CAIRO: An Egyptian student at the British University in Egypt (BUE) became the first Egyptian to win the annual Dubai Summer Surprises Apprenticeship Program. Sherif Tawfiq, a business student put himself forward for the competition, along with several other eager Egyptians from BUE, American University in Cairo and Sixth of October University. Tawfiq, along with the other eight winners, was chosen by a panel of marketing experts. They assessed the candidates based on the quality of submitted essays and documents as well as their displayed ambition, enthusiasm, potential and character. "It is the first time a BUE student has taken part in the competition. We are very pleased indeed with the outcome, a university spokesperson said. Tawfiq, along with students from different universites in the region, took part in a two-week strategic thinking internship in Dubai, focusing on the planning and execution of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) in the light of the exigencies of the global economic crisis. The Dubai Summer Surprises is a yearly event organized by the Dubai Shopping Festival Office. It is a 10-week long affair, featuring special events, aimed at families, in shopping malls across the country. Nine outstanding students in the fields of marketing and business administration from Middle East and North Africa region were selected to participate in the internship. "We were divided into groups and were involved in information gathering and creating new ideas with a view to making DSS 2010 successful. We also had the opportunity to attend some meetings. It was a great experience, Tawfiq told Daily News Egypt in an interview. "When it was announced by the jury that I was the winner, I was happy and excited, of course. But it's not really about winning. All the competitors spent so much time with each other during the internship, I made some close friends. That is also why all of us who went to Dubai were winners, added the promising BUE student. "My strategy to promote Dubai Summer Surprises in light of the current economic challenges is based on attracting the consumer and enhancing his interest through a worthwhile cutting-cost strategy, he said. Laila Sohail, the CEO of Dubai Shopping Festival Office, said, "the winning team this year represents the most outstanding students in the region. "The essay Sherif submitted proved his clear understanding of consumer behavior and thinking methodology. We are confident that the . program will enhance his marketing skills, especially through working with marketing experts and colleagues from different countries participating in this big event, she added.
