Among the national priorities and pledge of Saudi Arabian government is to generate employment opportunities, Saudization, developing technology entrepreneurs, SMEs, and intrapreneurship. Effat University has played a pioneering role in entrepreneurship ecosystem development, education and practical assistance provided so far.
Effat University has established Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research Center to serve the Vision 2030 and cater to the requirements of in house and outside first stage entrepreneurs. It will have following activities.
Vision
Each entrepreneurship student in particular and all students of the Effat University in general, when graduate have their own business ready to be start.
Mission
To assist, mentor, coach and guide Jeddah based women to plan and execute their startups by inculcating the creativity and innovation in the process.
Partnerships and Collaborations
As the establishment of the center; it's successfully created a strong collaboration with different national and international institutions and Industrial partnerships to strengthen the sources of the centers and provide a variety of opportunities to beneficiaries. Thus, the center collaborated with:
- Henry Ford Foundation for Creativity, Innovation, & startup;
- Pearl initiative to promote ethical practices in Entrepreneurs Families;
- IDB fundraising and holding of the 2nd Effat University Bootcamp;
- SMEA Assistance provided to SMEA in their numerous activity including :
- Editing of the business dictionary;
- Assistance for World Bank
- SMEA/ Research on Female Entrepreneurs.
- Training of the trainers
- Training of Entrepreneurship students at Saudi Startups.
- As well as collaborating with KAUST to hold Creativity and Innovation events.
For the seek of establishing and publishing research and journals, the center collaborated with:
- Prof. Robert Raeside from Edinburgh Napier University;
- Prof. Norean R. Sharpe from ST. John's University;
- The World Academy for Sustainable Development – University of Sussex, UK.
