Fursan Al Thakaa · knights of intelligence
Eight weeks to show an employer what you can actually do.
A competition, not a course. You take on a real business challenge, build a portfolio from your own thinking, and present it to industry leaders at the Grand Finale.
Why it exists
A CV cannot show how you think when the problem is unfamiliar.
Qualifications, CVs and interview performance are the signals employers are given. None of them reveals how someone reasons under pressure, explains an idea to a room, works with people they have just met, or responds when their first answer is challenged.
This is the shorter route to proving those things. Employers get evidence rather than impressions; you get the confidence and the visibility that comes from having done the work in public.
Who it is for
This is for you if you would rather be judged on your work than your paperwork.
Final-year students, recent graduates, and early-career professionals changing direction. You should be comfortable working at pace, willing to have your thinking questioned, and ready to stand up and defend an idea.
No private-sector experience is required, and none is expected. Selection is on potential, motivation and readiness to take part fully.
What you get
You leave with a portfolio, not a certificate.
A professional portfolio showing how you approached a real problem, assessed by academic and industry experts. Alongside it: a clearer sense of your own strengths, practical feedback from people who do the work, new relationships across the community, membership of Tawasul Majlis, and consideration for internships, apprenticeships and entry-level roles.
What you build
The competition is designed to develop the things interviews cannot test.
- Written, spoken and presentation skills
- Critical thinking and structured problem solving
- Negotiation and debating capability
- Commercial awareness
- Teamwork and professional discipline
- Confidence, presence and servant leadership
- A portfolio you can show an employer
- Direct exposure to Murshidun and practitioners
The eight weeks
Here is how the eight weeks run.
- Week 1 — Orientation. You meet the format, the challenge areas, your peers, and the standard expected of a competitor. You learn exactly how you will be assessed.
- Weeks 2 to 6 — Build and submit. You investigate your challenge, develop a solution, test your thinking with Murshidun and practitioners, and build a portfolio that captures both the recommendation and the reasoning behind it. It is submitted at the end of week six.
- Week 7 — Evaluation. Academic assessors, practitioners and employer representatives review every submission against one shared framework: problem solving, originality, practical value, communication, commercial awareness and professional readiness.
- Week 8 — The Grand Finale. Finalists present and defend their ideas before a live panel of employers and industry leaders — and meet the people who can offer the next step.
How it differs from the Academy
The competition is eight weeks; Fursan Academy is twenty-four.
They answer different questions. The Academy builds capability from the ground up, in depth, across a chosen pathway. The competition takes capability you already have and turns it into visible evidence, quickly, in front of people who hire.
Neither replaces the other, and doing one does not rule out the other. If you are unsure which suits you, say so when you get in touch and we will talk it through.
For employers
You can discover talent through real work rather than CVs alone.
Contribute a challenge, provide practitioners, sit on the assessment panel, sponsor a track, or offer opportunities to standout participants. You see how candidates think, communicate and perform before any hiring decision is made.
Questions you might have
Before you apply
- Do I need private-sector experience?
- No, and none is expected. Selection is on potential and readiness to take part fully.
- How much time does it take each week?
- It runs for eight weeks with structured checkpoints. The weekly commitment is confirmed before you accept a place, so you can weigh it against your studies or job.
- Can I take part while studying?
- Yes. Final-year students are one of the groups it is built for.
- Do I compete alone or in a team?
- Both feature. Some challenges are individual, others are team-based, and how you work with people is part of what is assessed.
- Which career tracks are covered?
- Technology, Commercial, Marketing, Finance, People and Leadership.
- What if I do not reach the Grand Finale?
- You keep the portfolio, the feedback, the relationships and Majlis membership. The finale recognises the strongest work; it is not the only thing worth having.
- Who assesses my work?
- Academic assessors, industry practitioners and employer representatives, against one shared framework.
- Does taking part guarantee a job?
- No. It creates direct connections to internships, apprenticeships and entry-level roles, which is a better position than a CV alone — not a guarantee.
- Should I do this or Fursan Academy?
- The competition proves capability you already have, in eight weeks. The Academy builds it over twenty-four. Tell us where you are and we will be straight with you.
- What does it cost?
- It depends on whether a track is sponsored. Any fee is quoted in full, in dirhams, before you accept a place.
Let the games begin
Ready to enter the Maydan?
Bring your thinking, your ambition and your voice. Build work that speaks for you, meet people who can shape your next step, and show employers what you can do.