This programme provides the theoretical concepts and frameworks that are particularly relevant to an entrepreneur starting up a new venture or managing a Small or Medium Enterprise (SME) where the multiplicity of management skills is an essential pre-requisite for success.

The involvement of multiple higher educational institutes (MHEIs) from different countries in this project is critical as it immediately provides students with an international perspective to their studies and their perspective of business operations. To a great extent the involvement of MHEIs and the mixed virtual classrooms that will be the result of intakes for the different MHEIs, provides opportunities for students to get first-hand experience of multi-cultural challenges and the need to learn how to work in virtual organisations.

The programme makes wide use of the system integrated video conferencing, enabling multiple students from different countries to meet on-line and discuss and work on projects in interactive video conference rooms. The course-work calls on students to use online project management tools and develop interactive presentations integrating skills and competencies of diverse students groups.

These course elements are all critical to the development of today’s entrepreneur – visionaries who can understand the role of strategy and master its implementation to lead and build teams which add real value to the customer groups they serve.  

The course will provide students with the skills that enable them to demonstrate their specialised or multi-disciplinary knowledge of the challenges related to successful entrepreneurship. This includes their ability to reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgements in their roles as entrepreneurs. The programme gives them the skills to perform critical evaluations and analysis with incomplete or limited information to solve problems in new or unfamiliar environments. Their experience in research-based assignments throughout the coursework will also assist them in producing original research when required to support any of their entrepreneurial initiatives. In addition, the course will help them develop new skills in response to emerging knowledge and techniques facing SMEs in all markets. It will then be up to them to develop and utilise leadership skills and innovation skills to enable them to operate in complex and unpredictable work environments which are so typical of today’s open international markets.