University of Dubai Participates in “Ambassadors of Innovation,” Switzerland

The University of Dubai (UD) participated in the delegation of the “Ambassadors of Innovation” program organized by the Ministry of Education to target international ìinnovation-orientedî destinations. The program came as part of “Safra’na” program which was recently launched by the Ministry to instill the culture of innovation among the UAE schools and education institutions. The program, which was coordinated by Dr. Ammar Hassan, the Executive Director of the Swiss Arab Society for Education, Culture and Science, included several educational tours and cite visits in Switzerland for participating students and teachers. During the visits, participants which included 51 students and five supervisors learned about the most significant innovations that these institutions are studying and implementing during August. UD President, Dr. Eesa Al Bastaki, who was heading the UAE delegation, emphasized the importance and necessity of communication and openness to other world cultures as he encouraged participants to enhance their sense of innovation and creativity. Dr. Al Bastaki also pointed out that the program serves as an identification for all aspects of innovation and teaches how to turn this concept into a commercial product. The delegation also visited the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, which includes a main hall under the name of the United Arab Emirates with its distinctive character. Furthermore, Dr. Al Bastaki presented an innovative interactive workshop for students in which he addressed innovation as a necessity and not an option in the UAE. He started by introducing definitions of innovation and the directives and statements of the UAEís wise leadership to encourage and stimulate innovation. The workshop included giving students an opportunity to present the purpose of their participation in the program, their future expectations and the extent to which they benefited. In this context, the student Mariam Al Mansouri thanked the Ministry of Education for giving her the opportunity to participate in the program. Dr. Ammar Bin Hassan said that the program included a number of educational and exploratory activities that would enhance studentsí personalities and skills and provide suitable and successful opportunities for them to learn about the culture of other societies, including Switzerland.