A proposed concept and model to strengthen the implementation of technopreneurship in higher education institutions

Abstract

In recent years, Sultanate of Oman has formed an innovative approaches and initiatives to promote entrepreneurship education at national level. Many of the private and public sectors take this initiative through research, curriculum development, educators' trainings, and collaboration with non-governmental organization (NGOs). Various pilot projects were implemented in order to promote entrepreneurship education among youth, university students, graduates and unemployed citizens. The government encourages its citizens to participate equally in this initiative to further help the progress of economic development in the country. In academic level, the role of Oman's higher education institutions is to undergo a fundamental change in order to encourage, support, and educate young entrepreneurs and technopreneurs of the future. These approaches are all aligned to the Sultanate's Vision Oman 2020 Economic Development Plan. The main purpose of this study is to propose a concept and model to strengthen the implementation of technopreneurship in higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman that are beyond the traditional domain of interdisciplinary technology. In addition, the model will serve as the role player of each university's centre to spread out relevant information about technopreneur development and commercializing technology between higher education institutions and the industry.