Strategic Institutional Initiatives for Entrepreneurial Linkages:

A Need for Paradigm Shift

By S. M. Tahasmtaha@uok.edu.pkwww.cprid.com

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?

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.

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.

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

Micro Financing Institutions: A step forward

• SMEDA• Khushali Bank• Bank of Khyber• Bank of Khyber• Bank of Punjab• IGOs

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”

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.

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.