Shahd Tamer Wins Top Photography Prize at Ibdaa' Festival
EUI claimed first place in the Fine Arts Competition—Specialized Photography category at the 14th edition of the Ibdaa' University Youth Festival 2025/2026, held under the patronage of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
The winning achievement belongs to student Shahd Tamer Sayed, a first-year student at the Faculty of Digital Arts and Design, who advanced through preliminary rounds before competing in the grand final and public exhibition held at the Youth City in Alexandria.
Acting EUI President Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hamad praised the accomplishment, saying it reflects the high caliber of Digital Arts and Design students and the excellence of the faculty's teaching staff. He emphasized the importance of student participation in competitions as a means of sharpening skills, fostering creativity, and encouraging innovation.
Prof. Hamad also highlighted EUI's commitment to continuously developing curricula, upgrading laboratory equipment, and building a strong network of partner universities, companies, and industry experts — all aimed at preparing students for local, regional, and international job markets.
Dean of the Faculty of Digital Arts and Design, Prof. Dr. Ashraf Zaki, noted that students excelling in competitions—even from their very first year — affirms the foundational year program's pivotal role in building artistic, digital, and creative skills through modern curricula aligned with leading global universities. He extended congratulations to Shahd Tamer, Foundational Year Director Dr. Fatma Hamdi, and all faculty members for their dedication and support.
Shahd described the inspiration behind her award-winning image as a fusion of two vivid scenes: the iconic rearing pose of an Arabian purebred horse during an equestrian performance, and young people spinning circles of fireworks in the night sky.
She brought these two images together into a contemporary composition featuring a young boy on a bicycle, balancing power and control while surrounded by glowing light reflections. The resulting image symbolizes courage, determination, and hope — a message she crafted to inspire young people between adolescence and their twenties to pursue their own projects and work toward their goals, believing they already possess everything they need to reach greater heights.
Shahd added that her studies in the foundational year taught her how to maximize limited resources and use available visual effects and artistic techniques to craft compelling images that reflect reality and her vision for the future.
