About YP

Who We Are

 in About YP / Who We Are

Who We Are

IEEE Young Professionals (YP) is a global community dedicated to empowering early-career engineers, innovators, and leaders by fostering professional growth, collaboration, and technological advancement. Established in 1996 as Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) and rebranded in 2014, IEEE YP provides young professionals with opportunities to develop leadership skills, expand their networks, and contribute to the advancement of technology.

The IEEE Region 8 Young Professionals (R8 YP) Committee is responsible for supporting and guiding over 28,000 young professionals across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. With 57 active Affinity Groups (AGs), the committee works to foster professional development, technical expertise, and leadership among IEEE members who have graduated within the last 15 years.

Our Mission & Role

  • Supporting Affinity Groups – Providing direct guidance, funding, and mentorship to AG Chairs and local teams.
  • Strengthening Communication – Ensuring a direct line of communication between AG Chairs and IEEE Region 8 leadership.
  • Engaging & Motivating Young Professionals – Organizing impactful events, mentorship programs, and leadership workshops.
  • Encouraging Leadership Growth – Inspiring YPs to take leadership roles within their sections and IEEE at large.
  • Facilitating Development Initiatives – Offering funding, workshops, networking, and mentorship opportunities.
  • Aligning with Region 8’s Vision – Promoting IEEE R8 strategic goals across the YP network.
  • Gathering & Implementing Feedback – Understanding YP needs and continuously improving activities.
  • Driving Innovation – Launching new initiatives and maintaining momentum.

Comprising 11 passionate and ambitious volunteers, the IEEE R8 YP Committee ensures that young professionals across the region have access to valuable opportunities, empowering them to excel in their careers and contribute to technological advancement.

IEEE Region 8 Young Professionals Committee

  • Mohamed Saeed Darweesh (Egypt) (Chair)
  • Ines Inacio (Benelux) (Member, Past Chair)
  • Ali Alfayly (Kuwait) (Member)
  • Mona Demaidi (Palestine) (Member)
  • Ahsan Qamer (Germay) (Member)
  • Cybele Ghanem (Lebanon) (Member)
  • Georgia Saridaki (Greece) (Member)
  • Moataz Alaa (Egypt) (C.Member)
  • Nazila Fough (UK&Ireland) (C.Member)
  • Sameh Betamony (France) (C.Member)
  • Mustafa Aqrabawe (Jordan) (C.Member)
  • Ferial Saied (France) (C.Member)

IEEE Region 8 Young Professionals Awards 2025

 in About YP / Region 8 YP Awards

Yep, it’s that time of the year again: awards season is here! And as an active Young Professionals volunteer, you should keep your eye on these two:

 

  • IEEE Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award
  • IEEE Region 8 Young Professional Exceptional Volunteer Award

The submission form is filled out online, through the IEEE Region 8 Awards online platform.

 

The nominations deadline for both the R8 Young Professionals Awards is the 31st of August 2025 at 11:59 PM CEST. All nominations submitted after this date will not be taken into consideration.

 

We advise you to start preparing the required nomination materials as soon as possible, since it usually takes longer than expected. The vTools activity reports are required and fundamental during the winner’s selection process, so make sure all your activities are submitted in the vTools platform through event reports by the time you apply.

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT NOMINATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL!

 

The full eligibility criteria and required documents for the nominations are described below.

 

Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award

Description:

To recognize Young Professionals Affinity Groups (AG) within Region 8 for their efforts, successes and achievements in carrying out the mission of IEEE YP and the aims of IEEE in Region 8 within their Section during the calendar year of 2018. Recognition will be given to the Young Professionals AG that displayed the most successful maintenance of ongoing efforts, as well as the development and implementation of new programs. These activities shall leave an important imprint on the Section and on Region 8. The winning AG will receive a certificate providing the citation for the award and a cash prize of $400 granted by the R8 YP committee to the corresponding Young Professionals AG.

Eligibility criteria:

  • The Young Professionals AG must have at least 20 Young Professionals members;
  • All activities from 2024 must be submitted correctly to vTools on the form of L31 reports by the time of the application;
  • The Young Professionals AG must not have received another IEEE award in the past 12 months;
  • The $400 prize must be used to support local Young Professionals activities;
  • Affinity Groups which have been awarded the Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group award in the past 2 years (for years of 2024-2023) are not eligible to participate (YP Lebanon and YP Egypt).

Nomination process:

Proposals for nominations of a Young Professionals AG for this award will be made by the Section and supported by 1 letter of endorsement by the Section Chair or another member of the Section’s Executive Committee. Alternatively, a Young Professionals Chair can also nominate a Young Professionals AG, provided that his/her nomination is endorsed by at least 1 other Young Professionals member and preferably also by a member of the Executive Committee of the Section. The documents needed to create a nomination are:

  1. Nomination letter from Section Chair or another member of the Section’s Executive Committee OR nomination letter from the Young Professionals AG chair and another Young Professionals AG member and a member of the Section’s Executive Committee;

[REQUIRED – PDF document submitted through the FluidReview nomination document upload]

  1. Motivation letter from Young Professionals AG chair;

[REQUIRED – PDF document submitted through the FluidReview nomination document upload]

  1. Link to Young Professionals AG website or Facebook page, or other online platform;

[Strongly recommended – use field provided in FluidReview nomination form]

  1. Photo report, videos, and other supporting materials to demonstrate the activities and initiatives of the Young Professionals AG during 2024.

[REQUIRED if no link to a website or online platform is provided (see previous point); it can be submitted as optional extra material even if link to website/online platform is provided – can be provided either as a website link using the field provided in the FluidReview nomination form OR as a PDF document attached to the nomination]

 

Region 8 Young Professionals Exceptional Volunteer Award

Description:

To recognize a volunteer within Region 8 for his/her dedication towards the mission of IEEE Young Professionals. The recognition will be given to a devoted Young Professional member that presents the most successful maintenance of ongoing efforts, leadership skills, and remarkable development and implementation of new ideas and programs within the last year. These activities shall have an important impact on the Section and on Region 8 Young Professional community, and other IEEE members. The winner will receive an award and diploma providing the citation for the award granted by the Region 8 Young Professionals committee.

Eligibility criteria:

  • The volunteer must not have received another IEEE award in the past 12 months;
  • The candidate’s Affinity Group must not have been awarded with the Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award in the previous year;
  • The Region 8 Young Professionals Exceptional Volunteer Award nominee cannot belong to an Young Professionals Affinity Group nominated to the Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award in the same year;
  • The volunteer must be a Young Professional member of an active Young Professionals Affinity Group in good standing, i.e. with all the required reporting up to date and elections in order;
  • Members of Region 8 Young Professionals committee are not eligible to be nominated;
  • Self nominations are not allowed.

Nomination process:

  1. Endorsement letter from Section Chair or other member of the Section’s Executive Committee or the Young Professionals AG chair;

[REQUIRED – PDF document submitted through the FluidReview nomination document upload]

  1. Letter containing short summary of the nominee’s efforts and accomplishments, their impact and results in improving the IEEE and Young Professionals community in their Young Professionals AG and Section.

 

All nominations for both awards must be submitted through the IEEE Region 8 Awards online platform.

Questions are to be submitted to

R8 Young Professionals committee  < [email protected] >

 

Winners of the Region 8 Young Professionals Awards for 2024

We are proud to present this year’s winners of the Region 8 Young Professionals Awards for 2024:

– Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award 2024

We are very happy to announce that the Region 8 Young Professionals committee has selected the Lebanon Section Young Professionals Affinity Group as the winner of the Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award for its activities during 2023. Congratulations to the entire Lebanon YP team! Their efforts and dedication to the IEEE YP causes have made them stand out, and we are glad to acknowledge their successful initiatives.

Winners of the Region 8 Young Professionals Awards for 2023

We are proud to present this year’s winners of the Region 8 Young Professionals Awards for 2023:

– Region 8 Young Professionals Exceptional Volunteer Award 2023

Mustafa Aqrabwe (Jordon Section Young Professionals Affinity Group) For his continuous hard work, dedication and enthusiasm to promoting the Young Professionals mission and vision, and that of IEEE at large during 2022.

– Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award 2023

We are very happy to announce that the Region 8 Young Professionals committee has selected the Egypt Section Young Professionals Affinity Group as the winner of the Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award for its activities during 2022. Congratulations to the entire Egypt YP team! Their efforts and dedication to the IEEE YP causes have made them stand out, and we are glad to acknowledge their successful initiatives.

Winners of the Region 8 Young Professionals Awards for 2022:

We are proud to present this year’s winners of the Region 8 Young Professionals Awards for 2022:

– Region 8 Young Professionals Exceptional Volunteer Award 2022

Ziad Diab (Egypt Section Young Professionals Affinity Group) For his continuous hard work, dedication and enthusiasm to promoting the Young Professionals mission and vision, and that of IEEE at large during 2021.

– Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award 2022

We are very happy to announce that the Region 8 Young Professionals committee has selected the Tunisia Section Young Professionals Affinity Group as the winner of the Region 8 Outstanding Young Professionals Affinity Group Award for its activities during 2022. Congratulations to the entire Tunisia YP team! Their efforts and dedication to the IEEE YP causes have made them stand out, and we are glad to acknowledge their successful initiatives.