Green and Digital Employability and Enterprise Programme is a British Council pilot workforce development initiative designed to improve students’ readiness for employment and entrepreneurship in the rapidly evolving green and digital economies.
The programme recognises that green and digital technologies are increasingly interconnected and that graduates need practical skills to participate in emerging economic opportunities.
Rather than treating the green and digital sectors separately, GDEEp focuses on how digital technologies and technology-enabled services can contribute to environmental sustainability, climate action, resource efficiency, clean energy and circular economy solutions.
Through this initiative, participating institutions will work with industry partners to develop relevant learning opportunities, strengthen practical skills and create pathways into employment and enterprise.
Purpose of the £150,000 Grant
The purpose of the funding call is to select one UK–South Africa tertiary education and industry consortium to design and deliver the GDEEp pilot.
The selected consortium will be responsible for implementing an integrated programme that combines student development, institutional capacity building and industry engagement.
The project will focus on supporting at least 50 students from participating South African TVET and higher education institutions.
Key objectives include:
- Developing students’ green and digital skills.
- Strengthening employability and entrepreneurship pathways.
- Providing students with direct exposure to industry.
- Building stronger partnerships between tertiary education institutions and employers.
- Supporting institutions to integrate green and digital skills into teaching, learning and student support.
- Developing sustainable approaches to workforce readiness and enterprise development.
The British Council expects applicants to propose a practical and achievable programme that can be delivered within the available funding and project period.
Importantly, this grant is intended to support implementation rather than extensive research, mapping or scoping exercises.
Who Can Apply?
The funding opportunity is designed for UK and South African organisations working together through a formal consortium.
The consortium must include the following partners:
1. UK Lead Partner
One UK higher education institution or TVET/further education institution must serve as the UK Lead Partner.
2. South African Education Partners
The consortium must include:
- One South African TVET college.
- One South African university.
One of the South African institutions must serve as the South African Lead Partner.
3. Industry Partners
The consortium must also include at least one relevant South African industry partner.
These partnerships are intended to ensure that the programme responds to actual industry requirements and provides students with meaningful exposure to employment and enterprise opportunities.
What Activities Should the Programme Support?
The selected consortium will design and implement activities that connect education, industry and practical workforce development.
Proposals should demonstrate how students will acquire relevant green and digital competencies and how these skills will translate into employment or entrepreneurship opportunities.
Potential areas of focus include:
- Digital solutions for climate action and environmental sustainability.
- Clean energy and renewable energy technologies.
- Circular economy innovation and resource efficiency.
- Green entrepreneurship and enterprise development.
- Digital transformation and technology-enabled services.
- Industry engagement, work exposure and practical learning.
- Institutional capacity building and curriculum development.
Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed activities will create measurable benefits for students and participating institutions.
Why Participate in the British Council Programme?
The GDEEp grant offers UK and South African institutions an opportunity to establish meaningful international partnerships while contributing to skills development and economic participation.
For South African institutions, the programme provides an opportunity to strengthen relationships with international education partners, improve industry collaboration and equip students with skills relevant to emerging employment opportunities.
Industry partners will also have an opportunity to contribute to workforce development by helping institutions understand the competencies required in evolving green and digital industries.
The programme’s emphasis on sustainability and institutional integration is intended to ensure that its benefits extend beyond the initial pilot.
How to Apply for the British Council GDEEp Grant 2026
Applications must be submitted through the British Council’s online grant application platform.
An important requirement is that only the UK Lead Partner can initiate and submit the online application.
Organisations interested in participating should therefore establish their consortium arrangements and coordinate with their UK institutional partner before starting the application process.
Applicants should review the official application guidance and grant agreement template to understand the funding requirements and implementation expectations.
Application Deadline
The deadline for applications is 17 November 2026 at 11:00 a.m. UK time.
The selected consortium will receive £150,000 to implement the 21-month pilot programme, which is expected to commence in December 2026.
UK and South African higher education institutions, TVET colleges and relevant industry partners are encouraged to explore this funding opportunity and establish partnerships ahead of the deadline.
