Strategic Institutional Initiatives for Entrepreneurial Linkages: A Need for Paradigm Shift

1. Strategic Institutional Initiatives for Entrepreneurial Linkages: A Need for Paradigm Shift By S. M. Taha smtaha@uok.edu.pk www.cprid.com

2. Where we went wrong? • Teaching methodologies were mostly based on classroom teaching. • business schools and their graduates remained disconnected with real business environment in Pakistan • Academic knowledge of business studies could not transform into performative knowledge. • Business schools continue producing work force for multinational and national companies • Mushroom growth of affiliated business colleges running in 400 yards houses offer the same curriculum as teach in reputed schools • Graduates of both business schools carry the same degrees of BBA and MBA with almost same course work. What is the Difference?

3. Consequences • the space for business graduates is getting saturated • entrepreneurial spaces are wide open but we do not prepare our students to fill that space and grab the opportunities in the market • Bulging of employment sector • Increasing number of business graduates, increases supply side and reduces demand side.

4. Change Begins • The beginning of 1990s could be fairly considered the decade of change. • Opening of new beginning schools • Teaching Methodology included case studies and guest speaker lectures • Industry visits conducted. • Government had taken more vigorous actions in 2000 • HEC focused on Entrepreneurship and BIC • AHAN, SMEDA, Micro financing institutions established • IGOs are taken on board.

5. Business Schools and Entrepreneurship • Lahore University of Management Sciences • Institute of Business Administration • University of Veterinary Sciences, Lahore • University of Agriculture, Faisalabad • Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology

6. Micro Financing Institutions: A step forward • SMEDA • Khushali Bank • Bank of Khyber • Bank of Khyber • Bank of Punjab • IGOs

7. What New Bharia University can do? Ground realities • “Teaching Business is loosing ground, doing business is gaining ground” • “Producing employees is not desirable, producing entrepreneurs is desirable for business school” • “Business knowledge would be a burden unless it is converted into business action”

8. Bharia University’s initiatives Urban Entrepreneurship Center at Bharia University UEC@Bharia Bharia can initiate Urban Entrepreneurship which has tremendous potentials in all big cities of Pakistan and particularly in Karachi.

9. How to do it? • Step 1: First take a policy decision on initiative • Step 2: Establish a separate set up for Urban Entrepreneurship Center (EUC) • Step 3: Clearly define, mission, vision, core value and distinctive values • Step 4: Strong advocacy and marketing campaign through documents, 3-pagers, flayers, social media, website • Step 5: Highly motivated, dedicated and well trained team of graduates (prospective entrepreneurs) and UEC’s staff for developing liaison with government, industries, micro finance institutions, donor agencies (IGOs & NGOs) • Step 6: UEC synergies with Management, Engineering and Medical faculties • Step 7: UEC facilitate applied teaching methodology for entrepreneurship related courses.