Tribune News Network
Doha
This summer, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) piloted its newest course in entrepreneurship. The course is the latest in a series of new offerings that inspire students to use an entrepreneurial mindset to solve impactful problems.
CMU-Q students from every major can take courses in entrepreneurship or pursue a Tech Entrepreneurship minor. Students in the Business Administration programme may also complete a concentration in entrepreneurship.
Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q, believes students gain deeper insight when they apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios. “Entrepreneurship education at CMU-Q continues to adapt as markets and technology move forward. Qatar’s entrepreneurial landscape is vibrant, active, and forward-thinking, and our students learn to identify problems and opportunities, see gaps in the market and create solutions.”
Maher Hakim is a distinguished career professor in entrepreneurship in CMU-Q’s Business Administration programme and the architect of the new courses. “I encourage students to think about global problems but start within the local context” he said.
“When entrepreneurship thrives, it is because innovators are working within a business-friendly environment, they work on diverse teams with different perspectives, and they are solving big problems starting with the people around them.”
The newest business administration offering at CMU-Q is a summer project course that includes a three-week intensive programme in Portugal hosted by the European Innovation Academy. Students prepare ideas and sharpen their problem-solving skills, then they spend three weeks working within international and multi-disciplinary teams developing a business plan to pitch to investors.
The course was an exceptional experience for Lujain Al Mansoori and Mohammad Annan, who teamed up with Ayah Karar from the University of Richmond and Tseng YuHao from Feng Chia University. The team created Brisa, a solution for companies to keep outdoor workers cool while they work in hot temperatures. The team developed a prototype for a wearable cooling device, as well as a data-driven dashboard to monitor workers’ health.
The team was named one of the top teams at EIA, and they were invited to present their idea at the final showcase.
This fall, the Business Administration programme will extend its entrepreneurship network and expertise through a startup bootcamp and competition for university students within and outside of Qatar.
