Malak Al-Mousli, Rawan Baik, and Lina Hussain, industrial engineering students from King Abdulaziz University, the first university in Saudi Arabia to offer the degree to female students, have won the first place in an international competition held in Panama. Competing against 23,000 participants from 40 different countries, the three Saudi engineering students beat strong contenders from countries such as India, Canada, and France, taking home the winning prize in the annual competition.
The competition challenges participants to develop a strategy for a high-profile trademark with a budget of 1 billion US dollars. The participants need to display skills in marketing, business management, human resources, strategy development, and budgeting. According to Saudi Gazette, the competition is divided into three phases: phase one held in Saudi Arabia between national universities. Phase two was held in India with the participation of teams from Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and India; and phase three saw the Saudi team nabbing first place beating teams from countries such as Canada, Mexico, and France.
Speaking to the portal, the three engineers said they were proud and happy to represent Saudi Arabia on an international stage and to prove to the world that whatever stereotypes they may have of Saudi women are false, that there are pioneering women in the Kingdom and the region.
