QU-CBE launches 4th International Conference on Entrepreneurship in Economic Development 2017

Qatar Minister of Economy and Commerce H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani​ honored yesterday the inauguration ceremony of the 4^th International Conference on Entrepreneurship in Economic Development 2017, organized by Qatar University College of Business and Economics (QU-CBE) in partnership with Qatar Development Bank (QDB).

Themed “Entrepreneurship Education”, the 2-day conference (April 24-25) aims to highlight the importance of entrepreneurship business to develop the economy. It brought together experts from local and international institutions to discuss a wide range of issues related to entrepreneurship education. H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani was joined by QU President Dr Hassan Al Derham, CBE Dean Dr Khalid Shams M A Al-Abdulqader, Qatar Development Bank (QDB) CEO Mr Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa, and International Council for Small Business (ICSB) Executive Director and Associate Professor at The George Washington University Dr Ayman Al Tarabishy, as well as CBE faculty, students and staff.

Keynote speakers Dr Ayman Al Tarabishy, Author of “On Innovation” book Terry Jones, Senior Director of Research Prof Brian Gibson, Australian Center for Entrepreneurship Research Director Prof Per Davidsson, and MIT Sociotechnical Systems Research Center Former Director Prof Deborah Nightingale presented on “Why Entrepreneurship Education is more important than ever?”, “How can we enhance creativity and innovation through education”, “Entrepreneurship Education: How to make it work?”, “Education, Innovation and Creativity”, and “Industrial Collaboration and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Education”.

The event’s program included four panel discussions entitled “Economic Changes and Entrepreneurship Education”, “Fostering Entrepreneurship Education in Schools”, “Education, Innovation and Creativity”, and “Practical Education and Effective Industrial Collaboration”. Speakers were from Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the USA.

H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani said: “The purpose of the conference is to motivate entrepreneurs to develop their projects, which will have a positive impact on the economic growth in Qatar. The private institutions are key drivers of economic development. Hence, entrepreneurship has become a cornerstone of economic growth and diversity. In Qatar, the private and the public sectors play a pivotal role. The government implemented many programs that contribute to economic growth. In this regard, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce launched many services using mobiles and applications that help entrepreneurs to fulfill their dreams and establish their own business. I would like to thank Qatar University for hosting this international conference which reflects its position as a key partner of economic growth in Qatar.”

Dr Hassan Al Derham said: “It is my great pleasure to be among you today to inaugurate the 4^th International Conference on Entrepreneurship in Economic Development. As Qatar’s national university, Qatar University contributes to the realization of the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. As a key driver of economic growth, QU shapes the future generation of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship education contributes to economic diversification which leads to economic sustainability, one of the pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030. This requires the creation of various curricula that prepare our students to become entrepreneurs. To achieve this goal, CBE has established collaborations with many institutions from all over the world to boost its curriculum. Additionally, we have raised the awareness of our faculty about the importance of entrepreneurship to build the country’s economy.”

Dr Khalid Shams M A Al-Abdulqader said: “Entrepreneurship is the cornerstone of any economic activity. At CBE, we believe in innovation, science and entrepreneurship. Additionally, the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE) was established in September 2013 based on an initiative of Qatar University to support entrepreneurship among its members in particular and the society in general. The Center also serves as the ideal place where students can apply the knowledge they learn in the classroom.” Mr Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa said: “The research studies conducted around the world have shown that entrepreneurship education and SMEs are the cornerstone of economic growth. Hence, merging practice with theory helps us to diversify the economy and to enrich the knowledge of the community members. At QDB, we are committed to train new entrepreneurs through many workshops, facilities and services.”