The Sharjah Economic Development Department hosted awareness and interactive activities at the 2026 Sharjah International Book Fair to help students and aspiring entrepreneurs turn business ideas into viable projects.
The programme brought together experts, entrepreneurs, university students and other members of the business community. It included a workshop titled “Start Your Business with a Step,” which introduced the “Khatwa” licence. The licence allows students to establish businesses and conduct approved economic activities while studying under a simplified regulatory framework.
Another session, “The Entrepreneurial Student’s Step,” examined how students can balance academic work with running a business, navigate registration and licensing, and develop a student project into a sustainable, scalable venture. The University of Sharjah and Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre “Ruwad” took part in the discussion.
An interactive platform also enabled participants to assess their ideas and identify suitable activities under the Khatwa licence. According to the announcement, the department will use the collected ideas to consider new economic activities, evaluate promising projects for its “Abda’a” initiative and provide follow-up guidance.
Source: Sharjah 24
