THE AMITY MINI-MBA Business, Entrepreneurship & Leadership Programme For Year 12 Students
In partnership with Amity University, Dubai Part of the Amity ‘Horizons’ Programme for Future Leaders
www.amityabudhabi.com
WHY THE AMITY MINI-MBA? The future belongs to those who can think beyond today.
The world students are preparing to enter is changing faster than ever. Technology is reshaping industries, artificial intelligence is transforming how organisations work, and the careers of tomorrow may look very different from those of today. Academic knowledge remains essential but future success will also depend on the ability to think strategically, recognise opportunities, make informed decisions, communicate with confidence and lead others through change. That is where the Amity Mini-MBA begins. Designed for Year 12 students and delivered in partnership with Amity University, Dubai, the programme provides an early, practical introduction to business, entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation. Students do not simply learn how business works, they learn to think like business leaders. The result is not simply greater business knowledge, but greater confidence, stronger decision-making, and a mindset built for the future.
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The programme helps students build: Commercial awareness Understand how organisations create value, serve customers, compete and grow.
Entrepreneurial thinking Recognise opportunities, challenge assumptions and turn ideas into ventures.
Strategic thinking Look beyond the immediate problem to the wider factors shaping outcomes.
Leadership capability Build confidence in teamwork, communication and decision-making.
Financial literacy Understand budgets, costs, revenue, investment and business growth.
Communication and influence Structure ideas, present clearly and respond to challenge.
Innovation mindset Explore how AI, technology and emerging trends reshape business.
Future readiness Gain practical evidence of initiative and problem-solving for future ambitions.
The Amity Mini-MBA is a one-year business, entrepreneurship and leadership experience, combining university-level academic exposure, interactive workshops, business cases, simulations, real-world challenges, team projects and independent learning.
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Across three core modules, students progress from understanding how businesses work, to exploring how businesses grow, before considering how innovation and emerging technologies will shape the future. Along the way, they will learn by doing - identifying opportunities, investigating markets, creating solutions, evaluating implications, communicating ideas, responding to challenges, and taking their thinking through to action. The journey culminates in the Future Business Challenge, a capstone experience in which students take a real-world opportunity and develop a fully argued proposal before presenting it to an academic and industry panel.
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Programme
Amity Mini-MBA
Eligibility
Years 12 Students
Duration
One academic year
Format
Blended learning: Face-to-face teaching sessions, face-to-face workshops, Online consultation, Independent and project-based study, Business case studies and simulations
Core modules
3
Taught sessions
11 (3 hours each)
Total learning commitment
Approximately 80 hours
Projects
3 module projects + 1 capstone
Final experience
Business report + live pitch
University partner
Amity University, Dubai
Award
Amity Mini-MBA Certificate
WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT? • • • • • • •
University-level exposure, before university: Early exposure to university-level business education, delivered with Amity University, Dubai. Learning beyond the classroom: Case studies, workshops, simulations and real-world challenges make concepts practical. A complete business journey: From foundations and entrepreneurship through leadership, marketing and finance, to innovation and strategy. Real business application: Students develop actual proposals and strategies, not just theory. Exposure to academics and industry: Engagement with academics, entrepreneurs and business leaders. The opportunity to pitch: A live business challenge and pitch to an academic and industry panel. A connection to entrepreneurship and incubation: A window into Amity University’s incubation ecosystem, from idea to enterprise.
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THE PROGRAMME JOURNEY MODULE 1 · TERM 1 · DISCOVER
Foundations of Business & Entrepreneurship Think commercially. Spot opportunities. Build ideas. Students explore how organisations operate, how entrepreneurs identify opportunities, and how businesses create value for customers. Students will explore: • How businesses operate and respond to opportunities • Entrepreneurial opportunities and opportunity evaluation • Business models and revenue structures • Customers, competitors and market conditions • Creative problem-solving • Business communication and pitching Project - Business Idea Proposal: Students identify a business opportunity and develop a proposal covering the problem, solution, target customer, market research, value proposition, business model, revenue model and a short pitch.
MODULE 2 · TERM 2 · BUILD
Leadership, Marketing & Finance Lead people. Understand customers. Make informed decisions. Ideas need more than creativity to succeed - they require leadership, customers, financial discipline and a clear growth strategy. Students will explore: • Leadership styles and building effective teams • Marketing principles, brand building and customer communication • Target markets and positioning • Budgeting and financial fundamentals • Sources of finance and business growth • Risk and implementation priorities Project - Business Growth Strategy (20%): Students take their Term 1 concept, or an existing business, and develop a growth strategy covering leadership, staffing, target market, positioning, marketing channels, revenue objectives, budget, funding and risk.
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MODULE 3 · TERM 3 · INNOVATE
Innovation, Strategy & the Future of Business Think ahead. Understand disruption. Shape what comes next. AI, emerging technologies and shifting consumer expectations are changing how organisations compete. Students will explore: • How innovation affects industries and business models • AI and its opportunities and risks for business • Emerging technologies and disruption • Trends shaping the future economy • Strategic thinking and analysis tools • Sustainability, ethics and social impact Project - Innovation Proposal (20%): Students develop a proposal for a new product, AI-enabled solution, process improvement, sustainable initiative, social enterprise or response to a future market trend.
CAPSTONE · MONTH 7 · LEAD
The Future Business Challenge From an idea to a business case. After completing the taught modules, students apply everything they have learned to a real-world business challenge - creating a new venture, designing a social enterprise, developing an AI-driven solution, launching a sustainable product, or solving a local community challenge. Students move through the full journey: Problem, research, opportunity, solution, business case, strategy, pitch. The capstone is the programme’s one formal, submitted and graded assessment, carrying 40% of the overall mark.
THE FINAL PITCH The programme culminates in a live business pitch. Students present their proposal to an academic and industry panel in a Dragons’ Den-style experience, responding to questions and defending the thinking behind their business case - an opportunity to demonstrate not just what they know, but how they think.
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THE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK The programme is designed to reward both consistent engagement and the ability to bring learning together in practice.
Assessment
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Weight
Main Deliverable
Business Idea Proposal
20%
Business opportunity and model presentation
Business Growth Strategy
20%
Leadership, marketing and financial growth plan
Innovation Proposal
20%
Strategic innovation recommendation
Future Business Challenge — Capstone
40%
Formal report and final business pitch
FROM CLASSROOM TO UNIVERSITY ECOSYSTEM The partnership with Amity University, Dubai extends the learning experience beyond the school environment. Students engage with university academics and specialists, receive guidance on projects, and gain insight into the realities of business, entrepreneurship and innovation. • University engagement: Online consultations with Amity University professors for project guidance and feedback. • Guest speakers: Insights from entrepreneurs, business leaders, academics and industry specialists. • Industry exposure: Opportunities to explore businesses, meet professionals and understand career pathways. • Incubation opportunities: Strong projects may be considered for Amity University’s Eureka and Ideas Factory platforms, with selected students invited to a residential at the University to meet the CEO of Amity Education Group, Middle East, and the Head of Incubation.
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The Programme Calendar Term
Date
Topic
Main Deliverable
Term 1
21 Sep 2026
Introduction to Business & Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Dr. Shahzia Khan
Term 1
24 Sep 2026
Entrepreneurship & Start-Ups and Opportunities Evaluation
Incubation Hub Mr. Bilal Shabandri
Term 1
1 Oct 2026
Understanding Markets & Customers
Dr. Priya Baguant Mr. Steve Johnston(Practice Perspective)
Term 1
7 Oct 2026
Design Thinking & Problem Solving
Ms. Corinne Martin
Term 1
28 Oct 2026
Business Models, Revenue Streams & Basic Costing
Dr. Milica Tadic
Term 1
10 Nov 2026
Business Pitch Fundamentals, Communication & Presentation
Incubation Hub Mr. Alister Aranha
Term 2
25 Jan 2027
Leadership Essentials & Building High-Performing Teams
Dr. Saher Nabi
Term 2
28 Jan 2027
Marketing, Brand Building, Social Media & Customer Communication
Dr. Ruhi Sethi
Term 2
1 Feb 2027
Financial Literacy, Budgeting, Investment & Business Growth
Dr. Milica Tadic
Term 2
13 Apr 2027
AI & Business, Innovation & Disruption
Mr. Robert Studholme
Term 3
21 Apr 2027
Strategic Thinking & Preparing for the Future Economy
Dr. Rajneesh Mishra
The Graduate Profile Successful completion gives students a foundation across eight capabilities: Entrepreneurial thinking • Commercial awareness • Financial literacy • Leadership • Strategic thinking • Communication • Innovation • Future readiness
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The Amity Difference The Mini-MBA is strengthened by its connection to Amity University, Dubai - bringing academic learning, entrepreneurship and innovation together within a university environment. The University’s Business Incubation Centre supports the development of ideas from ideation through to execution, and its recognition includes the Dubai Human Development Appreciation Award, the Dubai Quality Appreciation Award, and the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award in the Education Category.
The future does not always follow a straight path. The Amity Mini-MBA is not about deciding a student’s future for them - it is about giving them the confidence and capabilities to shape it.
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www.amityabudhabi.com
reception@amityabudhabi.ae
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