kuwait technical college’s 1st Annual Conference
Small and Medium Enterprises in Kuwait: Opportunities and Challenges.
About The Conference
Vision
To build a knowledge-based society that contributes to the leadership of innovation and creativity to support economic and social development
Mission
A Conference that brings together decision-makers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and other experts to create an encouraged business environment, and to develop open and comprehensive practices to support small and medium enterprises
Conference Objectives
- To allow different parties to present their vision
- To shed light on different experiences and successful practical practices
- To identify obstacles that SMEs face.
- To highlight the role of universities as educational and research institutions as an effective tool
- Raising the awareness of the SMEs among young students.
Conference Language:
Arabic and English (translation will be available upon request).
Conference Time:
23-24 November 2022.
Conference Venue:
Onsite: Kuwait Technical College- Abu Halifa Online via YouTube
Registration
Registration for attendance
Thank you for your interest in participating in our conference. Please note that Registration is now closed.
Target Audience
The conference welcomes participation from industry, academic and policy making. The conference provides an excellent opportunity to disseminate new research findings and exchange ideas which enhance collaboration and inform future research and decision making. This conference encourages attendance and presentations from:
- Academic Researchers and students
- Policymakers
- Entrepreneurs
- Private sector organizations
- Public sector organizations
Academic Researchers and students:
The conference encourages proposals from academic researchers and students in higher education institutions in Kuwait and other international institutions involved in business and entrepreneurship education.
Policymakers:
The conference welcomes participation from policymakers and leaders to inform and benefit from the topics covered in the conference.
Entrepreneurs:
Entrepreneurs, businesspeople and investors are welcome to participate in panel discussions and in joining the conference workshops and exhibition to inform and benefit from the topics covered in the conference. The conference provides an excellent opportunity to collaborate and network with investors, policymakers, researchers and leaders from the public and the private sectors.
Private Sector Organizations:
Leaders, managers, and professionals from the private sector are welcome to participate in the conference to interact and exchange ideas.
Public Sector Organizations:
Leaders, managers, and experts from public sector organizations and government agencies are welcome to participate in the conference to inform, exchange ideas and benefit from the conference dialogue.
Conference Themes
Tracks for workshops, posters & paper submission.
- SMEs, Entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation
- SMEs and Marketing
- SMEs and Economics
- SMEs, Industrial and Agricultural Activities
- SMEs and Business Law
- SMEs and Human Resource Management
- SMEs and Crisis Management
- SMEs and Operational Management
- SMEs and Finance
- SMEs and Accounting
- SMEs and Higher Education
- SMEs and Digital Transformation
- SMEs and Cybersecurity
- SMEs, Ownership, and Franchise rights
Academic Papers
The person who wishes to present a paper will have to submit an abstract. The abstract goes through blind peer review process and it is accepted then that person can present their paper or research work at the conference. One can present the paper with a short talk of about 10 minutes.
The deadline for the abstract submission is 10th of October 2022. Published and Unpublished papers are allowed in this conference, all unpublished papers will be published with a selected journal as special issue.
The deadline for the abstract submission is 10th of October 2022. Published and Unpublished papers are allowed in this conference. Papers accepted will be published in the conference proceedings. Additionally, unpublished papers presented at the conference will also be published in a special issue journal with International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE) [an independent organization delivering supports and services to education professionals and researchers around world] who will keep all the articles available online and distribute the content to IISTE index partners. The published papers are indexed in the following databases,: JournalTOCS (UK), Google Scholar, SFU Public Knowledge Project, SCI-Edge(US), BASE(Bielefeld Academic), OCLC WorldCat (US), NewJour(Georgetown University), Ulrich's Periodicals Directory(ProQuest) and EBSCOHost. All expenses will be paid by ktech. We are looking forward to receiving your submission and welcoming you to ktech and SMEs 2022!
Important Dates:
- October 10, 2022 Paper submission deadline
- October 30, 2022 Notification to participants about the acceptance or rejection of papers
Abstract Submission
Thank you for your interest in participating in our conference. Please note that submissions are now closed.
Scientific Poster
The Scientific Poster session aims to encourage researchers to invest their research expertise and share their research findings with their colleagues. It also encourages them to pursue their research and scientific ambitions.
Winners of the top three posters in each category, will receive monetary incentive awards as outlined below:
-
Faculty Members:
A total amount of KD 1000 is earmarked for top three winners and distributed as follows:
(KD 500 for the first winner, KD 300 for the second winner, and KD 200 for the third winner). -
Students:
A total amount of KD 600 is earmarked for top three winners and distributed as follows:
(KD 250 for the first winner, KD 200 for the second winner, and KD 150 for the third winner).
Certificates of acknowledgement are awarded for the top three winners in all categories.
All posters’ abstract will be published in the conference proceeding.
Presentation and poster
Thank you for your interest in participating in our conference. Please note that submissions are now closed.
Academic Poster Template (.pptx)
Thank you for your interest in participating in our conference. Please note that submissions are now closed.
Panel Discussion
Under the umbrella of SMEs, the panel discussions held at ktech’s conference aim to bridge the gap between problems and solutions, questions and answers, and mainly the decision makers and the entrepreneurs.
The panel discussions will ensure that every person who has power in the SME industry, and every person who needs to be heard are on one couch talking. These discussions will provide golden opportunities for facilitating growth, and real change in the local economy. They also aim to enlighten audiences and inform them about policies, key problems, and resolutions in the SME industry. The panel discussion topics have been carefully selected and curated to serve both the most pressing issues, and the most neglected in the entrepreneurship scene in Kuwait.
Workshops
A number of SMEs related workshops will be run during the conference as a professional development session. Workshops provide a unique opportunity to explore rather targeted themes among a small group of experts, young and college students.
Starting in Kuwait’s professional services sector
Learning Outcomes:
- Introducing participants to the Public Relations industry in Kuwait
- Going over how to set up a Public Relations Firm in Kuwait
- Giving an overview of the challenges and opportunities in service-oriented SMEs
- Discussing how to leverage your relationships in Kuwait to support your business
Date
- November 23rd
- Morning session (11AM - 1PM)
Workshop Language
- Bilingual (Arabic and English)
Guest Speaker:
- Mr. Fawaz Al-Sirri of Bensirri Public Relations
Starting your business
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify the reasons for starting a business
- Turn your passion project into a business idea
- Discuss the necessary qualities for starting a business
- Introduce different business challenges and how to overcome them
- Practice new ways of thinking that help attendees discover successful business ideas
- Learn the proper way to gather compatible business information
- Recognize basic concepts in business such as marketing, business model and feasibility study and how to use them to your advantage
- Using different types of marketing in different sectors (ex: sports marketing in the sporting sector)
Date
- November 23rd
- Afternoon session (1pm - 3pm)
Workshop Language
- Bilingual (Arabic and English)
Guest Speaker:
- Mr. Khaled Alhamad author of “افتح Business”
- Mr. Eyad Zaben of Sports Vision Academy
Small and Medium Enterprises and Kuwait’s Labor Laws
Learning Outcomes:
- Introducing the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its functions
- Explain the importance of small and medium enterprises in the world
- Review the elements of the utmost importance to the small and medium enterprises of the world
- Introducing participants to the development, support, and funding programs available to small and medium-sized enterprises in GCC countries
- Reviewing the basic rules for doing business in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries
- Reviewing the most prominent provisions of the National Fund for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises
- Provide an overview of the most important services provided by the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry to owners of small and medium enterprises
- Discuss the main obstacles facing small and medium enterprises
Date
- November 24th
- Morning session (11AM - 1PM)
Workshop Language
- Arabic
Guest Speaker:
- Ms. Adawiyah Al Failakawi of Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Reality of Setting Up a Luxury Product Business
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand how to turn a passion into a business
- Understand the value of translating a UK or US business culture into a Khaleeji culture—it isn’t one-size-fits-all!
- Discuss the value of thinking outside the box (not replicating people’s ideas, ex: cafes, gyms, etc.)
- Emphasize the importance of navigating Kuwait’s bureaucratic environment
- Understand that Kuwait’s laws and rules are ever-changing and that it’s important to be up-to-date with what’s happening
- Stress that the business needs to be self-sustaining, and not one which depends on family/friends’ purchases
- Understand that polite, knowledgeable customer service is a core, rather than fringe, pillar of business
Date
- November 24th
- Late Afternoon (1PM – 2:15PM)
Workshop Language
- English
Guest Speaker:
- Mr. Astrid and Mr. Yousef Alhadeedi of The Soap Box
The Role of Accounting Practices in the development of Small to Medium Enterprises
Learning Outcomes:
- Introduce KPMG and the role of accounting information in the development of their projects
- Discuss the importance of the economic unit and the independent legal personality of the company
- Introduce participants to the types of companies
- Identify the goal of achieving profitability and means of maximizing income
- Identify financial data and information for internal and external parties
- Emphasize the importance of having accounting records for the company
- Understand the importance of internal control and its role in the project
- Learn how to read and understand financial statements and make decisions based on them
- Understand daily transactions and the importance of recording them
- How to read reports and financial statements
Date
- November 24th
- Late Afternoon (3pm – 5pm)
Workshop Language
- Bilingual (Arabic and English)
Guest Speaker:
- Mr. Essam Ahmad of KPMG
Thank you for your interest in participating in our conference. Please note that Workshops are now closed.
Exhibition
Services offered to SMEs
Exhibitions serve as an influential platform for companies, professionals, and industry experts to come together, share information and build long-lasting business relationships. In established economies, exhibitions are a vital part of product marketing, along with direct selling, advertising, direct mail, and the internet. In new and emerging markets, they serve as a major stimulus for industrial and commercial development.
ktech Exhibition offers a unique opportunity and a wide platform for service providers to showcase their products and services and societies can communicate their key messages to a highly targeted audience.
ktech outreach
The ktech Outreach initiative is one of the initiatives of the local kuwait technical college which aims to give the people of the country the recognition they deserve. In this initiative, we seek to empower young Kuwaiti talents and allow them to grow, develop and innovate by providing them with the necessary resources and platforms.
Since our target audience is from the emerging age group (kindergarten to twelfth grade), we would like to address all schools in Kuwait (public and private) for our participation in this initiative by announcing the initiative and registering interested students, noting that the deadline for application is 8/11/2022
Selected applicants will be honored in front of the most important decision makers in the world of business, academia and public affairs at the first annual conference of kuwait technical college under the title: Small and Medium Enterprises in Kuwait - Opportunities and Challenges.
To apply
Thank you for your interest in the ktech outreach initiative. To initiate the registration procedure, please see the following terms and conditions before applying:
Ktech Outreach's mission is to highlight Kuwait's talented innovators and younger age groups and help them take responsibility for their innovations and build their future through leadership, professional development, support and networking creation. We at ktech Outreach build a student database that aims to connect talented and promising young Kuwaiti generations with platforms that allow them to grow, develop and promote their innovations. By participating in this initiative, you are allowing your child to access endless growth opportunities. Hers.
Terms & Conditions:
- The deadline to apply is 8/11/2022.
- Submitting the application through the above form does not guarantee the applicant's acceptance into the initiative, as admission is subject to passing specific evaluation criteria and passing the personal interview.
- Due to the limited seats available under this initiative, we may have to put some requests on a waiting list.
- The application is only considered acceptable when all registration requirements are met, and please be sure to upload all explanatory personal attachments.
- After confirming that the applicant meets the criteria and conditions of admission, the applicant is invited for a personal interview for evaluation.
Thank you for your interest in participating in our outreach initiative. Please note that submissions are now closed.
Partners
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Anwaar Al Kandari
Conference Chair
Dr. Anwaar Al Kandari
Conference Chair
Dr. Reem M. Al Qenai
Conference Vice Chair
Dr. Reem M. Al Qenai
Conference Vice Chair
Ms. Berlanti Odeh
Conference Secretary
Ms. Berlanti Odeh
Conference Secretary
Ms. Rasha R. Shalabi
Head of Technology Solutions Committee
Ms. Rasha R. Shalabi
Head of Technology Solutions Committee
Mr. Zaid AlMoulah
Membership Chair
Mr. Zaid AlMoulah
Membership Chair
Mr. Saleh Abdulaziz Al Othman
Head of Finance Committee
Mr. Saleh Abdulaziz Al Othman
Head of Finance Committee
Ms. Farah Al Saeed
Head of Media and Public Relations Team Committee
Ms. Farah Al Saeed
Head of Media and Public Relations Team Committee
Dr. Sheena Varghese
Head of Organizing the Opening, and Closing Committee
Dr. Sheena Varghese
Head of Organizing the Opening, and Closing Committee
Dr. Randa Diab
Head of Academic Committee
Dr. Randa Diab
Head of Academic Committee
Mr. Zyad Al Abdulhadi
Head of SME Exhibition Committee
Mr. Zyad Al Abdulhadi
Head of SME Exhibition Committee
Mr. Khaled Alhamad
Membership Chair
Mr. Khaled Alhamad
Membership Chair
Ms. Nourah Al Oseimi
Head of Workshops Committee
Ms. Nourah Al Oseimi
Head of Workshops Committee
Contact Us
Conference Chair Dr. Anwaar Alkandari --
a.alkandari@ktech.edu.kw.
Conference Coordinator Nouran Elbeyaly --:
n.elbeyaly@ktech.edu.kw.
Contact:
conference2025@ktech.edu.kw.
Conference Chair Dr. Anwaar Alkandari --
a.alkandari@ktech.edu.kw.
Membership Chair Ms Berlanti Odeh -- phone:
66188470
Contact:
Conference@ktech.edu.kw.