This event features webinars on emerging trends in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for entrepreneurship and innovation: educational and industrial perspectives. The event comprises three main tracks and a panel discussion. The tracks are digital transformation and entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship in education, and innovation and Technology. The event is part of the project ELEGANT that aims at enhancing teaching and learning and graduate employability through university-enterprise cooperation.
Scope
Entrepreneurial ecosystem for ICT education: design thinking, business modeling, didactic innovation, communication, creative technologies, entrepreneurship, start-up, entrepreneurship in ICT, Internet & New Media Entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship in ICT Curriculum: Computational Thinking, Entrepreneurship Thinking, Innovation, Software Entrepreneurship, course and program assessment. Capstone Design courses.
Entrepreneurship and technology: Robotics and Machines, 3D Printing. Process control. Vehicular technologies, mobile technologies. Technological Challenges of the Internet of Things.
Detailed Program
10:00 – 10:10
Welcome Speech
Emerging Trends in ICT for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Educational and Industrial Perspectives
Dr. Soubhi Abou Chahine, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon
Dr. Sobhi Abou Chahine Joined Beirut Arab University (BAU) in 1994, where he is currently a Professor in the Electrical & Computer Engineering and the dean of student affairs.
He is member of the technical academic committee at the ministry of Education and Higher Education since 2002, which studies the higher education institution files for licensing, audit, and recognition of degrees.
He participated in many international projects relevant to higher education reform and quality assurance.
In addition, Professor Abou Chahine was an advisor of the minister of Education and Higher Education between 2010 and 2014.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation in a Digital Economy
Dr. Hashim Hussein, Head UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office
Currently Dr. Hashim S. Hussein is the Head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Investment and Technology Promotion Office in the Kingdom of Bahrain (ITPO Bahrain), and the Arab International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Investment (AICEI). He is also the Executive Director of the World Entrepreneurs Investment Forum, appointed as an International Ambassador for Social Corporate Responsibility; the Secretary General of the Maritime-Continental Silk Road Entrepreneurs Alliance, and the Elected Vice Chairman of the Maritime-Continental Silk Road Cities Alliance. He is also a founding member of the Islamic Creative Economy; and a board member of the MENA Investment Center in Bahrain which is supported by the Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).
He has a rich experience in the field of Industrial Development, Investment and Technology Promotion, MSME development through Innovation Entrepreneurship for the past 30 years. He is a strong international advocate for Women’s Economic Empowerment. Holds a PhD (Honors) in International Law from the Universite de Nantes, France; and obtained a Doctoral Research Programme from the University of Maryland at College Park, Centre for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM), Maryland, U.S.A in the year 1989. He has worked at various levels in different countries around the world towards International Development.
Prof. Samir El-Masri received his PhD from INPG France. He worked with NTT in Japan for 4 years. He worked in Australia at universities and in industry for 10 years. El-Masri was a Professor for 5 years at KSU Saudi Arabia with 130 research papers and then worked at General Electric for 4 years leading digital. Prof. El-Masri is a well-known digital expert helping large companies in the region and he is the founder of Digitalization.
Manal M. Yunis is an assistant professor of information technology management. She holds a PhD in Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems from the University of Texas-Pan American, an MBA and a BS in MIS from LAU Adnan Kassar School of Business. She is a member of the Association of Information Systems (AIS), Decision Sciences Institute and AIS Special Interest Groups.
She has several peer-refereed journal and conference publications, and is the recipient of many best paper awards from conferences and publishing groups.
11:00 - 11:10
Digital Transformation & Entrepreneurship
ICT, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship - Part 2
Dr. Abed Naser Kassar, Lebanese American University
Abdul-Nasser El-Kassar is an associate professor at Adnan Kassar School of Business. He holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, and has received the Post-Doctoral Bridge to Business Program certificate from the University of Florida. With a background in both mathematics and engineering management translated by two master degrees from University of Louisiana, his research ranges from cryptography to engineering management and its underlying mathematics. His research has been published in recognized journals including the Journal of Mathematics and Statistics, Global Review of Business and Economic Research and the Business Review, Cambridge.
11:10 - 11:30
Digital Transformation & Entrepreneurship
Innovation of Digital Transformation in Local Governance
Mr. Philippe Fares, Industry, G8T solutions company- Lebanon
Founder and Managing Director of G8T Solutions S.A.R.L. with over than 10 years of experience in analyzing, designing and developing software across the MENA region. From a junior software developer, to taking part in designing and developing a PACS system for prestigious hospitals in the U.S, to leading the development of PRAXIS one of today’s most advanced ERPs in the MENA area. Started G8T Solutions S.A.R.L, a Lebanese software engineering company with offices in Lebanon, Nigeria and Sweden. G8T is currently considered a pioneer in the digital transformation of Lebanese local governments through a state-of-the-art Municipality Management System to answer the arising technological needs in the Lebanese municipalities.
Tackling Sustainability Problems Using IoT: an academic and Industry Overview
Eng. Andre Gloria - GENVIOT, Portugal
Andre Gloria was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1994. He received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in telecommunication and computer engineering from ISCTE – Instituto University de Lisboa, in 2015 and 2017, respectively, and is finishing his Ph.D. degree in information science and technology, with a specialty in Internet of Things and Machine Learning, at the same university. From 2016 to 2017, he was a Teaching Assistant for the Artificial Intelligence class in the Information, Science and Technology department in ISCTE-IUL. Since 2018, he has been a Researcher at ISCTE-IUL and Instituto de Telecomunicaçes-IUL, with research on Internet of Things, Machine Learning, Wireless Sensor Network, Wireless Communications, Sustainability and Green Tech. Since 2020 is an Invited Assistant at ISCTE with classes on "Conception and Viability of Technology-Based Project”. In 2018 he co-founded genviot, a Portuguese technological startup that tackles sustainability problems using IoT, mainly in the water management for irrigation systems. He acts as CTO, being responsiblefor all the research and development, in both software and hardware, of genviot solutions.”
Role of Universities in Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Dr. Dina Belal, University of Khartoum, Sudan
Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering – University of Khartoum (2010), Ms. D in Operation management -University of Birmingham (2002), Bs.D in mechanical Engineering – University of Khartoum (2000). Assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department – U of K (2000- to date), Deputy Dean- Faculty of Engineering – U of K (2015-2019), Manager of Technopole Unit – U of K (2016 till now), Certified trainer in entrepreneurship and incubation systems by AICEI- UNIDO office Bahrain (2015), Certified mentor by AICEI- UNIFO office Bahrain (2017), Member of incubators' committee – Ministry of Higher Education – (2017 - to date), Member of technical vehicles’ committee. Sudanese organization for standards and metrology (2010 - to date), Member of technical and ICT funded research committee – Ministry of Higher Education (2018- to 2020), Technical adviser for leader technology manufacturing complex , and Amiab company for engineering services (2010- to date)
Ra’edat a Sustainable Women Entrepreneurship Platform
Mr. Ubaydli Al Ubaydli - Arab ICT Union, Bahrian
Dr. Ubaydli has a Diploma in mathematics from the American University of Beirut, 1970 - Free Lancer journalist working for Arabic newspapers and magazines, such as "Al-Safeer"(Lebanese) , "AlHadaf" ( Palestinian), and " Al-Wasat "(Bahrain) ,"Arab Alyawm" (Jordanian), “Alroya” Omanis. 1984 appointed (one Year) as information Consultant for ARAB LEAGUE DOCUMENTATION CENTER (ALDOC), 1995 – 2000: Established the magazine “Scientific horizons” Founded by a group of investors, and was editor-in-Chief, 1995 - Founded with a group of Bahraini investors and academics Al-Nadeem IT, and he is the CEO of the Company, 2001- Founded with a group of Bahraini businessmen Alwasat for publishing and printing and distribution, and was a member of the Board of directors until 2011, Participated in Arabic and international workshops, and conferences, mainly in Knowledge base economy. Founder and member of the Bahrain Internet society., Founder and President of the Association for technical (BTECH). Founder and chairman of “Arab ICT Union”, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Ibn Khaldoun Bahrain national school, Senior advisor for UNIDO ITPO, Board Member of World Summit Award 1920
Assciate Professor and chair person of the division of Mathematical sciences (Math and computer science) at haigazian University
Research: Spatio-Temporal Databases, geographical Information Systems, Using AI and smart Algorithms in GIS and navigation
Innovation process in smart healthcare technologies
Dr. Sandy Rihana- Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, USEK , Lebanon
Sandy Rihana is a results-oriented professional with a sound academic background covering multiple disciplines including engineering, technology, healthcare and management. A creative thinker, Sandy is multilingual and has presented at numerous international conferences and workshops. She is first author and co-author of more than 40 peer-reviewed articles in various domains in the medical and in the healthcare technology interdisciplinary journals.
A computer communications engineer, Sandy received her Master's degree and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Technical University Of Compiegne, France. While there, she was awarded the Best Ph.D. Prize called the Guy Denielou Prize. She is a Fulbright scholar at University Of South Florida, USA and an invited researcher at Ecole PolyTechnique Montreal. She joined USEK in 2011 to co-found the Biomedical Engineering Department, American Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET). She is currently Professor and the Head of Department. Her research interests are smart healthcare technologies including artificial intelligence for medical applications.
13:10 - 13:30
Innovation and Technology
Wearable Biomedical Devices: Hardware & Software
Dr. Abdullah Kasem, Notre Dame University – Lebanon
Abdallah Kassem has previously worked as research assistant at Polystim Neurotechnologies Laboratory of the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Canada. He still cooperates with this laboratory doing some researches. He received his B.S in Microelectronics from University of Quebec in Montreal in 1992, his M.Sc and Ph.D in microelectronic from Ecole polytechnique de Montreal in 1996 and 2004 respectively. From 1996 to 2000, he taught computer architecture, microprocessors and digital electronic courses and laboratories at AUB, LAU in Lebanon. Prof. Kassem joined Notre Dame University-Louaize in 2005 as an assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. He was promoted to the rank of full professor in 2020. Prof. Kassem published more than 70 papers in reviewed journals, book Chapters and international conference proceedings. He is an Associate Editor in IEEE Access and a Guest Editor Elsevier, AEU - International Journal of Electronics and Communications. His research interests include microelectronics design and testing, VLSI, semiconductor device modeling and simulation, microprocessors, engineering education/management, ultrasonic applications, hardware/software embedded system, healthcare applications, e-Health and m-Health. Prof. Kassem is a Professional Engineer in Lebanon (Ordre des Ingénieurs du Liban). He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) and Organizer and TPC member of many IEEE International conferences.
Ali El-Zaart was a senior software developer at Department of Research and Development, Semiconductor Insight, Ottawa, Canada during 2000-2001. In 2001, he started his work in the capacity of assistant professor at the Department of Biomedical Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. Afterward, in 2004, he transferred to the Department of Computer Science, College of Computer and Information Sciences. In 2010, he has been promoted to associate professor rank in computer science. Since 2011, he has been a faculty member at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Beirut Arab University. On March 2016, he has been promoted to full professor rank in computer science. Currently, he is the director of the center for continuing and professional education and sirector of the center for entrepreneurship. He received a M.Sc. (1996) and Ph.D. (2001) degrees in computer science from the University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.
Neuro-Marketing: Entrepreneurial Potential of Affective Computing
Dr. Ivana Pavlic – University of Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ivana Pavlic is professor of Marketing at University of Dubrovnik, Department of Economics and Business with experience in neuromarketing, social selling, integrated marketing communication and consumer behavior and social se. She was leader or member of teams responsible for development of new or modernisation of existing undergraduate, graduate and professional curricula at the University of Dubrovnik and participated in projects aimed at developing transversal skills of youth. For her work in area of marketing skills dr. Pavlic won many awards at national and international student competitions including those financed by large multinational corproations. She has extensive experience of teaching at different levels of higher education in Croatia and abroad.
With more than seventeen years in the gaming industry and fifteen years in higher education, Reine Abbas is one of the first female game designers in the Middle East and the first to be a founder of a video games company. She is the COO and Co-Founder of Wixel Studios, the first independent gaming company in Lebanon and one of the first in the MENA Region.
She is also the CEO and founder of Spica Tech, one of the few gaming academies in the region.
Abbas’ work has been recognized around the world and she has won many awards, including the WIT Women in Technology Award 2010, the WOW award for artistic expressions 2013 at the 6th New Arab Woman Forum, Inc.com’s World’s five most powerful women in gaming in 2013, one of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Arab Women in both 2014 and 2015 as selected by ArabianBusiness.com, winner of the MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab Region competition 2017 and Mena Region winner in the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards of 2019. In 2019, she also won the Best Animation award at the ARFF Paris International Awards for her music video “Right Now”. She was featured in Forbes 2019 and was a TEDx Beirut speaker in 2011.
Dr. Nebojsa Stojcic, ELEGANT Project coordinator, University of Dubrovnik – Croatia
Nebojsa Stojcic is vice-rector at University of Dubrovnik, Croatia, visiting professor at Staffordshire University, UK and teaching fellow at CERGE-EI, Czechia. He is coordinator of Erasmus+ CBHE project Elegant. His research interests are innovation, industrial economics and technology transfer. Results of his research were published in leading economics and business journals such as European Economic Review, Research Policy, Journal of Business Research Small Business Economics, Journal of Technology Transfer, Regional Studies and others. As coordinator and researcher he participated in more than 30 projects financed under H2020, FP7, Erasmus+, Croatian Science Foundation and other international and national programmes. He is ranked among top 10 Economics and Business scholars in in Croatia.
14:30 - 15:00
Conference Closing
Dr. Iraj Hashi – University of Dubrovnik – Croatia
Dr Iraj Hashi is Emeritus Professor of Economics at Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom where he has worked since 1978. He also has a part time appointment as Professor of Economics and Assistant Coordinator of the ELEGANT project at the University of Dubrovnik, Croatia. He has a long history of working on European projects going back to early 1990s. He has previously worked with the Lebanese universities in the framework of the Tempus Project ASPIRE involving Beirut Arab University and Modern University for Business and Sciences.
14:30 – 15:00
Conference Closing
Dr. Bassem Kaissi - Modern University for Business and Science, Lebanon
Professor Bassem Kaissi is currently the Vice President for International Affairs at the Modern University for Business and Science in Lebanon. He has over 20 years of experience in human resource strategy consulting and as a higher education consultant and expert. He speaks and consults throughout the Arab & European countries on a variety of higher education and management topics. Professor kaissi coordinated and participated in more than 50 research, capacity building and mobility projects funded by the EU, World Bank, AUF, and UNESCO.
Organizing Committee
Dr. Adel El-Kordi
Dean of Faculty of Engineering
Dr. Soubhi Abou Chahine
Dean of Student Affairs
Dr. Issam Damaj
Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering