University of Dubai concludes Entrepreneurship and Business Plan Development workshop

Winners of the workshop

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The Center for Management & Professional Development (CMPD) at the University of Dubai (UD), a prestigious university in the UAE established by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has concluded the “Entrepreneurship and Business Plan Development” workshop for 19 women entrepreneurs who successfully trained on business management skills.

A ceremony felicitating the participants was held recently at the Dubai Chamber with three of the participants receiving awards for the best business plans. The three month training is part of Joint Venture for Finance & Entrepreneurship (JVFE), which was established in January 2005 as a joint venture between UD and the Citi Foundation.  The JVFE aims at addressing the entrepreneurial qualifications of women through specialized and focused workshops.

Dr. Omar Hefni, President of UD, said: “JVFE has proven to be a unique proposition designed to address UAE’s labor market need for the right talent, and to enhance entrepreneurial skills. The Entrepreneurship & business plan preparation workshop has opened doors for not only Emiratis but also expatriate women who have now got closer to realizing their dreams of a small start up. This initiative is an evidence of the city foundation’s social response to the communities in which they operate.”

Usha Saraf, Manager, CMPD at University of Dubai said: “I can proudly say that this is a one of a kind program being delivered in this region. Although it is the seventh consecutive year, the content of the program has evolved considerably with every passing year making it more relevant, practical and hands-on with full applied content. The rigor of the program demands that participants as well as the trainers (who are industry practitioners) are pushed to yield results and the quality of the individual business plans submitted speak for itself. It is extremely rewarding to be instrumental in enabling the women to realize their potential and in turn contributing directly to the economy of the country.”

The program covered topics such as screening of business ideas, understanding the industry and competition, elements of marketing and understanding how consumers buy, importance of cash management, product pricing, various marketing dimensions, how to do simple market research, cash flow management, financial planning, business plan development, putting the plan to work, and looking at ethical and legal concerns as well as the regulatory environment. 

This year’s program expanded its training activities to cover further workshops on how to Become A Highly Effective Women Leader and how to Effectively Use Social Media as a Marketing Tool, among other topics.  These enable entrepreneurs to develop essential management and life skills, and to access the greater women entrepreneur network in the UAE.