Sri Lanka’s First MBA in Entrepreneurship Programme launched

The main objective of this new Master of Business Administration (MBA) in entrepreneurship degree programme is to cater the market needs of producing Sri Lankan future innovative techno entrepreneurs to commercialize its Research and Development (R&D) and Science and Technology (S&T) efforts through expertise of the Sri Lanka’s premier technological University. The Management of Technology Department (MOT) in the University of Moratuwa (UOM) is specialized in business and entrepreneurship related teaching, research, consultancy and Management Development Programmes. First this Dept. introduced Entrepreneurship and Small business development modules to the engineering undergraduate degree and later high-end entrepreneurship related modules to its MBA in MOT degree programme. Furthermore, many research students are following MSc, MPhil and PhD research degrees in the areas of entrepreneurship. Industry funded “Endowed Entrepreneurship Professor / Senior Research Fellow Position” is also attached to this Department. MOT Dept’s world renowned professors and other senior staff are undertaking much research and related work on entrepreneurship and have made many publications in international high impact entrepreneurship related journals. Now this Dept. is offering even entrepreneurship minor for BSc Engineering degree. With this background and after many market surveys and industry consultative meetings, MOT Dept. has identified entrepreneurship MBA programme as a timely requirement of Sri Lankan economy with more emphasis on techno aspects to utilize Moratuwa University’s unique technology expertise.

This new degree programme will inculcate not only entrepreneurial culture among the Sri Lankans but also intrapreneurial and leadership skills. Most of the followers of this programme are either business starters or future business leaders in this region. Especially being the best technical University in Sri Lanka, UOM can utilize its technical brains (Over 100 PhDs from good ranking world class Universities and over 40 full Professors are working at Moratuwa University) to commercialize innovative business ideas with right business ventures to help reach Sri Lanka to its next level of growth by eradicating poverty and becoming a high income country in the region. Most of these graduates surely will start their own businesses in the near future and will help to create many employment opportunities and other value addition to national economy rather than being job seekers.

In Sri Lanka, no other University is offering MBA specialized in entrepreneurship with more focus on technology aspects. Especially highly specialized modules such as Technology Commercialization, Innovation and R&D, Business Incubation, Technology Business Plans, Entrepreneurship and Venture Creation, Entrepreneurship Lab with Business Leaders, Intrapreneurship and Business Leadership and New Venture Financing Options are only offered by this degree programme. Furthermore, students are allowed to take any modules from Management of Technology MBA programme to give more exposure to technology related ventures.

In order to reach for next level of growth, Sri Lanka needs this techno entrepreneurship revolution. Almost all the required resource personnel to run this programme have been identified from Moratuwa University, other local and foreign Universities, and especially from the industry. Therefore, surely this new MBA degree programme will help Sri Lanka to become the “Miracle of Asia” by starting new techno-based businesses by these MBA graduates in the years to come. This programme will be delivered as a part-time two year postgraduate degree with 64 credits. Option available to exist with Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration specialized in Entrepreneurship.The teaching methodology is a very liberal, board-based, multi-disciplinary oriented and it is mainly students centered, outcome, case study and empowerment based.Out-bound training programme for the participants will be conducted in Malaysia. To enhance the quality of this degree programme a panel of international entrepreneurship expertshas been established by linking Amity University in Lucknow, Sejong Business School in South Korea and OYA GSB University of Utara Malaysia in Malaysia.