Community engagement and entrepreneurship: IIUM exhibition empowers local entrepreneurs, 29 May 2024

By, Mehrin Fathima

GOMBAK, 23 May 2024: In an enthusiastic display of community engagement, business-mindedness and integrated marketing communication initiatives, the COMM3315: Integrated Marketing Communication class of 2024 and the Communication Students’ Association (COSA) are hosting an Exhibition on Empowering Local Entrepreneurs in Gombak at IIUM Gombak next week.

The event seeks to bring together the students in support of local entrepreneurs in the Gombak region, through a day of learning, socializing, and fun activities. The main goals of the exhibition are to provide exposure and traffic to local businesses, while also introducing students of the IIUM to enterprising individuals and small business initiatives. Since it was organized through a collaboration of students, entrpreneurs and the AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS), the exhibition will also help to foster solidarity among entrepreneurs with the IIUM community. There are nine entrepreneurs who will be selling their products and engaging with the IIUM community and public.

The event details are as follows:

Day/Date: Wednesday, 29 May 2024

Time: 8:00AM – 5:00PM

Venue: HS Seminar Room (opening ceremony) HS Square (exhibition), AHAS KIRKHS, IIUM Gombak

Organizers: COMM3315: Integrated Marketing Communication students, Department of Communication, AHAS KIRKHS and Communication Students’ Association (COSA)

The entrepreneurship scene in Malaysia is a thriving and the diverse tapestry of small and medium businesses that contribute to the country’s economy. Malaysia’s unique blend of cultures allows for a rich environment for innovation and business. As students, we have much to learn from the entrepreneurs who have successfully navigated this scene and taken control of their own livelihoods while enriching and bettering their communities. The exhibition is an attempt to look into how these individuals and businesses operate and interact with communities, and also to reciprocally support them in their endeavours.

The event is also a compelling display of one of AHAS KIRKHS’ goals for the Department of Communication: to foster a collaborative relationship with the locals of Kampung Kerdas, Gombak through community engagement. While it is mainly a residential area, it is also home to several budding businesses and stalls, especially in the food and beverage industry.

The Integrated Marketing Communication students aim to use this event to further the practice of integrated marketing communication strategies, which, while not new to the Malaysian economy, is still a topic of growing interest. By applying IMC techniques in the promotion of small businesses, we hope to contribute to the development of their marketing practices and future operations.

The exhibition, therefore, is not only a project in IMC, but also an initiative to promote new forms of engagement and relations that can be adopted by enterprising businesses.

Do make sure to check it out, whether it is because you want to support local businesses, or just because you want to try some tasty food in your down-time! It’s sure to be a rewarding and enlightening experience. More information on the exhibition can be found on the official Instagram: @imc_comm and through Sr. Ayu (019-5459364) ***