PESHAWAR: The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University (SBBWU), Peshawar, on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of entrepreneurship development centre (EDC) in the varsity to initiate capacity building plans for the students.

The MoU was signed by SBBWU vice-chancellor Dr Razia Sultana and Smeda chief executive officer Sher Ayub. The ceremony was witnessed by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, secretary industries Farah Hamid and general manager outreach, Smeda, Javed Iqbal Khattak.

According to a statement, under the agreement the Smeda would extend support to the university in taking initiatives for the women entrepreneurship development in the university and will also cooperate in starting capacity-building programmes for the students and establishing the EDC at the varsity’s campus.

The authority will also provide the information and data available on its website to the EDC in electronic format and establish a formal liaison besides arranging regular visits by a member of the regional office KP team once a month for progress review of EDC in addition to coaching the students.

Smeda will also provide readymade modules for the training programmes and train some of the teachers in their use, and extend technical assistance for other initiatives such as by developing models of entrepreneurship society, incubator, publications and facilitate the university in organising different capacity-building programmes for SMEs of the province, including arranging events.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2017