BMW announces its cooperation for the first GCC wide Zayed University e-Biz Challenge

The contest is open to senior students from universities and colleges throughout the GCC region. It is designed to encourage young generation to be innovative as well as identify and recognise the e-entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

The Zayed University e-biz challenge is expected to attract entries from over 130 teams consisting of three students and a faculty adviser. The best 16 entries will be short listed and judged by a panel of 14 industry leaders and entrepreneurs. The winners will be announced at a Gala dinner to be held in March 2006.

"BMW Group is a company that believes in encouraging young Arab students to be more innovative, creative and future thinking,"

said Guenther Seemann, Managing Director, BMW Group Middle East.

"We always seek to partner with visionary organisations, such as Zayed University, which has introduced an exceptional business platform for students around the GCC region to develop their business skills.

"Our aim is to demonstrate BMW's commitment towards fostering creativity and entrepreneurial culture in the Middle East. We are the leader in breakthrough innovations and we want to encourage the young generation to lead in their own fields by thinking outside the box."

The Zayed University e-biz challenge is held annually under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan, President of Zayed University and Minister of Education. It was initiated by Zayed University four years ago.

The competition is modelled on the lines of the renowned business challenges organised each year by Stanford University and MIT in the United States and Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. It is a unique initiative that enables students to create, develop and submit an original business plan, which leverages information and communication technologies to solve real-world business problems. The deadline to submit business plans is mid-January, 2006.

Dr. Hanif Al Qassimi, Vice-President of Zayed University, said: "BMW is an acknowledged global industry leader and its association with the e-biz challenge is an indication of the company's resolve to invest in the development of the community that it operates in. It is an excellent example of how the private sector can contribute to the development of nationals in the GCC."

Zayed University was established in 1998 by the federal government of the U.A.E. to educate U.A.E. National women. It is based on an international model of higher education and organized into five academic colleges - Arts and Sciences, Business Sciences, Communication and Media Sciences, Education and Information Systems.

While the University continues to build strong education programs, which are critical for the students' success, an increasing emphasis is being placed on the innovative research that contributes to the national knowledge base. The faculty of Zayed University use their diverse international research experience to support the advancement of the United Arab Emirates.

The Institute for Technological Innovation is a non-profit centre owed and operated by Zayed University. It educates business leaders on new and emerging technologies and is targeted to corporate managers, educators, entrepreneurs, consultants and analysts in the Gulf region who want to stay ahead of the curve by understanding technological innovation and managing its impact.