doha • Enrolment for the Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (formerly the Executive Entrepreneurship Certificate Program) for 2008-09 has opened.

The course, conducted by Carnegie Mellon University and Qatar Science and Technology Park, is designed for aspiring business leaders who want to create a new technology business - either within their current company or by starting a new company.

While the course is aimed at managers and employees of private companies and government agencies, it is also available to other individuals. Mainly, it is for people wanting to learn how to build a new technology-based business.

The nine-month part-time programme starts on October 12, 2008. With its decades of experience Carnegie Mellon has built a worldwide network of successful entrepreneurs, managers and investors, who conduct guest lectures in Doha and provide students with valuable personal advice.

The courses, conducted in English, involve one week of intensive classes and weekly videoconferences with the Tepper School of Business in Pittsburgh. These are held at Education City in Doha, outside of business hours.

Some of the course titles will include: Entrepreneurial Thought and Action, Technology Commercialization Strategy, Technology Commercialization Workshop, and Entrepreneurial Business Planning.

Each course costs $3,000, with a total of $12,000 for the entire programme. Course participants intending to start a technology company in Qatar could be considered for a scholarship from Qatar Science & Technology Park.