Initiating Innovation: The Case of Entrepreneurship Education in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Experiential learning encouraging critical thinking and creative problem-solving is the essence of innovation. Knowing this, in 2015, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Program in partnership with Stanford University faculty. The purpose of the project was to create customized curriculum for university students, support educators teaching the material, and inspire an entrepreneurial mindset that transitions the nation into an innovation-based society. Three cohorts of university educators participated in workshops, professional development activities, and a four-day visit at Stanford University to learn design thinking, the pedagogical platform of the custom curriculum. After a three-year pilot, remarkable results were realized among students, faculty, and within the entrepreneurial ecosystem of UAE. Analyzing the faculty and student interviews, reviewing an initiative impact report, and referencing related research, this case study: establishes the importance of teaching innovation and entrepreneurship, outlines the program’s practical and operational elements, and documents how educators succeeded in integrating and customizing the curriculum (before and during the coronavirus pandemic).

Citation

Gilbert, M.A. (2022), "Initiating Innovation: The Case of Entrepreneurship Education in the United Arab Emirates", Sengupta, E. and Blessinger, P. (Ed.) Innovative Approaches in Pedagogy for Higher Education Classrooms (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 42), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120220000042005