Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship

Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship

Be equipped and inspired to run a profitable Christian business with mission purpose

Purpose

To equip and inspire entrepreneurs and managers of social enterprises who want to start or run profitable businesses with a mission purpose.

Who Should Apply

• Entrepreneurs: Individuals who want to start a new social venture or a Christian business with a mission purpose (e.g. future tentmakers)
• Managers: Individuals who run a profitable business but would like to transform it into a social venture (e.g. tentmakers) or individuals who manage a Christian organization and aim to help their organizations become profitable and sustainable businesses (e.g. UCI managers, NGO leaders, Church officers)

Curriculum

The Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship will include 5 courses. The courses were selected based on the current needs of UCIs (Urban Centers of Influence) detected through MEU Consulting and Design.

• Strategic Management
• Strategic Marketing Management
• Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Model Steward Canvas
• Managerial Accounting for Social Enterprises

Those accepted into the MBA program, may take the 5 courses as 15 credits towards an MBA degree.

Location

Each course will be delivered in an intensive and in-person session of two weeks at Middle East University, in Beirut, Lebanon. Beirut is situated on a peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean coast, with beautiful beaches and mountains. During weekends, students might enjoy day trips to visit ancient cities visited by Jesus, such as Tyre and Sidon, or the reserves of 3,000-years-old cedar trees. Or a visit to the magnificent ruins of the Baalbek temple complex, which includes two of the largest and grandest Roman temple ruins: the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter. Or a visit to the city of Byblos, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Schedule

Summer 2024: three courses from June 3 to July 12 (6 weeks)

• June 3 to 14, 2024: Model Steward Canvas, Dr. Ken Long
• June 17 to 28, 2024: Strategic Management, Dr. Philippe Zgheib
• July 1 to 12, 2024: Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Mr. Jesse Zwiker

Summer 2025: two courses from June 2 to 27 (4 weeks)

• Managerial Accounting for Social Enterprises
• Strategic Marketing Management

Modality: Theory and Practice

The courses will blend theory with practice. Through workshops and mentoring the professors will coach students to strengthen their theoretical knowledge of social entrepreneurship. Besides, case studies, projects and group activities will provide structured opportunities for students to implement the tools in their ventures or organizations. Students will be encouraged to share their personal experiences and challenges as a basis for group discussion and case analysis. Likewise, students will be asked to implement the tools learned in their respective organizations as final course projects, thus leaving each course with a tangible plan to implement in their businesses. Teachers might require class requirements (assignments, projects) to be submitted after the in-person sessions.

Cost

Tuition credit for the certificate is $200, and dorm and cafeteria fees are $225 per week. The MBA at Middle East University is 39 credits, and the 15 credits of the Certificate can count towards earning the MBA degree. If a student desires to earn MBA credits they should pay the current MBA tuition fee (currently $275), and complete the remaining credits towards the MBA degree program.

A group of 20 students will be sponsored by MENAU. The sponsorship will cover tuition, and dorm and cafeteria. If you currently serve within MENAU and would like to be part of the sponsored group, contact your employing organization for approval. The student and the employing organization will cover other expenses (e.g. travel, visa, and other).

Professors

Dr. Ken Long

Dr. Ken Long is an Australian business consultant who helps businesses improve their competitiveness and profitability. His business skills include business strategy development, business development, sales and marketing management. These skills have been applied in a devisers range of industries such as electricity and gas retaining, IT commercialization (hardware/software), leadership training and development, and business consulting. In addition to his business expertise, Dr. Long is a Christian author of three books – the Giving Equation, the Model Steward Canvas and the Model Steward Canvas Workbook. The Model Steward Canvas is designed to assist aspiring entrepreneurs to develop a business model with a Kingdom purpose and was produced in collaboration with the Stewardship Department of the General Conference. Ken has degrees in Law and Accounting, a Master of Business Administration (Marketing) and Doctor of Business Administration (Organizational Innovation).

Mr. Jesse Zwiker

Jesse Zwiker, born in Switzerland, started out as a pioneer missionary in Honduras at the age of 19 co-founding VIDA International. There, he recognized the power of entrepreneurship in the context of ministry and then went on to found several ventures in the for-profit and non-profit sector, including Crosslingo, Langify, AI Lab, Solomon Consulting and others. He is the founder and president of Hyve, a community of over 6000 faith-based entrepreneurs, where he shares his passion for combining faith and entrepreneurship. He lives in Chattanooga, USA together with his beautiful wife and two children.

Dr. Philippe Zgheib

Dr. Philippe W. Zgheib is a senior Fulbright scholar in business ethics, in development economics, in social entrepreneurship and in business strategy. He holds a PhD in economics (1994) from Utah State University in the USA. He has served actively in academia, in project management, and in business practice in the USA, in the Arab Gulf, in Africa, and in the East Mediterranean region including Lebanon. Born in Lebanon, he has served in academic capacity and in executive leadership at leading universities including the American University of Beirut (AUB), and the Adventist regional flagship institution, Middle East University (MEU). His university adjunct service in the USA includes University of Pittsburgh, Ohio North-Central State U., and Cleveland State U. His public community service includes starting and managing innovative initiatives, and initiating active pursuits of faith-centered missional entrepreneurship, anchored in the Adventist Christian faith.

Apply

To apply fill up the application form at https://forms.gle/pfp2gHjundkcF1uy5.

Contact Us

If you have questions contact Dr. Carlos Biaggi at carlos.biaggi@meu.edu.lb or +961-71-189650.