The Forum is being held under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, as part of the UAE Innovation Month.

The College of Business Administration at the University of Sharjah is finalizing preparations for The 3rd International Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which will take place from the 15th to the 18th of February. The Forum will be organized by the College, in cooperation with the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The Forum will be held during the third edition of the UAE Innovation Month, which will be held this year under the slogan of "Innovation starts with you".

The Forum, which is one of the main events of the Innovation Week in the Emirate of Sharjah, is witnessing major changes and initiatives that reflect the College's commitment in encouraging and developing a culture of innovation. The forum acts as a pillar that promotes sustainable development and national gains by investing in students and improving their skills in order for them to serve the community around them.

The 3rd edition of the Forum includes five key elements: hosting internationally renowned guest speakers, hosting distinguished guest speakers from the UAE community, organizing interactive sessions and discussions with guest speakers and experts on innovation and entrepreneurship, organizing an Entrepreneurs exhibition and launching a student competition that promotes and rewards innovation that benefits the community and environment that they live in.

The Forum is an ideal platform for instilling innovation in the minds of students that leads to professional success, and it is a platform that nourishes their ideas and abilities and helps them to creatively excel before they enter the labor market and face its challenges. The Forum will also contribute in discussing the best global practices adopted in the field of academic and professional innovation, and informing students on entrepreneurship and its importance as a career path that can be an alternative to traditional jobs.
 
HE Dr. Hamid Majul Al Nuaimi, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, stated that the College of Business Administration at the University of Sharjah and the SCCI are in the final steps of organizing the Forum, which includes attracting the world's leading speakers and transforming the Forum into a local celebration of innovation. He added that by organizing this Forum, the University of Sharjah will continue in its mission to foster innovation and development in the abilities and ideas of students.

Al Nuaimi expressed his thanks and gratitude to His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for sponsoring the Forum, and for his unwavering support for the educational process in Sharjah. He added that due to the wise vision of His Highness, Sharjah has made great strides towards transitioning into a knowledge-based economy, which is considered a pillar of the future.

Dr. Amal Al-Ali, Assistant Professor of the College of Business Administration and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Forum, said: "This year, we have expanded the scope of participation in the competition and the various activities of the Forum to include students of University City. We have combined foreign and national experiences through a host of distinguished speakers on the local and international arenas, which we have been able to attract in order to provide advice and recommendations to our students about the importance of innovation and how to benefit from it in their personal and professional lives.”
 
Al-Ali stated that the Award is organized according to internationally recognized standards that match the world's most innovative student awards, in which the Award requires the students’ innovative projects to have a clear positive impact on society and the environment. Al-Ali gave an open invitation to all university students in Sharjah to attend the Forum and take advantage of its various activities in order to develop their knowledge and skills.
 
The Forum’s panel of judges is currently in the middle of selecting the 13 best projects that will proceed to the final round, from the 21 projects available in the 3rd round of the selection process. More than 50 projects have been received from students from the University of Sharjah, American University of Sharjah, Skyline University College and Higher Colleges of Technology. In the end, four winners will be selected from the 13 projects nominated in the Forum.