Dubai boys top Middle East and Africa region in problem-solving

Dubai - On September 19, their presentation was judged by an expert panel, as they made it to the top position in the regional finals.

Four Dubai-based teenagers have bagged the top prize in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region by showcasing problem-solving skills to help Covid-related business challenges.
Siddhant Tandon, Raghav Chutani, Ahad Khot and Harsha Bharadwaj - all students of Dubai International Academy (DIA) Emirates Hills clinched the first position at the recently concluded educational tournament, Tiger Global Case Competition. This year's virtual event, reserved for high school students aged 14 to18, witnessed the participation of 600 teams.
"We've spent long sleepless nights preparing for this competition. We worked on developing recommendations for the Japanese drone manufacturer Autonomous Control Systems Laboratory Ltd (ACSL) in the regional case round. For the final presentation, each of us put in at least two to three hours daily, toiling on it. Covid-19 put forth further challenges as all our meetings were online over Zoom," said Year 11 student Siddhant.
"We are really honoured to already put our school and the UAE on the international stage and are now gearing up for the global finals in October - where we will only be given 48 hours to work on a new pitch," he added.
On September 19, their presentation was judged by an expert panel, as they made it to the top position in the regional finals. "Each of us brought a new input and a different skill set to the table. Although the case study for all participating teams was the same, the solutions were different," said Year 11 student Harsha.
In the process, the team learnt from industry experts and navigated through unprecedented impediments, forging networks and developing problem-solving skills, said team member Raghav, a Year 12 student. "We really appreciate the encouragement and support we received from our school, helping us practice, prepare and perfect our presentation. We're extremely proud of having an environment that is designed to help us succeed, in academics as well as our extracurricular activities," he said.
"This was our first global case competition as a team and we've grown much closer together as a result. The case presented to us was challenging and helped us improve our skills in analysis, finance and critical thinking," added Ahad from Year 12.
The students highlighted how the unique social equity initiative provided them with opportunities to gain insights into what will be required for their careers in future.
nandini@khaleejtimes.com 

• Dubai