Students from New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have won the Adnoc-Bloomberg UAE Energy Investment Academy 2024, the second phase of the annual Adnoc-Bloomberg Trading Challenge, held at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (Adipec), this unique competition allows students in the UAE to showcase their expertise in data analytics and commodities trading within a real-world energy context.

 

Meera Almarzooqi, Mariam Alhosani, Afra Alshehhi, Sultan Aljallaf, Nada Al Mosheky and Reem Almarzooqi from NYUAD were named the winners for their well-crafted strategy and impressive understanding of market dynamics.

 

The winners are eligible for internships with Adnoc Global Trading. A total of 40 students comprising eight teams from five universities across the UAE participated in the challenge, with five teams advancing to the final round.

 

BloombergNEF (BNEF), a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the low-carbon economy transition, played a key role in designing this phase of the challenge, which focused on the future of commodities and climate technologies.

 

The Adnoc-Bloomberg UAE Energy Investment Academy aims to qualify the next generation of Emirati graduates.

 

The university team simulated a real-world investment environment, developing comprehensive reports and specialised financial strategies for the energy sector.

 

Dr Hassan Al Mheiri, Acting Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, praised the importance of this challenge, emphasising the ongoing collaboration between the ministry and the strategic partners in supporting initiatives that enhance students' skills and keep pace with labor market demands.

 

He added that these efforts contribute significantly to realising the UAE's vision of building a diversified knowledge-based economy driven by sustainable innovation.

 

The second phase of the annual trading challenge, which forms part of the Adnoc-Bloomberg for Education Initiative, is a collaborative effort by Adnoc, the Ministry of Higher Education and Bloomberg that aims to support the UAE’s next generation of graduates.

 

Using Bloomberg Terminals and guided by BNEF analysts and industry experts, teams from competing universities simulated analyst workflows and commodity trading strategies, culminating in research reports presented to a jury of energy sector experts.

 

Saif Al Falahi, Executive Vice President, Group Business Support & Special Tasks, Adnoc said: “We are proud of the commitment and exceptional talent displayed by all the students in the Adnoc-Bloomberg Energy Investment Academy Challenge 2024 and warmly congratulate the winners of this year's competition. The challenge provides an excellent platform to catalyze the development of our nation’s youth in financial and commodity trading and Adnoc will continue to support educational initiatives such as this as we foster a knowledge-based economy in the UAE.”

 

Giuseppe Netti, Regional Head of Enterprise Sales, Middle East & Africa, Bloomberg said: “The year’s competition once again highlighted the exceptional talent emerging from UAE universities. The students demonstrated remarkable skills in understanding and applying real-world financial data to tackle complex challenges within the energy sector. As the UAE continues its journey toward a knowledge-based economy, it is encouraging to see these young professionals play a key role in driving the country’s future economic success.”

 

In 2019, Adnoc, Bloomberg, and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement and develop a training programme to equip future generations of UAE students with the financial skills needed to thrive in today’s dynamic and globally connected world.

 

To date, this partnership has supported over 9,000 students, with 100 Bloomberg Terminals installed across five of the UAE’s leading universities - Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi University, UAE University, New York University Abu Dhabi, and the Higher Colleges of Technology. -TradeArabia News Service