Ministry of Education to launch ‘Change Makers’ programme to develop students’ skills

The Ministry of Education is set to launch a virtual programme titled ‘Change Makers’ programme in partnership with EDGE Co. on December 27.

The programme, which targets university students in UAE universities, is a series of specialised training programmes aimed at developing skills and enhancing knowledge.

Aimed at spreading research and innovation updates in sustainability, diplomacy, technology, space, agriculture and health, the specialised programme prepares students and enables them to respond to the changes in the labour market.

The ‘Change Makers’ series targets the most brilliant minds and an elite of postgraduates in 6 fields that support the UAE Vision 2071 and contribute to its success. It focuses on developing the students’ current knowledge in education, economics and community development and seeks to shape their future career paths.

With the Ministry’s strategic partners working on developing the skills of the youth and expanding their knowledge, the programme is regarded as a way to connect partners and university students with a view to clarifying the vision and strategic goals of each institution to the students benefiting from the programme.

Accordingly, the Ministry will launch the first programme of the ‘Change Makers’ series which will deal with technology between 27 December 2020 and 7 January 2021 in a strategic partnership with EDGE Co., a leading company in technology and investment in technology including artificial intelligence, research and development.

The programme, to be virtually launched during the winter break, will include specialised workshops and scientific lectures with the participation of all local technology specialists.

Students will be able to learn about best practices and work together in teams to solve current and future challenges with a specialised team from EDGE Co. by providing various skill, training and academic contents that contribute to improving their knowledge, strengthening their passion, ambition and perseverance and enabling them to delve into disciplines needed in the labour market.

The training programme offered by the Abu Dhabi-based EDGE Co. also aims at familiarising students with the company as well as its training opportunities and future jobs.

Enhancing the advanced knowledge and skills of postgraduates in universities is a strategic goal that the Ministry of Education seeks to achieve, Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Care and Activities Sector, said.

This comes in line with the Ministry’s vision that stems from the UAE’s future vision of empowering UAE students and providing them with skills and expertise in vital specialised areas, she added, noting that this in turn contributes to enhancing their professional vision and its future success.

Al Shamsi explained that this vision is based on the importance of preparing the UAE future generations and arming them with such skills, knowledge and sciences as needed to face the rapid changes and enable the UAE to be competitive and switch towards the knowledge-based economy to improve its lead worldwide in various development indicators.

The objectives of the programme include investing in the capabilities and skills of the youth and familiarising them with the latest global researches and innovations through specialised training, she said.

“We look forward to enhancing students’ capability to solve current problems, think creatively, put forward creative initiatives and ideas in significant fields and promising scientific sectors and take advantage of the capabilities of EDGE Co., a global think tank in technology and research,” she added.

Mona Al Rashdi, Vice President, Human Capital, EDGE, said: “EDGE is honoured to be a part of the UAE Ministry of Education’s Game Changers Series. As the host of the technology pillar of the programme, our participation will play a pivotal role for us to be able to attract the nation’s brightest minds to work within the advanced technology and defence industry. It will also provide our selected top talent the opportunity to gain an insight into EDGE Group, its capabilities and its quest for innovation – as we strive to enable a secure future.”