Dh5m to support women’s entrepreneurship at AUS

A new endowment worth Dh5 million by the Abraaj Group will support women’s entrepreneurship at the American University of Sharjah (AUS). The university announced the establishment of the Peter Heath Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund, which will support up to 10 students annually.

Students will be invited to apply for the fund through a competitive process that recognises and rewards creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives. Abraaj executives will work closely with the AUS in reviewing project proposals and selecting the successful candidates.

The fund is named after Dr Peter Heath, who served as the AUS Chancellor for four years, and supported the initiatives and endeavours of women entrepreneurs.

Arif Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of The Abraaj Group, said: “The collaboration with the AUS is a demonstration of our commitment to empowering young women who are shaping the world. At Abraaj, our support for nurturing entrepreneurial networks and businesses in the markets in which we invest is embedded within our investment philosophy and we are proud to support such initiatives.”

AUS Acting Chancellor, Dr Thomas Hochstettler, said: “The Peter Heath Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund is an opportunity to channel the talents and innovation of the AUS’s young women entrepreneurs into productive endeavours such as creative entrepreneurship. In doing so, this endowment will support women in developing new, innovative, (and) high-value-added businesses, and to that extent unlocks fresh potential and opportunities for talented young women at the AUS,” Dr Hochstettler said.

muaz@khaleejtimes.com