In an ongoing collaborative effort supported by the prestigious grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS) played a pivotal role in delivering a training and coaching program aimed at fostering a culture of entrepreneurship within higher education institutions.

Academic and administrative staff from AUIS actively participated in the program alongside esteemed counterparts from the University of Saarland in Germany and the Hashemite University in Jordan. The program was co-hosted by AUIS and Hashemite University over two weeks.

The workshops conducted as part of the program proved to be transformative, developing a nuanced and well-rounded understanding of entrepreneurship among participants. Through practical exercises and insightful case studies covering concepts such as ideation, business planning, market analysis, financial management, and risk assessment, attendees gained comprehensive and valuable insights as to how entrepreneurs transform business ideas and concepts into viable business ventures.

Furthermore, the program emphasized the importance of curriculum enhancement with the aim to incorporate relevant entrepreneurial concepts and highlighted possible pedagogical methodologies to realize the concepts.

On an individual level, the program was a unique opportunity for participants to network with each other both academically and socially, which will be instrumental in facilitating further collaboration and cooperation in future programs.  

Looking ahead, AUIS remains committed to further enhance its entrepreneurship capacity-building efforts to foster entrepreneurial spirit and innovation amongst faculty, staff and students.