Entrepreneurial courses and training at Majan College encourage students to start their own ventures. The college also engages students in diverse activities that provide hands-on experience of entrepreneurship to students.
Majan College, Oman’s pioneer private college and leading higher education institution has taken the lead in promoting entrepreneurial culture among students. Apart from offering courses that develop skills essential for becoming a successful businessperson, the college engages students in diverse activities that provide hands-on experience of entrepreneurship to students.
In 2014, the college collaborated with the newly formed National Company for Projects and Management (NCPM), which is managing the government sponsored SME development fund, to become an entrepreneurial campus by implementing the initiatives on entrepreneurial education by Oman Government.
As part of the programme, an entrepreneurial club was established in the college to promote entrepreneurial orientation among students. The students were exposed to professional trainers from the SME Development Fund and a number of training programmes were organized, said Tahseen Anwer Arshi, Director of Studies, Faculty of Business Management, Majan College.
Shedding lights on the details of entrepreneurial courses, Arshi, said Majan College offers BA (Hons)/ diploma in Business Administration with Small Business Pathway. Entrepreneurship education and training is embedded into the curriculum. The college offers a number of subjects related to entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises. These include small business management, small business finance, small business startup, small business accounting and entrepreneurship.
The students are trained in a number of areas that are critical to entrepreneurship. These include the ability to generate and conceptualise new ideas, brainstorm, show creativity and innovation. To that effect students are able to develop business plans and generate financial forecasts. Experts from NCPM visit the campus periodically and give training to students. NCPM aims to provide funds to students who would like to establish ‘start up’ ventures within the college campus which can act as an incubation center.
There remains a strong requirement in Oman to develop incubators for start-ups and Majan College’s tie up with NCPM is expected to contribute significantly towards thefulfillment of the requirement. Training in entrepreneurship at Majan College equip the students with the necessary abilities to recognize opportunities, marshal resources in the face of risk, and initiate viable business ventures.
Entrepreneurial education and training are essential in Oman as the government aims to diversify the economy, and build a supportive business environment, which encourages self-employment, business growth and job creation.
The entrepreneurial courses at Majan College and training has resulted in a qualitative change in the attitude of students. Many students are keen on starting their own ventures. This is a welcome sign as the nation needs new ventures to provide jobs for the increasing number of educated youth, concluded Tahseen Arshi.