Muscat:The Entrepreneurship and Startups Seminar for the Education Sector, titled "From Idea to Impact: Building an Entrepreneurship and Startups Ecosystem in a Sustainable University Environment," focused on increasing awareness of entrepreneurship within universities and its contribution to the goals of Oman Vision 2040.
According to Oman News Agency, the seminar highlighted the roles of academics and administrators in fostering innovation and startups. It showcased successful models, encouraged entrepreneurial thinking among students and faculty, and drew on international expertise in university entrepreneurship.
Dr. Abdullah Ali Al Shibli, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Higher Education, inaugurated the seminar. Organized by the Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development "Riyada," in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Research and Innovation Authority, the event aimed to enhance the integration between educational institutions and entities supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in Oman.
The seminar targeted officials from innovation centers, business incubators, and investment funds to foster dialogue among ecosystem stakeholders. This initiative seeks to create a collaborative platform that brings together government, academia, the private sector, and investors, linking academic knowledge with practical applications to transform university ideas into viable startups.
The program featured three panel sessions. The first session discussed the support for entrepreneurship and startups within universities, featuring representatives from "Riyada," the Ministry of Education, the Research and Innovation Authority, Sultan Qaboos University, and the Future Fund Oman. It emphasized facilitating access to support services and integrating university research with market demands.
The second session, titled "From Idea to Market: Local and Global Models in Incubating University Innovation," examined the establishment of business incubators and entrepreneurship ecosystems by universities and colleges, highlighting the Middle East College's experiences and global efforts to attract university innovation.
The third session focused on fostering a culture of innovation in universities. It included discussions on developing academic curricula linked to the business sector and emerging technologies, using real-world projects to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking, and transitioning entrepreneurship from theoretical concepts to practical applications and startups.