Zayed University ITI encourages e-innovation in the Gulf

"Zayed University is committed to playing an important role in the Gulf region in encouraging innovation and technology adaptation," said Dr. Hanif Al Qassimi, Vice President of Zayed University. Now in its 3rd year, the highly successful program is based on student e-business competitions run by such leading international academic institutes as Stanford University, MIT and Cambridge University. The objective of the "Zayed University e-biz challenge" is to identify and recognize future talent in the GCC -- the e-entrepreneurs of tomorrow - and give them the opportunity and the necessary encouragement to turn their ideas into reality.

In addition to showcasing their original ideas and exhibiting their educational training and talent, the challenge also provides students with networking and training opportunities with business and IT leaders, such as sponsors and supporters ADCO, ADWEA, AME Info, Bayt.com, CNBC, Campus Journal, DIC, Element K, GTFS, Jumbo Electronics, Microsoft, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Pearson Education, and Sun Microsystems, many of whom have assisted with the e-biz challenge several years in a row.

To promote the culture of recognizing innovative ideas and protecting intellectual property rights, the challenge is including entry into the Intellectual Property Showcase as part of the registration and to help protect students' ideas and plans. "The competition continues to provide a much needed link between academic institutions and industry in the Gulf region. It gives businesses the chance to tap into the enormous talent of the future e-entrepreneurs," said Dr. Abdullah Abonamah, Director of the ITI. Last year seventy-three teams from across the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, registered for the "Zayed University e-biz challenge II." Prizes for the top teams included a trip to the leading technology trade show Ce-BIT in Hannover, Germany, in March 2004, as well as laptops and desktops, and all teams were awarded a certificate of participation.

To participate in this year's challenge, students are required to submit a plan for an electronic business idea that will be judged by industry leaders on creativity, originality and practicality of implementation. Students will work with a faculty advisor from their home institution, and are required to register online at www.ebizchallenge.com. In the fall, representatives from the ITI will be visiting colleges and universities across the GCC to provide more information and answer any questions about the challenge. In addition, a series of seminars will be conducted to provide students with the information they require to put together effective plans. The deadline to submit plans is January 19th, 2005. The challenge will conclude with a gala dinner, where the winners will be announced.

The Institute for Technological innovation (ITI) is a Zayed University owned and operated business center that is designed to educate business leaders and aspiring professionals on new and emerging technologies. Its mission is to develop and offer training and research programs to support the society's ability to deal effectively with the flux of data from information technology and to help business leaders understand technological innovation and manage its impact.