Six students from the Office of Student Affairs' Student Leadership Program at American University of Sharjah (AUS) attended the 15th World Business Dialogue at the University of Cologne, Germany March 14-15, 2012.

The World Business Dialogue is considered one of the most important the platforms for discussion in Europe. This year's topic was "Checkpoint Consumption: Needs, Duties and the Search for Balance." The dialogue touched on different aspects of the topic of consumption and its behavior models in the fields of e-commerce, energy and psychology. The conference drew 300 students from over 60 countries, 300 corporate participants and top speakers representing the fields of economics, science and politics. The conference aimed to bring students and experts together to face current problems in an entrepreneurial way in order to find solutions for a mutual and sustainable future.

"Participating in the World Business Dialogue served as a bridge to experience different cultures and thoughts on various global issues. The knowledge we acquired throughout the workshops and panel discussions will certainly improve our knowledge horizons and strengthen our critical thinking skills. Special thanks to the Student Leadership Program for providing students with this opportunity," said Hamad Al Ansari, a finance major.

"This was more than just a meeting of students from around the world; it was a platform to communicate, to learn and, most of all, to understand the current global trends that will shape our futures. It was fantastic to see a mindset shift from a conventional view of consumption and jobs to social entrepreneurship and thinking about how we can help on an individual level," said Mudassir Idris, an accounting major.

"The Office of Student Affairs enables students to participate in events such as the World Business Dialogue in order to provide them with a platform to interact with international students, experienced entrepreneurs and inspiring speakers. This helps students enhance their interpersonal, communication and leadership abilities by forcing them to put their skills into practice," said Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.