A group of students are packing their bags and preparing for an unforgettable trip to Oman, as part of Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and Maersk Oil Qatar’s experience-based leadership development programme, ‘EBDA’, which is helping develop Qatar’s future leaders.

The adventure, which has been organised in partnership with Outward Bound Oman, will see 30 students from Education City campuses embark on a four-day journey, trekking across the stunning Jebel Akhdar mountain range in North West Oman this month. During the trip, students will be fully immersed in the natural mountain environment surrounding them, taking part in a variety of activities and challenges designed to test endurance and unlock their personal potential. Each day will include a variety of challenging hands-on activities, designed to help students discover and develop their potential to care for themselves, others and the world around them in unfamiliar settings.

Sheikh Jassim bin Saud Al-Thani, Head of Qatarization at Maersk Oil Qatar, said:

“Maersk Oil Qatar is constantly striving to support young people to become successful leaders, who will in turn contribute positively to Qatar’s own bright future and economic development. We’re therefore delighted to support EBDA and this exciting adventure which marks the end of the programme’s successful first year.”

EBDA, meaning start in Arabic, launched in September 2014 and is a tailor-made programme sponsored by Maersk Oil Qatar that is aimed at university students in Qatar. EBDA is unique in its approach; its courses are designed to take students out of the academic classroom environment to help them gain personal skills through the experience of managing themselves, working with others and helping develop their leadership capabilities.

The EBDA Oman opportunity has been hugely popular, receiving 100 applications for the 30 spaces available. Students were required to submit a written essay on why they should be considered for the opportunity. The selected students then participated in several pre-departure training courses to prepare them for the experience.

Ameena Hussain, Director of Student Life at Hamad bin Khalifa University – one of the key partners in delivering the programme - commented:

“One of the core beliefs of the EBDA programme is that leadership is not something you’re born with – it can be taught and everyone has the ability to be a leader. In this programme, all students are viewed as leaders and I am proud to see yet another group of hopeful and brave young men and women embark on a challenging journey to discover their potential and realise their leadership capabilities.”

Mark Evans, General Manager of Outward Bound Oman, said:

“At Outward Bound Oman, our aim is to inspire people to fulfil their potential through different sets of outdoor experiences, to raise self-esteem, develop personal skills and create effective leaders to help young people face the future with confidence. Our vision and the vision of EBDA, Maersk Oil and HBKU are closely aligned; to inspire young people and help them realise their potential and develop into future leaders. Students will travel through some of the most breath-taking and remote areas of Oman - accompanied by our experienced staff - and we are very excited to be joining Qatar’s future leaders on this journey of discovery.”

EBDA concludes its successful first year, with more than 300 students completing modules delivered in Qatar, Tanzania, Indonesia and now Oman. Since EBDA’s launch in September 2014, students from 30 nationalities have taken part in nine modules, ranging from team building challenges in Qatar, to community service work in Indonesia, to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

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