Students from Middle East, Africa Shine at Schneider Electric's Sixth ‘Go Green in the City' Challenge - 20 Regional Teams among Top Global 100

• UAE semi-finalist teams from Heriot-Watt University, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and BITS-Pilani 
• Representation across MEA also includes five teams from Pakistan, five from Egypt, two teams each from Nigeria and Kenya, and one each from Morocco and Ghana
• Winning team to travel VIP-style to Schneider Electric’s global facilities, gain employment opportunities with energy leader

Dubai, UAE, July 28, 2016:  Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, has selected 20 teams from the Middle East and Africa region as part of the top 100 teams to qualify for the semi-finals of its globally-renowned sixth annual ‘Go Green in the City’ student competition. 

Launched in 2011, Go Green in the City provides business and engineering students (second-year undergraduate or higher) with a powerful opportunity to showcase innovative energy management ideas for smarter cities. 

Submissions for the 2016 challenge came from students across the globe. Among the 16,400 registrations, 1,183 teams from 182 countries were shortlisted for the top 100. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region accounts for the second largest pool of team submissions, making up 20 percent of the 100 semi-finalists. These include four teams from the UAE, five from Pakistan, five from Egypt, two teams from each Nigeria and Kenya, and one each from Morocco and Ghana. 

As in previous years, participants are expected to devise a viable energy management solution to one of the critical challenges faced by growing cities, applying to homes, universities, the retail sector, hospitals or water supply. The students submit their proposals as part of a two-person team with at least one female member.

Sevda Esenturk, Vice President of HR – Gulf Countries and Pakistan, Schneider Electric, said: “We have had more enthusiastic and talented students participate this year than ever before! A total of 102 teams submitted projects from the MEA region between February and May, and each displayed innovation, vision and technical expertise. This is a significant jump from 2015, when we had 22 submissions, and highlights the positive headway the UAE is making towards becoming a more knowledge-oriented economy.”

Interest in Go Green in the City has increased massively since the challenge was first launched in 2011. In 2016, Schneider Electric received more than 16,400 registrations for the competition, up from 12,800 in 2015.

"Go Green in the City resonates strongly with students because of growing concern about the effects of urbanization, climate change and resource scarcity,” said Nisreen Kheiri, Schneider Electric's Manager for Talent Acquisition & Mobility in Middle East & Africa. "Young people are genuinely interested in making a difference to the world’s future.”

The final stage of the competition will be held in Paris from September 19 to 22, 2016.