Emirati student on cloud nine after winning global contest

Mohamed Saif Al Mazrouei (second from left, front row) during the prize distribution ceremony.

Nine outstanding high school students from the UAE have arrived back home on Monday evening, after spending two weeks in a prestigious competition in the US, where one Emirati student took home the number one spot.
The students participated in the Wharton School's Global Young Leaders Academy Business Plan Competition alongside students from across the world, where Emirati student Mohamed Saif Al Mazrouei, who participated in Future Medical Stars programme, was announced the overall winner.
The team spent two weeks learning about entrepreneurship, market research, accounting, advertising, marketing management and public speaking workshops and seminars, in order to equip them with the insights and knowledge required to present and implement their business plans.
The nine students secured their place to participate as Future Medical Stars at Wharton's Global Young Leaders Academy programme by presenting their innovative business ideas to a panel of representatives from Al Bayt Mitwahid Association and VPS Healthcare.
The students' remarkable and life-saving healthcare projects will be funded by UAE-based doctor and managing director of VPS Healthcare, Dr Shamsheer Vayalil. The competition has led to the funding of Dh1 million to help bring the students' ideas to life - including the funding of the winning invention.
Prize dedicated to Crown Prince
Speaking on his personal experience of the trip Mohamed Saif Al Mazrouei told Khaleej Times that he went through a journey which he will never forget.
"I'm extremely proud to win the first place in this global competition, and proud to raise the UAE flag."
"I always remember the words of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, that he wants the UAE to be one of the best five countries in the world by year 2030. And I say to His Highness that we are working hard to reach his vision for the UAE."
He said that during the two weeks, the students learned how to start a successful healthcare business by attending entrepreneurship seminars.
"We also paid a visit to the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania, which gave us great insight into the healthcare business."
He said his invention focuses on helping treat psychiatric patients.
"The idea of my project was the use of artificial intelligence to treat psychiatric patients who cannot afford to pay for high-end treatment which might cost $75 per hour, and here I came up with an idea to create a sophisticated programme for the treatment at a cost of $7.50."
The student added: "I advise my fellow students in the UAE to put a specific goal and seek to achieve it by dedicating themselves to learn on the subject and following the developments that relate to this goal."
His future goals include starting a tech company that can help benefit the UAE's healthcare sector. "The tech sector is continually growing in the UAE, and I would love to become a part of that ongoing growth. In particularly, I would love to become an IT industry leader - and if I can put my tech brain into the advancement of healthcare in the UAE, even better."
The student received official recognition for winning, and hopes to take what he learned from the programme to develop his future career.
Saif Ali Al Qubaisi, chairman of Al Bayt Mitwahid Association, said: "Al Bayt Mitwahid is dedicated to the 'Future Medical Stars' programme, and will continue to invest and support our country's youth through the programme".
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com