The MIT Entrepreneurship Center partners with CERT (Centre of Excellence for Applied Research & Training) in developing Executive Education programs in the Middle East. CERT is the commercial arm of the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates with the focus of developing and providing education, training and applied technology for clients.

UAE Entrepreneurship Center was set up by CERT in collaboration with MIT's Sloan School of Management and the MIT Entrepreneurship Center.

The MIT Arab Alumni Association organizes the Annual Pan Arab Conference with the goal of promoting technology and economic development in the region.

The 2006 conference will held on June 14-15 in Dubai. With the theme: 'Human & Economic Development through Technology, Policy, Business, Health and Education', this conference aims to promote economic and human developments in the Arab world. Mr. James Lash, Member of the Corporation and President of the Alumni Association, MIT; His Excellency Mr. Amr Mousa, Secretary General of the Arab League; and His Highness, Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research will be speaking at this forum.

In the past years, the conference taken palce in the following locations:
5th Annual Pan Arab Conference, Tunis, 2004
4th Annual Pan Arab Conference, Dubai, 2003
3rd Annual Pan Arab Conference, Beirut, 2002
2nd Annual Pan Arab Conference, Amman, 2001
1st Annual Pan Arab Conference, Cairo, 2000

MIDDLE EAST TRIP 2006
Several MBA students and faculty will be making trips to Turkey, Dubai and Jordon in spring 2006.

MIDDLE EAST TRIP 2001
More than 35 MIT Sloan MBA students and faculty traveled to Syria, Jordan and Turkey from 20 March through 01 April 2001. Their mission was to visit companies, government officials, and local business leaders in order to learn more about the economy and business climate of each country.

MIDDLE EAST TRIP 2000 From 14 March through 26 March 2000, more than 40 MIT Sloan MBA students and faculty traveled to the Middle East to visit Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt.

The mission objectives of these trips were:

• To understand the economic goals and future directions of the countries visited.
• To understand the Middle East regional climate for doing business, creating new business, innovation, and technology.
• To establish links as a basis for future commercial relationships and lasting friendships.
  

The MIT Arab Business Plan Competition, is modeled on the MIT $100K Business Plan competition. It is designed to encourage all entrepreneurs in the region to start their own company and ultimately create a nest of leading firms in the Arab world. It also brings to the Arab world all the MIT expertise in entrepreneurship and in running such competitions.

TURKEY
Ken Morse, Managing Director of the MIT Entrepreneurship Center, is actively involved in promoting venture capital in Turkey.

"Trends in Global Venture Capital"
Presentation from panel on "Venture Capital in Turkey"
29 March 2001 at the Istanbul Stock Exchange
Sponsored by the Istanbul Stock Exchange and the Turkish Venture Capital Association

Panel Discussion on “Private Equity in Turkey”
24 June 2002

Building Value With Private Equity
by Mehmet Sami

Private Equity Investments in Turkey
by Metin Ar

“Will this Turkey Ever Fly”
Article from Tornado Insider