KUWAIT: The Central Bank of Kuwait on Wednesday hosted a ceremony to celebrate the winners of the Kuwaiti Student Economics Award for the fifth consecutive year. The event, held at the Central Bank’s headquarters, was graced by Governor Basel Al-Haroun, who also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Banking Studies, alongside leading figures from Kuwait’s banking sector.
In his opening remarks, Governor Al-Haroun reaffirmed the Central Bank’s commitment to nurturing national talent across all fields as part of its ongoing strategic approach. He highlighted that the award aims to promote scientific research in economic and banking matters and to inspire young Kuwaitis to develop their research skills on a strong scientific foundation in various economic and financial disciplines. He underscored the Bank’s efforts to advance a scientific approach in managing banking and financial affairs while building highly qualified national expertise, both academically and practically, to serve Kuwait’s financial sector. The Governor also commended the high quality of the research submissions this year.
Rana Al-Nibari, Director General of the Institute of Banking Studies, noted that the award is part of the Central Bank’s broader strategy to develop and qualify national talent through the “Kafa’a” (Competency) initiative. She explained that the initiative includes a series of specialized programs designed to meet the needs of ambitious segments of Kuwaiti society, with the award serving as a key pillar to encourage scientific research and innovation among students in economics and banking.
Al-Nibari revealed that 26 research papers were submitted for the award, reflecting strong analytical skills and engagement with contemporary economic and financial issues. A judging committee, comprising members from the Central Bank, Kuwait Finance House, National Bank of Kuwait, Gulf Bank and the Institute of Banking Studies, evaluated the submissions, with three external referees providing additional review.
The winners of the 2024 Kuwaiti Student Economics Award are: First Place: Salem Al-Shehab for “Predicting the Stability of Kuwaiti Banks: A Comparative Study Between Econometric Methodologies and Machine Learning.” Second Place: Mohammed Al-Doub for “From Earnings Conferences to Headlines: A Study of Tone Conformity Between Corporate Discourse and Post-Conference Media Coverage in the Kuwaiti Banking Sector.”
Third Place: Dalal Darwish for “Digital Transformation and Bank Profitability in Kuwait: A Comparative Predictive Analysis Using Artificial Intelligence.” Encouragement Award: Sheikh Mubarak Nasser Al-Duaij Al-Sabah for “Banks, Housing, and Citizenship: Financial Engineering of Risk, Debt, and Credit in a Rentier Economy.” The ceremony highlighted the Central Bank’s dedication to fostering a culture of research and innovation, supporting young talent, and strengthening Kuwait’s position as a hub for knowledge and excellence in economics and finance. — KUNA
