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Al Faisal Holding has signed an agreement with DePaul University to take the first steps toward a long-term collaboration that supports entrepreneurship and business development in Qatar and the Middle East. |
DePaul plans to launch The Sheikh Faisal Centre for Entrepreneurship in the Middle East at the Driehaus College of Business later this year.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, chairman and CEO, Al Faisal Holding, said: “We are proud to sign this agreement with DePaul, one of the world’s leading educational institutions. The government of Qatar has launched several initiatives to support entrepreneurs and is investing heavily to enhance the educational system in Qatar, providing many first-class educational facilities to build a generation that can lead the nation and achieve its vision.
Rev Dennis H Holtschneider, president, DePaul University, said: “Sheikh Faisal is one of the Middle East’s leading entrepreneurs and this collaborative effort will bring together business leaders from the US and the Middle East to cultivate the burgeoning entrepreneurial class in Qatar.
“We will use this opportunity to strengthen DePaul’s investment in globally minded business programmes for our students and graduates.”
The Sheikh Faisal Centre for Entrepreneurship in the Middle East will work through DePaul’s nationally recognised Coleman Entrepreneurship Centre.
The centre will facilitate a Young Entrepreneur Academy that develops new generations of Qatari and US entrepreneurs and business leaders through student exchange programmes.
DePaul plans to host a group of Qatari students each summer on its Chicago campus where they will work with business college faculty and alumni entrepreneurs to apply entrepreneurship theory and practice in developing their own business plans.
Additionally, a group of Driehaus College of Business students who are enrolled in programmes related to business development in the Middle East will have the opportunity to participate in a study abroad programme in Qatar.
“Our faculty and successful alumni entrepreneurs look forward to working with emerging entrepreneurs from Qatar and throughout the Middle East to support their continued development into a thriving, professional class,” said Ray Whittington, dean of the Driehaus College of Business. “We also see the centre as a great opportunity for DePaul students to gain real-world experience on an international stage.”
The Sheikh Faisal Centre for Entrepreneurship in the Middle East will hold an annual conference in Chicago that convenes an international audience of business leaders
Sheikh Faisal will also host a business competition in Qatar for emerging entrepreneurs. Whittington praised Sheikh Faisal’s support for the centre, which “reflects his belief in the power of entrepreneurship to fuel a thriving economy”.
This agreement is the latest in a series of initiatives Al Faisal Holding - a leading private company in Qatar - has taken to support the development of Qatar’s education system.
