KUWAIT CITY, Nov 19:  The Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) and Chairman of the Institute of Banking Studies (IBS), Basel Al-Haroun, affirmed on Monday the CBK's commitment to supporting and encouraging national cadres across various fields. Speaking during a ceremony honoring the winners of the Kuwaiti Economic Student Award, Al-Haroun emphasized that this dedication is part of a fixed and continuous approach.

In his speech, delivered in the presence of leaders from the banking sector, Al-Haroun highlighted that the award aims to promote scientific research in economic and banking affairs. He stated that it seeks to motivate young national talents to enhance their skills and research capabilities, grounded in high scientific standards within the fields of banking and finance. He also stressed the CBK’s efforts to reinforce a scientific approach in advancing banking and financial affairs, striving to develop highly qualified national professionals in the Kuwaiti banking and financial sector. Al-Haroun praised the exceptional quality of the advanced scientific research submitted by the participants.

Director General of the Institute of Banking Studies, Rana Al-Nibari, echoed these sentiments in her address, explaining that the award aligns with the CBK’s strategy to cultivate national talent through the "Kafa’a" initiative. This initiative encompasses a series of high-level programs designed to target various segments of Kuwaiti society, including the Kuwaiti Economic Student Award. Al-Nibari noted that 19 research papers were submitted for this year’s competition.

The competition’s jury included representatives from the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait Finance House, National Bank of Kuwait, Gulf Bank, and the Institute of Banking Studies, along with three external judges from outside Kuwait.

During the ceremony, the results of the competition were announced. First place was awarded to Mohammad Al-Bous for his research titled "Exploring the Potential of Super-Personalization in the Kuwaiti Banking Sector: Customer Perspectives and Sector Readiness." The second-place prize went to Salman Naqi for his study on "Central Bank Digital Currency in Kuwait: Issuance Determinants and Bank Profitability." Third place was jointly awarded to Ahmed Al-Muhattab and Abdullah Al-Hammadi for their research, "The Banking Sector in Kuwait in the Light of Fluctuations in Global Financial Markets and Oil Prices: An Analysis Using VAR for Credit Distribution and Foreign Assets."

An Encouragement Award was also presented to Hanadi Al-Ajmi for her research titled "Vision 2035 and the Business/Innovation Environment in Kuwait: Enabling Innovative Startups through Restructuring SME Support Policies."