The College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) presented an international conference “Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Development and the Halal Economy: Concepts, Framework and Practice” on March 27-28. The conference was a result of a collaboration between the college, Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA), and Qatar Development Bank (QDB) – two key stakeholders in the Qatari entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Expert-led discussions provided unique perspectives on under-researched areas, aiming to supplement the literature gap on entrepreneurial activities promoting sustainable development and the halal economy. Framing the conference was a recognition of the significant role of entrepreneurs in providing appropriate halal goods and services that satisfy the needs of Muslim populations and have the unique features and characteristics that fulfill religious values and principles. The conference addressed growing opportunities within the halal economy, which is estimated to grow up to $6.04 trillion by 2024.

Four academic sessions over the two days covered topics such as the impacts and challenges of Islamic entrepreneurship in the halal economy, ethnographic perspectives of entrepreneurship, policy, and financing models for advancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Speakers exchanged insights on best practices research (theoretical, conceptual, and empirical) and engaged on the approaches adopted by Qatar, Nigeria, the UK, Malaysia, India, and other countries. In addition, two panel sessions titled, ‘Impact Banking for SMEs and the Halal Economy’ and ‘Islamic FinTechs and the Halal Economy’ were held with industry experts in an effort to bridge the gap between academia and the industry.

Source: Hamad Bin Khalifa University