AED1.5 Billion Allocated To Develop New Generation of Schools
AED1.5 Billion Allocated To Develop New Generation of Schools
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has announced the allocation of AED1.5 billion to build the first group of a ‘new generation’ of Emirati schools.
His Highness made the announcement during a recent visit to educational institutions in Fujairah, and Kalbaa, in Sharjah. He also launched a plan to transform the Higher Colleges of Technology into economic zones and approved a fund of AED100 million to nurture student projects and support the career development of 65,000 students in the hospitality, retail, oil and gas and logistics sectors.
“Our aim is to introduce a range o f new ideas in the next 50 years and foster the development of the new generation, which will accelerate our sustainable economic growth,” said His Highness. “The new generation needs to adopt different approaches and tools for the future.”
He added: “When people have doubts due to economic volatility, we accelerate development, and when they are afraid of the future, we further raise our commitment to build it. We have created a vision for our nation’s development over the next 50 years.
Sheikh Mohammed’s remarks came as he visited a number of education facilities, including government schools and the Higher Colleges of Technology, and reviewed their development plans. Schools that His Highness visited included Al Furqaan Primary School for Boys and the Martyrs School 1, in Kalbaa.
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future, HE Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, and Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, HE Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, also took part in the visit, along with the Minister of State for Higher Education, HE Dr Ahmad bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, and Minister of State for Public Education, HE Jameela Al Muhairi.
It was revealed that the new generation schools will include design and robotics labs, as well as artificial intelligence facilities. They’ll also be equipped with healthcare and environmental labs, along with sports facilities.
The new fund created to support student projects is in line with the Fifty Year Charter, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed earlier this year. His Highness also issued directives to create specialised technical academies within colleges that support students who want to change their careers. This will help boost the country’s economy by enabling talented individuals to keep pace with technological developments. The academies will be open to both students and those who want to upgrade their professional skills in line with job market requirements.
HH Sheikh Mohammed also issued directives to implement fast-track programmes in higher education institutes that enable exceptional students to get their graduate degrees in three years.
Calling All Arab Hope Makers
“We need to hear every story of hope.” That was the message from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, when he launched the third edition of the Arab Hope Makers award recently.
The Arab Hope Makers initiative is dedicated to promoting people in the Arab world who spread hope and encompass values of giving and positivity, by dedicating their lives to helping others.
“We want to hear their stories and honour them,” said HH Sheikh Mohammed. “Whether in education, healthcare, humanitarian work or any other sector, they are credits to our societies.
“Every one of us is capable of giving,” he added. “Every one of us has a talent that can be harnessed to serve their community. Rivers begin with a drop. The creation of hope in our region is of paramount importance, and we need to hear every story of hope.
“Water drops make a river, and reigniting civilizations starts with giving. Creating hope will spark a new life in our region.”
The Arab Hope Makers initiative is the largest of its kind in the region. It was launched three years ago to celebrate inspiring philanthropic efforts that serve humanity and make a difference in societies. The winner will be announced in May and receive AED1 million in recognition of their efforts and as financial support to develop and expand their humanitarian projects to help more people.
The award celebrates members of a community in the Arab world who are combatting social, economic, health and psychological issues with humanitarian initiatives, empowering marginalised groups in society, alleviating the suffering of the poor and sick, and investing in the neglected segments of a particular group.
Last year’s winner, from a record 87,000 submissions, was Mahmoud Wahid, Chairman of Together to Save a Human, who provides homeless people in Egypt with food and medical care. The Egyptian, 35, first began working with the homeless after spotting an elderly man living on the street. Recognising that there was no authority in his home country to help the homeless, he set up an association to help provide them with shelter and health care.
During last year’s award ceremony in Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed announced the formation of an Arab Hope Makers Academy, with a budget of AED50 million. Though only one winner is announced each year so far, HH Sheikh Mohammed has awarded each of the five finalists AED1 million to invest in their work and continue their philanthropic efforts.
Nawal Al Soufi was announced as the winner in the awards inaugural year for her work to save refugees from sinking boats in the Mediterranean.
Nobel Exhibition Extended Due To Popular Demand
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation’s (MBRF’s) Nobel Exhibition 2019 attracted 40,000 visitors between its opening on 3 February and when it closed on 30 March.
That includes actual visitors to the site and virtual visitors from around the world who toured the exhibition online through MBRF’s website: https://www.mbrf.ae/en/nobel-museum-virtual-tour They spanned all age groups.
The exhibition was held at Dubai’s La Mer under the theme, “The Nobel Prize in Literature – Sharing Worlds”. Its agenda of activities attracted significant numbers of school and university students with a series of interactive workshops about the Nobel Prize, presented by experts from the Nobel Museum in Sweden.
For example, “The History of the Nobel Prize in Literature” featured Dr Gustav Källstrand, a cultural historian who specialises in the history of the Nobel Prize. He is a curator of the Nobel Museum in Stockholm. He presented an overview of the procedure that has been used to select winners for more than a century.
Källstrand said when the Prize was awarded to Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz in 1998 it was in recognition of Mahfouz’s outstanding literary works, which set the tone for Arabic narrative works as a genre and introduced techniques that can be implemented in all societies.
Another session titled “Nobel Books Expressing Humanity” featured Ebba Holmberg, a literature expert at the Nobel Prize Museum. She reviewed works that express humanity in depth, such as “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by the Columbian writer Gabriel García Márquez, and the writings of Svetlana Alexievich from Belarus. Holmberg also shed light on the works of African American novelist Toni Morrisson, who won the Nobel Prize for her works centred around tolerance and human diversity.
MBRF Heads To London Book Fair
Projects and initiatives that seek to empower generations of writers and creators in various disciplines of literature and art were showcased by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) at the London Book Fair recently.
MBRF took part in the event, alongside its publishing arm Qindeel Printing, Publishing and Distribution, with the aim of securing new partnerships with pioneers in the international book industry, from publishing houses and authors to cultural institutions. MBRF’s participation also allowed the Foundation to communicate directly with the large audiences who attend the fair from all over the world.
“The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation is committed to participating in prominent cultural events such as the London Book Fair,” said MBRF’s CEO, His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb. “The exhibition offers a global platform, bringing together pioneers in the publishing industry to explore opportunities and best practices in the sector, including digital publishing, printing, and copyright management. It is an opportunity to showcase Qindeel’s projects, latest releases and future projects.”
Knowledge Award 2019 Now Open for Nominations
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) is now welcoming nominations for the sixth edition of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award (MBRKA).
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, MBRF Chairman and Chairman of the MBRKA Board of Trustees, the award seeks to honour individuals or organisations that have made impactful contributions on all sectors of knowledge locally and internationally.
The Knowledge Award sheds light on the accomplishments of knowledge pioneers from around the globe, and promotes innovation in the Arab region and the wider world, underlining the role of knowledge as a key component in building prosperous communities that can drive sustainable development.
His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF, said that over the course of five years, the Knowledge Award had “succeeded in highlighting the importance of knowledge and its role in improving the lives of individuals, organisations and communities, empowering them to play an effective role in development”.
HE bin Huwaireb, who is also Secretary-General of the Award, added: “The prestigious Award has also consistently highlighted remarkable knowledge achievements, which have significantly contributed to the production and dissemination of knowledge worldwide.
“Now in its sixth edition, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award is looking forward to even greater turnout from knowledge makers – be they individuals or organisations – who have made their mark in their communities and dedicated their efforts to serving humankind and its prosperity.”
The entry criteria stipulates that individuals or organisations applying should have made a significant and measurable contribution to knowledge production and dissemination within one of the Award’s categories – development, innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, development of academic institutions, scientific research, printing, publishing and documentation, and information technology.
Candidates must submit their applications to knowledgeaward. com before the 30 June deadline. Submissions should be accompanied by letters from referees with expertise in the field, as well as supporting documents. The content of the submissions must adhere to the standards and ethics of scientific research, integrity and intellectual property rights.
HE bin Huwaireb sits on the Knowledge Award’s Board of Trustees and judging panel, along with representatives from United Arab Emirates University, the University of Cairo, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, and the University of Oxford.
The winners of the Knowledge Award will be announced later this year at the Knowledge Summit 2019.
