Zayed University (ZU) has reported a marked rise in alumni participation as mentors in its Partner Challenges programme. This success follows the "Give Back" campaign, which was launched earlier this year by ZU's Alumni and Student Life departments.

As a result of the campaign, alumni now account for 1 in 5 (or 20%) of the total 192 mentors on the Fall 2023 programme. This represents a significant rise from previous iterations when just 1 in 20 (5%) mentors came from the alumni community.

The Partner Challenge Programme is integrated into a student's degree programme and provides them with an opportunity to apply their knowledge outside the classroom to a real-world challenge proposed by an industry partner.

The challenges, which are mandatory for all students, involve teams collaborating to address industry-relevant questions, blending theoretical education with practical problem-solving. The Programme provides students with insight into the type of work they will be expected to undertake when they begin their careers.

This year's significant progress in alumni engagement is attributed to ZU's "Give Back" campaign, which sought to motivate past students to impart their professional insights, bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world challenges.

The figures emphasise the campaign's success – alumni participation has shown substantial growth, indicating that ZU's holistic educational approach continues to resonate with its graduates long after they have left its campuses. It also underscores the dedication of ZU graduates to fostering the next generation, demonstrating their commitment to the university's ethos and the wider community.

Mary-Allison Irvine, Head of Student Life at Zayed University, commented, "Increasing the number of alumni involved in the Partner Challenge programme has been a key priority for us. At Zayed University, we aim for our students to think innovatively and embrace new skills and who better to pass on that message to our current students than our alumni community. The blend of alumni insights and student innovation is shaping our next generation of supercharged graduates."

The Partner Challenge Programme not only enrich ZU's academic offerings but also serves as a valuable networking opportunity for students. The Programme also continues to attract a wide range of businesses.

This year, more than 130 organisations have joined the Programme and are providing mentorship to current ZU students. The participants range from multinational corporations to SMEs across the tech, media, finance, and dozens of other sectors, including industry leaders such as CISCO, Coca Cola, HSBC, and Emirates NBD.