As part of Google’s commitment to empower the Middle East and North Africa’s academic community, Google has launched the second round of the Google Student Ambassador Program in Egypt. The program invites students enrolled in universities across the Middle East and North Africa region to represent Google on campuses and serve tenure for one academic year. The program is aimed at providing knowledge, infrastructure and tools to help develop MENA’s future leaders. For the second MENA Google Ambassador Program, more than 700 students applied, from which Google has selected 234 ambassadors from more than 70 universities across the region.
The ambassadors were selected based on a number of criteria including their familiarity with technology, their commitment to making a significant impact on their respective campuses, and their desire to highlight the innovations that allow Google to bring economic, social and cultural benefits to society. The student ambassadors will be given a four-day-long training, during which they will explore everything ‘Google’. Specifically, the training will cover Google products, developers’ tools, an overview on university programs, sales tools and marketing overview as well as sessions on Google itself.
To offer students the best training and understanding into the world of Google, Googlers from MENA and Europe will provide training to all the students. “The GSA Program is another innovative way we’re actively engaging youth from across the region to help them make the most of technology – academically, socially and culturally,” said Noha Salem, Head of University Outreach for Google across MENA.
Google notified the chosen ambassadors, 25% of which are female, in early July. Upon receiving the news of their acceptance into the program, students from across the region expressed their excitement about being selected for this unique opportunity. “Thank you so much for accepting me! You cannot imagine my excitement or how I looked jumping around the room once I got the email. I was ecstatic!” said Dana AlDraye from Saudi Arabia.
The training will provide student ambassadors with the understanding and skills to enhance their experience at university. The Student ambassadors will work closely with Google teams to organize events and help raise awareness among MENA students about the opportunities and value of Google and the Internet. Last year’s GSA events reached out to more than 350,000 students around the region, many of whom were awarded prestigious scholarships and internships around the globe.
Following the training, Google Ambassadors will return to their universities, where they will work closely with Google teams to organize events and help raise awareness among students about the opportunities and value of Google and the Internet. They will spread the word on campus about competitions, scholarships and other opportunities, attend Google events as a Google representative, test products and features, be a source of knowledge for their university about Google products, as well as spread Google goodwill to fellow students.
As the innovators of the tomorrow, students are highly valued by Google. As a strong supporter of innovation, Google sees the potential of the Ambassador Program as something that will develop education in universities in the region as well as the technological ecosystem as a whole.
