Dubai Women's College holds its 18th annual Bazaar

Bazaar 2007 was opened by Ms. Juhaina Al Fardan, Regional Director of Diversity at HSBC, and was attended by Dr. Howard Reed, Senior Director at the Higher Colleges of Technologies (HCT) and Director of DWC, members of the local business community, and DWC staff members, students and graduates. Ms. Al Fardan, and Rouya Jawad, Nationalization Manager at HSBC Bank, toured Bazaar businesses and received insights from participating students on the benefits of creating and managing their own businesses.

The annual event is an integral part of the curriculum, integrated across all programs which provide stu¬dents with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills, learned in the classroom, in practical ways and working with real life businesses. Groups of students create an original business concept to implement at event. Students begin by presenting a mini business plan to a panel of teachers to obtain their "trading license". Upon approval, students prepare a detailed plan of tasks to be done with a timeline. During the event, students take re¬sponsibility for all aspects of their business including purchasing, production, setup, pricing, promotion, and customer service. After the event, students write a reflective final report and presentation analyzing what they have learned during the project.

The annual event aligns with DWC's strategic priority focusing on developing strong entrepreneurs who can act as strong participants in the development of Dubai's economic market. "Dubai is developing rapidly and such movement leaves no place for those who do not play proactive roles. We need to equip our students with all necessary skills, knowledge, and experience so they can get better opportunities at being active participants in the local markets," noted Dr. Reed. This year, a total of 206 businesses participated in DWC's 18th annual Bazaar and covered several industries including food and beverage, printing, e-services, education, retail, and others. The three-day event this year involves several activities including children's area, blood donation drive, health screening and assessments, charity fund-raising, and a large variety of small businesses. The Bachelor of Education students organized a project providing children's services during the Bazaar and offered activities such as drawing, arts, face painting, and reading.