Shell Egypt has held a discovery session for Egyptian university students, acting as a springboard for student participation in the Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM) competition to be hosted in Qatar for the very first time in 2025.

The SEM is a global competition that challenges student teams from around the world to design, build and test ultra-energy-efficient vehicles. To fire up their engines, the teams can use various forms and types of fuel, including hydrogen cells or lithium batteries. The ultimate aim is to construct a vehicle that goes furthest with the least amount of energy.

“The Shell Eco-Marathon is a remarkable platform for Egyptian university students to showcase their talents and contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable future,” stated Dalia Elgabry, Vice President and Country Chair for Shell Egypt. “We are delighted to host this discovery session, equipping students with the knowledge and resources necessary to excel in this prestigious competition.”

The competition encourages students to apply their classroom learnings to solve real-world energy and sustainability challenges. Students are also challenged to develop soft skills necessary in today’s entrepreneurial world, including sales, marketing, communications and leadership.

The discovery session, targeted towards university students and their advisors, was held on April 29, 2024, with the attendance of Tom Kviecinskas, External Communications Lead at Shell Qatar. The session drew attendees from nine different universities across Egypt, spanning five governorates. These universities included Mansoura University, Port Said University, Cairo University, Ain Shams University, Zagazig University, Helwan University, GUC, Egypt-Japan University, and the Higher Technological Institute. Participants enjoyed an enriching day filled with informative presentations, interactive activities, and valuable networking opportunities.

“This session is meticulously designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for everything students need to know about the Shell Eco-marathon,” explained Heba El Karrar, Social Investment Lead at Shell Egypt. “From the intricacies of technical regulations to the inspiring success stories of past participants, we provide students with the tools and inspiration to create high-performing vehicles.”

The discovery session agenda focused on explaining what the SEM program is, providing a technical overview and Q&A session on the criteria of the vehicles in the competition, detailing an overview of the Shell-Ferrari Innovation Partnership, offering insights from previous participants, as well as give an account of what to expect from the upcoming SEM competition in Qatar. The session also showcased the vehicles constructed during previous competitions and gave the floor to students and advisers to network with stakeholders.

Through this comprehensive discovery session, Shell Egypt aims to empower Egyptian university students to actively participate in the SEM and contribute to shaping a more sustainable future for our planet.

As part of Shell’s commitment to advancing its social investment programs in Egypt, the SEM is one of many examples of the company’s on-ground initiatives to help the world meet its growing energy needs in a responsible way.

Egyptian university student teams have participated in the SEM competition since 2013. Over the years, hundreds of students from local and international universities have benefitted from the extensive learning journey and competed on a regional and global level.