Innovation, design and entrepreneurship for engineering students: Development and integration of innovation and entrepreneurship curriculum in an engineering degree

The authors of this paper introduced junior (3rd year BSc) students for the first time to the principles and practices of innovation and entrepreneurship in engineering design at Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates, in 2014. This included an overview of the techniques that managers in organizations and startup entrepreneurs use to initiate and manage innovation effectively. The course introduces four main phases of innovation and entrepreneurship: (i) identification of a new need or want; (ii) invention of a technological solution; (iii) testing and implementing that solution; and (iv) the mock-start of an entrepreneurial venture. These are explored at length. The course uses a hands-on approach to engage students in groups of four, to the full process of innovation and entrepreneurship from concept generation and selection, needs finding and screening leading to the development of viable financial strategies in their business plans. The innovation/entrepreneurship part of the course is taught in parallel with the design engineering part. The emphasis of the course is on the development of innovative and competitive needs-based solutions for real world engineering problems through the creation of prototypes and simulations. Students are taught "tools" to assist them: design modelling, problem-solving methods, ethical debate, reasoning and logic, and a business plan canvas to help them organize their thinking about business prospects in a realistic fashion.