In cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the Registrar of Intellectual Property and the Management of the Women Entrepreneurs Project in Sudan, the Deanship of Scientific Research at the university organized the activities of the National Workshop for the Entrepreneurship Project.
The workshop took place at the main campus from 20th-21st September 2021, under the slogan,
Successful Woman With an Intellectual Mind
and under the title,
Building Intellectual Property Capacities for Women Entrepreneurs in Sudan.
The workshop was attended by Prof Awad Saad Hassan, vice chancellor of the university, Prof Mahdi Abbas Shakak, deputy vice-chancellor of the university, Prof Amel Omer Bakhiet, Dean of Scientific Research, Prof Caroline Edward Ayyad, Secretary of Scientific Affairs, Dr. Iman Al-Atabani, the General Counsel at the Ministry of Justice, and Dr. Somaya Abdelhamid Sayed Ahmed, Director of the Women Entrepreneurs Project in Sudan. The participants through the online zoom technology included Mr. Sok Jong Myong, Director of the Least Developed Countries Division at the World Intellectual Property Organization. The audience included deans from various colleges, women entrepreneurs and interested individuals.
Vice Chancellor
Prof Awad Saad stressed the need to convey and disseminate the idea of entrepreneurship in all states of Sudan. "The university supports all entrepreneurship projects in the country and in various disciplines and fields, because of our belief that real renaissance and development begins with small projects and giving them the opportunity to become large companies and businesses in the future", he added.
His Excellency also indicated that Sudanese women (referring to them as Kandakes) are initiating revolutions in various forms and paths in life, and they have leading roles. He explained that women’s efforts transcend borders and barriers and have remarkable roles in education, development and renaissance that history preserves for them. The workshop presented recommendations and bright ideas that contribute to supporting, developing and raising the capabilities of women entrepreneurs in Sudan.
Director of the Least Developed Countries Division at the World Intellectual Property Organization
Mr. Sok Jong Myong expressed his happiness for participating in the workshop and said, "Sudan is one of the countries that are interested in the field of entrepreneurial activities for small businesses, and his experiences are distinguished, ambitious and a great effort".
Mr. Myong also indicated that the celebration comes within the framework of the celebration of the anniversary of the establishment of the organization, which seeks to build a business with competitive experiences in various fields, arranging ideas and preparing them to enter the market. He also noted that the organization is working to raise the capabilities of women entrepreneurs in Sudan to support emerging economies, especially in developing and least developed countries, with long-term strategies in order to create businesses concerned with bridging the gender gap by overcoming the obstacles that hinder women entrepreneurs.
He said, "We see a remarkable development by the Government of Sudan on the concepts of building entrepreneurship, production and women's rights and issues". He mentioned that the workshop is a good example of encouraging ownership and preserving women's rights for their work and intellectual production, and he expressed his hope that the workshop will raise awareness and capabilities and create competitiveness in the Sudanese market, which will benefit the Sudanese women with added value and effective employment, stressing that they have no doubt that the workshop will achieve its objectives and desired goal.
Dean of Scientific Research
Prof Amel Omer Bakhiet indicated that the workshop is an extension of the activities of the Deanship in the field of scientific research and cooperation with intellectual property. "The university aims to send scientific messages in various aspects of community awareness of life. Women always have their own privacy and uniqueness, and they must find their luck in preserving their rights and innovative ideas", she explained.
Prof Bakhiet also explained that women need more support from scientific and intellectual property institutions, which are the basis for supporting creativity and innovators. She said, “We support the establishment of entrepreneurship projects and hope that a national center for ownership will be established in Sudan to protect and develop entrepreneurial works.”
General Counsel at the Ministry of Justice
Dr. Iman Al-Atabani stressed that the workshop represents a different and prominent starting point for female entrepreneurs to change concepts about preserving rights and standing with business in Sudan and African countries and making women successful and masterminds of important projects in the markets. Dr. Al-Atabani explained that women have great roles in society and are proud of what they offer from Great work and an appreciative effort, and with the University of Sudan, we will offer a lot in the field of capacity development and scientific research support for the pioneers.
Director of the Women Entrepreneurs Project in Sudan
Dr. Somaya Sayed Ahmed expressed her happiness with the partnership between the organization and the university and said, “In the project, we seek to develop capabilities, as it is an integral part of our programs. The patent increases the value of the product and finds its way to the market. The use of intellectual property contributes to raising the economic level, simplifying the procedures for how to register intellectual property, and through it we target female entrepreneurs in Sudan and owners of small projects".
She hoped that the pioneers would benefit from the workshop, which will be the start of continuous programs within the framework of capacity-building, based on the fact that Sudanese women have achievements and creativity in many fields. She emphasized the support of the project management with them until they reach excellence and internationality.
Presented Papers
It is worth mentioning that the workshop was full of ideas and scientific papers on its first day, where
Honouring Ceremony
Furthermore, Women entrepreneurs in Sudan were also honored from the college of Music and Drama, Prof Zainab Abdullah Mohammad and Dr. Aida Mohammad Ali. The workshop was accompanied by an exhibition reflecting the products of creative women entrepreneurs. The program also included lyrical and musical paragraphs and links and dramatic performances presented by graduates and students of the College of Music and Drama, with which all attendees interacted.