Youth entrepreneurship in an Islamic context

Abstract

This chapter looks to developing a deeper understanding into the local UAE experiences and practices found from engagement with youth and key stakeholders and bringing these together into a series of recommendations that builds on international best practice and what’s feasible given the unique environment and entrepreneurial ecosystem of the UAE. In the context of youth entrepreneurship and innovation in the UAE, we suggest that stimulating, encouraging and unleashing creative thinking of young people is the aim, and acknowledge that participating in creative artistic practice is one means to achieve this aim. This chapter provides insight into the key perspectives from local experts, Emirati Youth engaged through youth forums and also conducts an international literature review identifying best-practice examples and key guiding principles for the theme of Entrepreneurship and the development of a national system of entrepreneurship in the UAE. Through consideration of all these elements, as well as the specific and unique role that that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development plays within the UAE ecosystem the chapter provides a list of key recommendations focusing on quick wins and longer term activities to help youth entrepreneurship to flourish within the region.