ADU delivers first Cisco training in business start-ups for aspiring entrepreneurs

Abu Dhabi University’s (ADU) Innovation and Entrepreneur Center successfully delivered its first major training program, ‘Starting a Business’. The CISCO Entrepreneur Institute awarded certificates to 14 graduating students on completing the rigorous program which offered excellent tips and guidelines about business start-ups in the UAE. 

‘Starting a Business’ commenced on December 18^th, 2010, instructing aspiring entrepreneurs on how to successfully set up and operate a business. The specially tailored material was delivered by ADU Enterprise, a subsidiary of ADU, and a number of local guest speakers from Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development also contributed their hands-on knowledge and valuable experience to the program. 

ADU Chancellor, Dr. Nabil Ibrahim explained that, “The ADU’s Innovation and Entrepreneur Center was established with the objective of offering support to the young citizens of Abu Dhabi who strive towards conceptualizing their dreams and making them a reality. The center’s long-term and overall motivation is to promote welfare of the Abu Dhabi community by contributing the wealth of knowledge.” 

The practical and comprehensive course underlined the important components of starting a new business which involves making a number of critical choices, such as: the right type of business; legal and ethical requirements; organizing accounting, management and marketing teams; and formulating a foolproof business plan. The program also highlighted common mistakes made by inexperienced individuals, and how these errors can be avoided. 

Nour Kamail, a student at the course said, “This program has given us the opportunity to apply the theories learned in the course with the real market. Therefore, it has become easier to relate to the real business world and prepare ourselves to engage in it as future business leaders.” 

Another student Mouza Fares added, “This program is very unique because it gives you a transparent image of how the business industry is in the real world. It is very important to be prepared for every single situation that might occur rather than being surprised and I believe that the course has prepared us for the future challenges.”

ADU Enterprise became a local Cisco Entrepreneur Institute in August 2010, and is as of today one of 387 similar Institutes across 39 countries providing workshops for entrepreneurs and small business development. 

Mr. Karim Djerboa, Senior Manager, Global Field Operations and Strategic Alliances at Cisco Entrepreneur Institute said, “Entrepreneurship is a key dynamic of economic growth and employment generation in local communities. Cisco strives to foster innovation, technological development and productivity among entrepreneurs in the UAE.

“Abu Dhabi University, a local Cisco Entrepreneur Institute, extend resources and training to students, individual entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profit and government sectors entities both through in person and virtual on-line workshops. It also helps participants to strengthen their Entrepreneurial businesses acumen and practices to better face today’s business challenges as well as to better understand how the use of adequate technology can enable the generation of growth and sustain it,” he said.

ADU Enterprise’s objective is to provide the means to achieve an entrepreneurial environment by providing end-to-end assistance for new start-ups, as well as fresh graduates and researchers. It also aims to further stimulate innovation by offering training, coaching and mentoring, and fostering the creation of knowledge-based SMEs by filling the gap between academic and industrial careers. 

ADU Enterprise opens its second course, ‘Starting a Business’ during the first week of April, 2011, and is currently accepting applications. Further courses are planned for 2011 including more advanced modules.