Session Name: Universities and Future of Work

In a panel discussion at the STEP 2020, speakers Bijan Azad, Director of Suliman S. Olayan School of Business, at The American University in Beirut, Jane Khedair, Director at The Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at The London Business School,  James Maughan, Director at The Dubai Business Associates, a company established to tell the story of Dubai to the world, Akef Aqrabawi, CEO of INJAZ Al-Arab, a non-profit organization that drives youth education and training in workforce readiness, and moderator Christine Nasserghodsi, co-founder of Mirai Partners, a learning innovations consultancy, discussed how entrepreneurship is being integrated in educational curriculums, and what universities are doing to encourage entrepreneurship to prepare their students to be 100% ready to build their careers within the incredibly fast changing work environment.

“At AUB, we have a program that places undergraduates into internships to give them the skills they need to get ready to work. At the graduate level, we have instituted a course called, ‘Entrepreneurship Practical’ that caters to the needs of the entrepreneurial buzzword that has become a part of our lexicon”.

Bijan Azad, Director, The American University in Beirut Suliman S. Olayan School of Business

Nasserghodsi began the discussion by asking the speakers how their organization is addressing the challenge of innovation, entrepreneurship and the future of the workforce. Bijan began by saying, “At AUB, we have a program that places undergraduates into internships to give them the skills they need to get ready to work. At the graduate level, we have instituted a course called, ‘Entrepreneurship Practical’ that caters to the needs of the entrepreneurial buzzword that has become a part of our lexicon”. He also added that, “Entrepreneurship education is not for everyone, because an entrepreneurial career is not for everyone.” 

Maughan spoke about the Dubai Business Associate program, which he described as, “A graduate program in Dubai that is run under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It offers ambitious graduates an opportunity to study and do business in Dubai, to develop as future global leaders.” He went on to say that, “The program employs an experiential and project-based learning approach, to develop career-enhancing consulting skills and gain practical insight into the world of work.” 

“Neither the private sectors nor the education systems can make it alone, but together we can.”

Akef Aqrabawi, CEO, INJAZ AL-ARAB

Aqrabawi, when speaking about INJAZ said, “I do believe that our 15 year experience with INJAZ taught us that neither the private sectors nor the education systems can make it alone, but together we can.”