93 enterprises compete in Injaz Oman contest

MUSCAT: Injaz Oman continues to organise its programme ‘University Student Company Programme’ in its seventh edition in 2018. This programme is designed for university students from all governorates in Oman in order to encourage the students to start up entrepreneurial companies and to support positive attitudes as they explore their future career aspirations. “University Student Company Programme” offers a unique learning experience for undergraduate students, helping them to establish their own companies and engage in entrepreneurship. The programme offers a learning experience that enables and enhances many skills, which complement and enrich the students’ performance in their academic education. The companies participating in this programme will compete for several awards whose objectives highlight the fundamentals of business and the world of entrepreneurship. The number of companies competing in this year’s programme reaches 93 companies with 924 students from 23 educational institutions in the Sultanate to explore their capabilities, establish real companies and strengthen the national economy of Oman. Injaz Oman’s University Student Company Programme is supported by several private sector companies. The sponsors of this year are: BP (As main sponsor), Nama Group, Al Raffd Fund, Boeing Company and Oman International Development and Investment Company (OMINVEST). Injaz Oman has recently launched a series of workshops called ‘Kaif.’ These workshops are held for the first time in the region, targeting the participants of the University Student Company Programme. These workshops engage students with private entrepreneurs as presenters for these workshops, which will be on educating the students at the stages of establishing, managing and leading an actual company. Khaula al Harthy, Executive Director of Injaz Oman, says: “University Student Company Programme plays an effective role in spreading the culture of entrepreneurship in Oman; the workshops of ‘Kaif’ are a new addition to the company’s programme seventh edition. The idea of ‘Kaif’ workshops is to create a positive impact and to reduce the gap between the students’ academic knowledge and the skills required in the labour market by engaging with reliable entrepreneurs.” She added: “The University Student Company Programme is one of our most successful programmes in Injaz Oman. Through it, we discovered and highlighted the talents and capabilities of Omani youth that we are proud of. We expect a great success to this addition and hope we get new innovative ideas.” With the support and guidance of volunteer-consultants from the local business community, the University Student Company Programme Competition provides university students with the opportunity to start up, organise and operate actual enterprising companies in their local communities. In doing so, students from diverse academic backgrounds learn about real life business procedures and functions, the challenges and benefits of entrepreneurship, and the contribution that entrepreneurs make to the economies and societies of the MENA region.