SURE℠ Earns International Honor
Bauer SURE℠ Program Globally Recognized for Economic Impact
A Bauer College program has just received recognition for helping to build a better world from the global standard-setting body for business education.
At the 2026 AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting, the Stimulating Urban Renewal through Entrepreneurship (SURE℠) program was recognized for their innovative experiential learning model that teaches students human-centric skills and provides local entrepreneurs with mentorship, education and resources at no cost to them.
“Of the 260 applications from around the globe, I am humbled and honored to receive this award for Bauer College,” said Professor Saleha Khumawala, who is executive director of the Musa and Khaleda Dakri Center for Economic Inclusion and founding director of the SURE℠ Program.
This program has made an impact on the lives of entrepreneurs and the students, who put their business education to practice as acting consultants.
“This is a very special recognition,” Undergraduate Business Programs Assistant Dean Oliva Miljanic said. “The SURE℠ program is a great opportunity for our students to learn by teaching. They apply and grow their skills while also building their network, and it has a profound impact on the community.”
As of December 2025, SURE℠’s total economic impact across Houston is over $501 million USD — the highest impact of all submissions received for this award. The positive change the program has had is reflected in the more than 2,300 entrepreneurs they’ve helped educate, and the more than 3,300 jobs created by SURE℠-trained employees.
TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT
$501
Million
ENTREPRENEURS EDUCATED
2,300+
77 Zip Codes
BUSINESSES LAUNCHED/GROWN
1,420
JOBS CREATED
3,300
ANNUAL REVENUE GENERATED
$55
Million
Annual revenue generated by SURE℠-trained business owners in 2025
BUSINESS LONGEVITY
70%
Success Rate
Exceeding the national U.S. Small Business Administration average of 49% survival after five years.
CONSULTING VALUE
10,200 Hours
Annually
10,200 hours of one-on-one consulting by UH students annually, valued at more than 1.6 million USD
“The SURE℠ program illustrates how a business school can have a meaningful impact on its community,” Bauer Dean Xianjun Geng said.
To be recognized on a global stage by the AACSB, the most prominent platform for leading business schools across the world, is an honor for both the college and the program who are expanding their reach outside of the United States, Geng added.
In recent years, Khumawala has reached out to educational organizations and government officials across the world to bring programs built by the SURE℠ model to their institutions. They have expanded their reach across multiple countries such as Mexico, Africa, China, India, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and more to either present or help implement a similar experiential learning model in their communities.
“AACSB is a platform for colleges and business schools to share their experiences and support each other,” Geng said. “Bauer is open for business...we are very willing to support our peers and strengthen their entrepreneurial programs. We are happy to see our sibling colleges achieve similar levels of success.”
From left: Bauer College Dean Xianjun Geng; Musa and Khaleda Dakri Center for Economic Inclusion Executive Director and SURE℠ Program Founding Director Professor Saleha Khumawala; Undergraduate Business Programs Assistant Dean Olivia Miljanic; and John & Rebecca Moores Professor Basheer Khumawala.
From left: Bauer College Dean Xianjun Geng; Musa and Khaleda Dakri Center for Economic Inclusion Executive Director and SURE℠ Program Founding Director Professor Saleha Khumawala; Undergraduate Business Programs Assistant Dean Olivia Miljanic; and John & Rebecca Moores Professor Basheer Khumawala.
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