AUK Students Participate in Warba Bank’s Rowad Innovation Program

Five AUK students participated in Warba Bank’s Rowad Innovation Program, a training and workshop challenge where teams were coached by the banking industry’s top mentors to develop innovative solutions for real-life financial business issues. The students were nominated by AUK college deans based on their high academic performances and GPA scores. 
 
Brought to AUK by its Office of Alumni Affairs and Career Development (AACD), the University’s team included Amnah Derdab, majoring in economics and marketing; Husnain Hassan, majoring in accounting; Donia Al-Gouhari, majoring in business management and finance; Laila Dallol, majoring in electrical engineering; and Ali Darwiche, majoring in computer engineering. 
 
The challenge presented by Warba Bank centered around the question of how banks can improve brand perception with the younger generation, especially communities already engaged in e-sports and gaming, and how banks can leverage gamification techniques to better engage youth. 
 
The AUK team presented their solution with a business model that revolved around the three main elements of the challenge: community, competition, and financial solutions. This involved designing a prototype that was attractive to youth and gamification.  
 
Commenting on the project, team member Ali Darwiche said, “Coming from an engineering background to a competition that is more business and design oriented, it gave me the opportunity and resources to learn about fields that I have not interacted with.” 
 
Abir Tannir, director of the Office of Alumni Affairs and Career Development (AACD), expressed her pride towards the participating students, “We are proud of our students who executed their skills and knowledge into an innovative real-life experience. This is what AUK is all about—Learn, Think, Become. I am also grateful to our alumni who previously participated in the Rowad Program as students. They were mentoring our current team to a successful learning experience. Warba Bank has given AUK students a tremendous innovative opportunity that enabled them to flourish and grow.” 
 
Programs as such give students the opportunity to expand their knowledge outside the classroom that will aid them in implementing their coursework material to real-life experiences. The AACD continuously engages with AUK students and alumni to provide support and recognition for their achievements and professional excellence. The AACD also directs students and alumni towards programs, services, and workshops that contribute to their holistic learning experience with a balance of theoretical and practical initiatives.  

 
 

AUK participating students receiving an award from Warba’s CEO Mr.Shaheen Al Ghanim 
 
 

Mr. Shaheen Al Ghanim presenting a plaque to Ms. Abir Tannir
 
 

AUK participating students with Mr.Shaheen Al Ghanim and Ms. Abir Tannir