UBT Students Present 17 Business Plans at Entrepreneurship Week
24/05/2018Over 65 students of the UBT Faculty of Management, Business, and Economy, who were engaged in preparing business plans as part “Strategic Management and Enterpreneurship” course, presented today 17 business plans. The presentation took place at the “Entrepreneurship week” event.
Business plans developed by the students cover a wide range of fields, including: aluminum recycling; milk processing and cheese production, biscuit production/processing; carrot cultivation; “Panorama” lodging in Boge; production of “Logrin Hard Cider; internet service provider — ISP; green houses for flower cultivation; online parking system; production of electronic circuits; kindergartens; growth and cultivation of aronia berries; cultivation of paulownia tree; salt therapy; “Dardha”[pear] program]; farm building, and others.
The following students participated in preparing of the business plans: Vlora Belallari, Elona Miftaraj, Gentiana Qorri, Faton Mirena, Burim Kastrati, Fiona Prokshi, Rina Veliu, And Deva, Manuella Berisha, Valerina Colaj, Qëndresa Shabani, Tenzilla Luboteni, Hamide Zabeli, Arjeta Mehmeti, Edona Kullashi, Marigona Nikçi, Gent Sefa, Faton Jashari, Donjeta Gashi, Florenta Fetoshi, Jonida Xhema, Krenar Çeku, Rilind Beqaj, Agon Hysaj, Benita Syla, Mirjeta Syla, Fjolla Hisari, Flakadon Osmani, Ejup Lahu, Nuha Hasani, Halil Berisha, Visar Maxhuni, Samir Shala, Roni Kasemi, Jeton Mullarama, Art Berisha, Imri Jezerci, Drilon Shala, Endrit Hoxha, Albin Hasaj, Driton Jashanica, Albana Popova, Arbana Prelvukaj, Egzona Morina, Granit Hajrizi, Premtim Zejnullahu, Afije Gashi, Dhurata Azemi, Xhejlane Imeri, Merita Dabinovci, Vjosa Cena, Fitim Luma, Reis Sallova, Blerim Llugiqi, Mustafë Salihu, Donat Polloshka, Gent Shkodra, Drilon Selmani, Myekked Konstantini, Lendita Kadriu, Anesa Koprani, and Lumir Krasniqi.
Representatives of a number of institutions, including Besa Zogaj, Deputy Minister of Economic Development in the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, professors, students, and many guests participated at the ceremony of the business plans’ presentation.
Addressing the ceremony, UBT rector Prof. Dr. Edmond Hajrizi said he was pleased that, through different initiatives, the UBT was providing opportunity to the students to demonstrate their expertise and present their research activities.
“We are pleased to have the opportunity of being motivated by our students. This field generates positivity, growth, and creativity, which in turn generate overall improvement of knowledge in entrepreneurship and innovation,” Rector Hajrizi said.
He noted that the goal of entrepreneurship was to improve the culture of work and enable individuals to have access in doing something new, an approach that generates growth and development. Enterpreneurship involves huge potentials and is one of the major factors for the progress, Hajrizi said among other things.
He listed a number of activities, like the establishment of the university incubatory, which enjoys broad international support, as well as Kosovo’s virtual incubatory, which is the first of the kind in Kosovo and the region, a project supported by the United States, and a number of other initiatives that have made an impact on the improvement of the research and scientific work and have created t opportunities to the e students to put their ideas into effect.
Besa Zogaj, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, said she was privileged to attend an event at which students present their ideas. She said the private sector was a promoter of the economic development, and in this respect this sector makes the first pillar of the government’s program for the period 2015-2018.
Commenting on some initiatives of the country’s government to support entrepreneurship, the deputy minister mentioned the new fiscal package which has affected positively doing of the business, as well as the fund for loan guarantees worth 18.000 euro, supported by the USAID and the European Commission, whose goal is to promote private businesses run by women in the rural areas.
Dr. Ylber Limani, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Business and Economy, said the “Entrepreneurship Week, as part of which the presentation of the business plans was taking place, was a reflection of work and knowledge that the students had gained during the five semesters of studies at the UBT.
“This is a moment when you start creating business plans, which will be a knocking on the door to new businesses and creating something new,” Dr. Limani said. According to him, it is not easy for the students to be entrepreneurs, therefore, they need to act quickly in order to meet the goals aspired by young businessmen.
Armend Muja, lecturer of the Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship course, part of which the business plans were prepared, said it was very important for the UBT to have a structural approach and support the students in drafting all these business plans. Organization of the business plans and their presentation was crucial for UBT business department, Muja said.
He spoke about a number of aspects that the process of the development of business plan by students involves. The first aspect, he said was access to finances; the second aspect has to do with the education system, meaning that doing business education should start from the primary schools; the third aspect relates to barriers in doing business by successful Kosovar women; and the fourth aspect has to do with the individual approaches.
Mr. Muja said as part of the course he teaches, the students had drafted and presented business plans every year. According to him, Kosovo needs fresh knowledge in this field. He also mentioned the support from the US Embassy in Pristina for the UBT in the implementing a number of important programs.
Students who have already completed studies at the UBT and now are successful entrepreneurs participated in the ceremony. Among them is Florian Piraj, who studied Management of Macrotronics and Engineering. He said that owing to the UBT and the conditions that this university provides to the students he become an entrepreneur and created a company of the production of 3D printers, the first of the kind in Kosovo and the region.
Bujar Statovci, who studies at the Faculty of Architecture, has now an office that generates new ideas of entrepreneurship. His journey in the business started with the opening of the UBT incubatory last year. The idea behind the project was creation of movable buildings which is an innovative product in the regional market.