to incubate young entrepreneurs to flourish in 5G-dominated digital era
Assumption University (ABAC)’s Martin De Tours School of Management and Economics (MSME Business School) has launched a new program, “Design & Digital Innovation” (DDI), to deliver the best education innovation in response to the evolving technology, innovation, and learning needs of the digital generation. The Design & Digital Innovation curriculum focuses on improving skills in multiple aspects, including business development, technology and innovation, design, and human resource and organisational development. The ultimate goal is to encourage youth entrepreneurship to push MSME graduates to become successful entrepreneurs through inventing digital-driven businesses, solutions, and digital innovations in the digital age. The DDI is a three-year curriculum that is now open for application.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Uree Cheasakul, Dean, MSME Business School, Assumption University (ABAC), said the school is the largest and most reputable flagship unit within the university. MSME Business School is nationally recognised as one of the top international business schools in Thailand for undergraduate business education that has continuously produced successful entrepreneurs for over five decades. “Design & Digital Innovation” (DDI) is a program for developing and managing the future businesses in which students are able to learn and master new skills through a new approach in education from five faculties. These are skills in business management and economics from the MSME Business School; skills in digital technology and innovation from the Vincent Mary School of Science and Technology; skills in design and creative thinking and imagination from the Montfort del Rosario School of Architecture and Design; skills in communication and presentation skills from the Albert Laurence School of Communication Arts; and social and emotional skills from the Louis Nobiron School of Music. The aim is to incubate and develop future young entrepreneurs with comprehensive skills necessary to steer business growth in challenging times. Moreover, students under the DDI program will be able to absorb the tuition and useful entrepreneurial knowledge from real entrepreneurs and business owners. The learning program will be carried out in the “Smart Classroom” within an inspiring environment and a harmonious integration of technology to enhance learning. There is also a co-working space to help improve the learning environment, promote creativity and imagination as well as a range of extracurricular activities in order to create hands-on experience fostering entrepreneurial growth in line with the DDI’s concept “Learning from business gurus to propel future entrepreneurs through taking action while learning the necessary lessons for attaining the business goal”.
The “Design & Digital Innovation” (DDI) program utilises Block Teaching and learning model. Teaching will be provided in an intensive block with around 80% of the entire learning program focusing on allowing students to have a hands-on experience through a capstone projects based on each student’s topic of interest. The DDI also has collaborations with leading companies and world-class corporations, including DELL, S-Curve (Official Google Partner), True, Shopee, Cesar Ritz, Ui Path, CIMA, and GQ to empower the entrepreneurial skills for students by sending a coach to participate in the learning program to share his or her experience and knowledge that cannot be found in any textbooks. The launch of DDI program represents a new future-forward education development roadmap of the MSME Business School in the modern era. The “Startup Business Sandbox” is set up for enthusiastic students with an entrepreneurial spirit and realistic dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur to test out their business paradigms, business initiatives, development platforms, entrepreneurship skills and passion, digital technologies, and innovations. There are mentors to provide specialised business advisory services and a variety of mechanisms that will help students thoroughly understand the ways of doing business. Assumption University also provides seed funds support for student ventures. DDI is a learning program that gives forward-looking students the freedom to choose their subjects of interest from more than 800 learning courses available in other faculties of Assumption University to suit their interests and further grow their businesses prowess across segments.
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A) in Design & Digital Innovation is created for ardent students who dream of becoming an entrepreneur and passionately want to test out their business plans in the Startup Business Sandbox. The program provides opportunities to learn about failures and mistakes in running business before rising again to face challenges in the business world in the digital era. Interested students can apply for the DDI program at www.ddi.au.edu or submit the application form in person at Assumption University’s application center at both campuses, Hua Mark and Suvarnabhumi.
