JEDDAH: Students at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology on Tuesday completed a two-week “Entrepreneurship for All” course on leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation through design thinking. Design thinking refers to the cognitive, strategic and practical processes used to develop design concepts such as new products, buildings and machines.

The interactive course aimed to develop key basic skills, improve students’ ability to act on ideas that arise from their studies or research, and teach them how to apply design thinking to create prototypes and develop them into products ready for the market.

It focused on teaching students how to improve negotiation skills, build the foundations for strong business partnerships, and develop a broader understanding of leadership mechanisms by focusing on teamwork and leadership skills.

KAUST President Dr. Tony F. Chan said that the innovation skills gained by building a new company and marketing will remain with students throughout their careers. He added that KAUST worked in partnership with the Stanford Center for Professional Development to offer the course to all students, and will continue to do so in the future.

The course is part of KAUST’s efforts to contribute to the development of an economy in the Kingdom based on innovation and knowledge. The university has supported more than 240 startups through its entrepreneurship programs, and is focusing on enhancing the incubation environment for innovation in the country through the provision of education that can act as a transformative force to unleash the full potential of students.