Innovation and Entrepreneurship integrated in Abu Dhabi University’s academic curriculum

With the United Arab Emirates’ classification of the year 2015 as the “Year of Innovation”, Abu Dhabi University is determined to take the lead at the educational frontier in graduating national cadres that can participate in the nation’s race towards establishing a knowledge-based economy that becomes a global force to be reckoned with. Twenty Master of Engineering Management students at the University’s College of Engineering just completed a course titled “Innovation and Entrepreneurship”, which was integrated into the curriculum with the start of the academic year. The course aims to boost the innovative spirit and entrepreneurship culture amongst the students, enabling them to utilize research and discovery methodologies to break the mold and think outside the box.

Part of the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” course gave the participating students the opportunity to attend workshops at the recent “WSA-mobile Global Congress 2015”, during which the students prepared case studies that highlighted some of the winning projects of the WSA, thereby giving them further insight into the limitless world of technological innovations.

Commenting on this addition to the curriculum, Rima Shaban, Manager of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre “ADU Enterprise” explained that the workshops embodied the practical in -the -field knowledge Abu Dhabi University ensures to instill in both undergraduate and postgraduate students. “Entrepreneurship and innovation are an integral part of the academic curriculum of most programs offered at Abu Dhabi University. They are characteristics that are very much in demand and are considered the driving force of SMEs which constitute the backbone of the UAE’s non-oil GDP and will the enhance the nation’s transition into a knowledge based economy. Abu Dhabi University has always been keen on contributing to the development of a workforce that is inclined to more innovative industries. Our partnership with WSA-mobile Global Congress 2015 is part of our commitment to that contribution. As part of their academic curriculum, around 20 of ADU’s Masters of Engineering Management students were given the opportunity to develop business case studies on several winning projects of the WSA. These case studies allowed our students to further educate themselves on the concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship, thereby broadening their horizons and encouraging them to spread ADU’s innovative culture”.

Although the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” course is currently only a part of the academic curriculum of ADU’s Master of Engineering Management and the Master of Project Management and as a graduation project component of the undergraduate engineering programs; however, the University is working on integrating the course within the academic curriculum of the rest of its undergraduate programs as well. Crowned the “Best Supporting University for Entrepreneurship” in the UAE and the Arab World during the Mohammed Bin Rashid Award for Young Business Leaders in its 8th cycle, Abu Dhabi University is bound to lead higher educational institutions in the region through their exploration of the world of innovation.