The Board of Trustees of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award, an initiative of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, has announced that it has commenced evaluating the nominations for its 2018 edition - its fifth since the award was established in 2014.
An annual activity that honours individuals and organisations who strive to create and disseminate knowledge and inculcate a culture of learning, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Foundation and Chairman of the award’s Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees reported that it has begun the evaluation process with a meeting to review the nominations received via its website up to June, the deadline for submissions. The Trustees are now in the process of preparing a final shortlist, with the ultimate winners of the USD1 million award being presented at the Knowledge Summit 2018, which is being held in Dubai in December.
The Board of Trustees highlighted that they had received submissions from applicants in 34 countries for this year’s Knowledge Award. The Trustees also revealed that the number of nominations for individuals exceeded those for institutions and that the percentage increase in participation was 157% over last year.
Attending the Trustees’ meeting was His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Secretary General of the Award; Professor Nick Rawlins, former Pro Vice Chancellor representing the University of Oxford; Professor Alexander J.B. Zehnder, Member of the Board of Trustees, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Dr. Ali Ahmed Al Ghafli, Vice Dean for Social Sciences at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, UAE University.
His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb stated that the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award draws on the vision and approach of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who is committed to espousing the concepts of creativity and innovation to build societies that are developed, sustainable and capable of meeting the needs of the future.
“The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award’s fifth edition has seen wide participation of prominent bodies and individuals in the field of knowledge production and promulgation from around the world. The increased level of participation this year shows that the award is growing in stature and prominence among those who are involved with creating and disseminating knowledge. The award committee has prepared a shortlist of candidates from individuals and entities who meet its criteria in preparation for the second and final phase of the evaluation. The winners will be announced in December at the Knowledge Summit 2018,” said His Excellency bin Huwaireb.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award was launched to honour knowledge pioneers and highlight the achievements that have inspired humanity. Established to be a valuable contributor to building the knowledge economy, the award’s categories include knowledge advancement, innovation, leadership and creativity, as well as scientific research, communications technology, printing, publishing, paper and electronic documentation.