Through innovative teaching and training pedagogies, The Chaudhary Muhammad Akram Centre for Entrepreneurship (CMACED) has set an astounding example of student success. CMACED pioneered and advanced the teaching methods for the entrepreneurial revolution. To teach entrepreneurship our 7 phased pedagogies include Entrepreneurial mindset in action, Idea Generation, Prototyping, Poster Exhibition, Entrepreneurial Forum, Business Model, Art of pitch. Entrepreneurial Forum is one of these pedagogies which we are prodigiously / conspicuously arranging every year whether the circumstances are in our favour or not. Some other universities also have such kind of forums but what makes us special is its innovation and the aura of unique modernity / novelty. The development of an entrepreneurial mindset in Pakistan to foster the growth of small and medium businesses can be a key indicator of economic and social development.
Entrepreneurial E-Forum is basically a forum of Entrepreneurial Teaching & Training Program.This time CMACED organized Entrepreneurial Forum 2021 virtually and named it E- forum. This is the proof of our diligence that we are not stopping in this chronic time of pandemic and continuously striving to rise our youth by providing them innovative landscape of entrepreneurial education. The objective of this E-forum was to discuss the insights of COVID-19 and the future of entrepreneurs after this pandemic. This E-forum covers the challenges that we facing in Current Covid-19 Situation because it is the worst human tragedy to have struck the world in decades, affecting millions of people across the globe. The pandemic not only has serious implications for people’s health but is also significantly affecting businesses and the economy. The other objective was to foresee/anticipate the Future of Entrepreneurs in and after the current Economic condition and the role of Digital tools, in current Pandemic that how entrepreneurs can use these tools for their business. It is an excellent platform for our students to establish their identity and nurture their innovative ideas into a viable business. This knowledge sharing opportunity comprised of keynote speeches and exciting entrepreneurial experiences of prominent entrepreneurial leaders.
The overarching aim was to gather successful and inspiring entrepreneurs to share their success stories, consistency of efforts, motivation, challenges and strategies to overcome challenges with students/potential entrepreneurs to inspire, engage and drive graduate to peruse various entrepreneurial opportunity. Students & Faculty of CS, IT, SE, MS, Aviation, Mass Communication, Electrical Engineering, Avionics Engineering, Allied Health Sciences, & Pharmacy attended the forum.
6 venerated guest speakers shared their valuable insights and feedbacks in order to strengthen student business ideas and make them successful entrepreneurs of the future. Up till now there are many entrepreneurial forums were arranged for our students, out of which some were arranged virtually because of the pandemic. This is an amazing example for students to establish their identity and nurture their innovative ideas into a viable business and is being promoted under the umbrella of CMACED, Superior University Lahore.
In a span of mere 4 years, the CMACED/ETTP has incubated many start-ups who generated numbers of jobs. Entrepreneurship for the students and faculty is not the only thing CMACED is doing, it also putting efforts nationwide through its different projects to bring entrepreneurial revolution. Despite promising trends, Pakistan still has a long way to go before it can call itself a mature start-up market. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Index (GEI) 2020, Pakistan stands at 109 out of 137 countries.
ETTP Assistant Director Dr. Humaira Qudsiya Yousuf always emboldens the students with the essence of entrepreneurship and asserts that entrepreneurship is the act of creating a business while building and scaling it to generate a profit but the more modern entrepreneurship is also about transforming the world by solving big problems and changing the mindsets.
A country with very young demographics (more than 60 percent of the population under 30 years of age) the potential for entrepreneurship is immense. As per the latest National Human Development Report by UNDP, Pakistan is going through a ‘youth bulge’ where more than two-thirds of the population comprises of young people. It all started with a seemingly off-hand remark about a persistent problem. Unemployment rates in Pakistan are high, so practically there is a need for our young nation to be entrepreneurs.
We had six guest speakers with us at the forum who have awe-inspiring and phenomenal dispositions. Our first venerated guest speaker was Mr. Umer Hussain – Founder of Sweet Tooth who shared his whole journey and instilled the students with the importance of innovation. Our second ineffable guest speaker was Ms. Meena Salman – Cofounder of Bagallary who reverenced the students with the spirit of entrepreneurship. Our third awe-inspiring guest speaker was Mr. Muneeb Maayer – Founder of Bykea who himself is a successful entrepreneur, He shared his journey and motivated others through his story. Our Fourth tremendously esteemable guest speaker was Mr. Shahid Iqbal – Secretory General AKFP, he discussed that entrepreneurs are the need of our country. Our fifth highly admired guest speaker was Mr. Arzish Azam – Founder of Ejad Labs who inculcated the students with the significance of entrepreneurship. Our sixth most endeared guest speaker was Mr. Zeeshan Qureshi – Chief Marketing Officer QMobile who statured the students with the entrepreneurial spirit.
The mission of Superior University is to make Pakistan economically and socially superior with the help of unique and exceptional ideas which becomes prodigiously beneficial for our country. The ecosystem is now thriving, more youth is considering entrepreneurship as a viable career option, and the investment landscape is structuring in the country. Youth is the asset of our country and a majority of our youngsters are jobless because passed graduates and job ratio per year is not even nearly equal so there is a dire need for entrepreneurs and the youngsters who can innovate and only then we can think of making Pakistan progressive.