MIT Arab Alumni/ae Association

Dear AAA Volunteers,

On behalf of the AAA team and the Alumni Association, I’d like to offer my sincere thanks for your dedication to the MIT Alumni Association and the Institute over the past year and extend an invitation to a gathering that can make your MIT activities even more rewarding in the year ahead—the annual Alumni Leadership Conference (ALC) scheduled September 25-26, 2009.

ALC is designed to bring fresh energy to your involvement with MIT and aid you in upcoming volunteer activities. The conference will feature training workshops, panel discussions, updates from Institute representatives, as well as a host of networking sessions.

Registration for ALC begins in late July, either online or by mail. The cost to attend this year’s conference is $40, which includes all the content, meals and the Awards Gala Event.

Discounted hotel reservations are currently available at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge. You may make arrangements by contacting the Hyatt directly at 617-492-1234 or 1-800-233-1234. When calling, request the MIT Alumni Leadership Conference “ALC” room block to receive the group rate of $225/night. Reservations must be made by September 4.

Discounted reservations are also available at Le Meridien Hotel (formerly Hotel@MIT) in Cambridge. Secure your reservation online or contact the Le Meridien directly at 617-577-0200.Please request the MIT Alumni Leadership Conference “ALC” room block to receive the group rate of $269/night. Reserve by August 24 to receive the discount.

For more information, visit ALC 2009 online at http://alum.mit.edu/alc, email us at alc@mit.edu, or call 1-617-253-8246.

As volunteers, you play a crucial role in MIT’s future success, and the Alumni Leadership Conference plays a crucial role in developing your capabilities as a volunteer. We hope you’ll join us for this special two-day event

On behalf of the MIT Arab Alumni Association, and in Sponsorship with Masdar and the Masdar Institute of Science & Technology, we are delighted to announce the:

6th MIT Pan-Arab Conference: Global Energy Challenges & Opportunities
Abu Dhabi – November 9th, 2009

www.mitpanarabconf.org

The conference will be held over the course of a full day in Abu Dhabi on November 9th, 2009. We will have a group of notable speakers addressing topics that include global energy strategy and policy; public and private sector developments; innovations in demand-side, generation and carbon capture technologies; and more. We hope you can make this event, other attendees will include regional government leaders, industry executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and MIT faculty and alumni.

We will be releasing additional information soon, including further details on the agenda / speakers and information on how to register. In the interim, please mark this event in your calendar, we hope to see you there!

We are proud to announce the MIT MIT Arab Alumni/ae Association’s

The MIT Arab Business Plan Competition is the first of its kind in the Arab world. The Competition is designed to encourage all entrepreneurs in the region to start their own company and, ultimately, create a nest of leading firms in the Arab world. It also brings to the Arab world all the MIT expertise in entrepreneurship and in running such competitions.

The equivalent of the MIT Arab Business Plan Competition in Boston is called the MIT 50K Entrepreneurship Competitions and has created a number of leading firms and thousands of jobs.

(AAA note: Please note this event is organized by the MIT Enterprise Forum of the Pan Arab Region)

HOW TO APPLY:
Teams interested in joining the Competition must secure a username and password per team by clicking on the “Apply Now” button on the home page of the website. The website will be open for registrations starting Monday, November 10, 2008. Using their credentials, users are required to fill the online application form consisting of 16 questions that summarize their business idea and the means of implementing it. The application is available in English language only and should be filled in English too.

The user may save the application as many times as necessary to fill it. Once duly completed, the application will be considered for grading by pressing the “Submit” button.

The deadline for submitting the applications is Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 23:59, Beirut time.

AWARDS:
The winner of the Competition will receive prize money of USD 50,000. The check will be issued in the name of the company. , the members of the winning team will be given the opportunity to attend the MIT Global Startup Workshop (GSW).

The first and second runner-ups will receive a check of USD 10,000 and USD 5000 respectively.

Besides the financial reward, the winning teams will be provided with coaching/mentoring from the members and network of the MIT Enterprise Forum who will also help the winners get their businesses up and explore further funding opportunities by introducing them to business development centers, financing institutions, and similar organizations.

For more details on the competition and eligibility to apply see:  http://www.mitarabcompetition.com/

We are the MIT Arab Alumni Association and our mission is to enhance the value of the MIT degree, build community, and celebrate our shared cultural and educational experiences. This website is your gateway to activities and news for Arab Alumni Association, a way to find out what your fellow alumni are doing and stay connected. Our association draws upon the resources of the MIT Arab Alumni to:

1. Promote the transfer of education and technology initiatives to Arab countries.
2. Offer targeted networking to enhance professional development and entrepreneurship among membership.
3. Boost the recruitment of Arab and Arab American applicants to MIT. As a community, we possess the talent, drive, and cohesion necessary to have an impact in the Middle East, North Africa and the rest of the world. Please check back here periodically as we update the site with new events, stories about volunteers and
   alumni, and information about ways to participate.