Carnegie Mellon Qatar launches Business Innovation Challenge for high school students

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), a Qatar Foundation partner university, hosted the inaugural Business Innovation Challenge, a two-day competition designed to introduce top high school students and school counselors to the university's rigorous Business Administration program.

The challenge saw 78 students forming 26 teams from 15 public and private high schools across Qatar. The participants tackled a business case that presented a real-world challenge: developing a financially sustainable and operationally practical solution to reduce single-use plastic and paper cups in Qatar. The student teams worked to devise solutions, and top teams advanced to a final round where they presented their ideas to a panel of judges.

A focus on quantitative, real-world problem-solving

The event underscored the quantitative, analytical approach central to CMU-Q's Business Administration program. The degree program has been offered at CMU-Q since 2004, and graduates are now working across Qatar in leadership roles in government, business and non-profit organizations. Three alumni—all executives at Qatar Investment Authority—served as judges in the final round.

"This weekend, you worked on a business case based on a real-world problem, and this is exactly the type of challenge we present to our students," said Michael Trick, dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, at the closing ceremony. "We challenge our students to apply their knowledge, get creative, and find solutions and new ways forward. Today, you have experienced a small taste of what it is like to be a CMU-Q student."

Key partnerships and recognition

The challenge was held in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and sponsored by the Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ).

"Our partnership with Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar is an important way we provide high school students in Qatar with enriching opportunities that align with our national development goals," said Sarah Al Shraim, Director of the Curriculum and Learning Resources Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. "The Business Innovation Challenge is an opportunity for future leaders to begin thinking about how they personally can contribute to Qatar's knowledge-based economy."

Prizes were generously sponsored by the Commercial Bank of Qatar.

“Commercial Bank of Qatar is proud to sponsor an initiative that places education and innovation at the forefront of youth development,” said Fahad Badar, Executive General Manager, Chief Wholesale and International Banking Officer. “Platforms like the Business Innovation Challenge are an investment in the entrepreneurial spirit and intellectual capacity of the next generation of Qatari leaders, which is essential for achieving the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.”

The three winning teams were from Almaha Academy for Boys, American School of Doha, and Doha College. An additional CBQ Award was presented to a team from Ahmad Bin Hanbal Secondary School for Boys for demonstrating exceptional creativity and potential.

The event was organized by Serkan Akgüç, Associate Teaching Professor of Finance at CMU-Q, and a team of CMU-Q Business Administration faculty, staff and students.

“The core of this challenge was asking the students to tackle a deeply integrated problem. Their solutions had to be commercially viable, operationally practical, and lead to demonstrable behavioral change, all while being financially self-sufficient. These high school students did an exceptional job demonstrating the type of analytical, real-world problem-solving we instill in our CMU-Q Business Administration students,” commented Professor Akgüç.

In addition to Business Administration, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar offers degree programs in Artificial Intelligence, Biological Sciences, Computer Science, and Information Systems. All of the programs encourage interdisciplinary teamwork and creative problem solving.