CUD pupils win National Student Pitch Challenge

DUBAI: Canadian University Dubai (CUD) Communication and Media students Andrea Kurian, Andrea Assi, Nour Haddad, and Nada Abdulrahman, known collectively as ‘Next-gen Agency’, have taken the top spot in the 2021 National Student Pitch Challenge hosted recently by the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA).

The interactive virtual competition brought together ten teams of public relations and communications students from universities across the UAE over the span of two days to respond to a communications brief set by Emirates Literature Foundation. CUD’S Next-gen Agency triumphed over teams from Abu Dhabi University, Middlesex University Dubai, American University of the Emirates, Murdoch University, and New York University Abu Dhabi, as they competed in a live virtual pitch facing a panel of senior industry professionals.

The communication brief aimed to promote the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and required the students to increase interest in literature, target a younger audience, have the event recognised as a top cultural event in the Middle East and gain international media interest across various cultures and plaforms. Ahead of the competition, participants heard from senior industry professionals on how to dissect a brief and develop a communications strategy.

Sabrina De Palma, Executive Director, Middle East Public Relations Association, said: “The team from CUD wowed the judges with their creative and impacful ideas and demonstrated a clear understanding on the importance of research and insights, which was well beyond their years.”

Speaking on behalf of the CUD Next-gen Agency team, Andrea Kurian, third year Bachelors of Arts in Communication - Advertising student, said: “Taking part in the MEPRA Student Pitch Challenge was an exciting learning experience for us and as a team, we challenged ourselves to develop innovative ideas inspired by our research. The BA in Communication program at CUD has pushed us to continuously apply critical thinking and creative skills to real-life scenarios and campaigns, and with the support and guidance from our professor, Dr. Ode Amaize, we were able to propose a pitch that successfully addressed the client’s brief.”

Dr. Ode Amaize, Professor and Head of the Department of Communication and Media, Canadian University Dubai, offered his congratulations, saying: “I’m proud of the accomplishment of our four talented and diligent students for their skills, and their willingness to learn how to learn; I look forward to their continued success.”