Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed chairs Education and Human Resources Council meeting at Expo 2020 Dubai on Wednesday. WAM

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Chairman of the Education and Human Resources Council (EHRC), has chaired the council’s meeting, which was held at the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Sheikh Abdullah expressed his pride in the increasing number of school and university students who visited Expo 2020 Dubai from all across the country. He also praised the efforts of the concerned authorities and teams in charge of the Expo in making the students’ visit experience a success, enriching their knowledge and informing them about the varied experiences offered by the pavilions.

Sheikh Abdullah called on students, parents, institutions and educational bodies to take advantage of the opportunities offered by Expo 2020 to learn more about the cultural and educational experiences of the pavilions.

He also emphasised the role of Expo 2020 in inspiring the next generation to explore, learn and create an enjoyable and immersive environment to expand their perceptions, knowledge and skills.
Sheikh Abdullah and other top dignitaries during the meeting at Expo 2020. WAM

During the meeting, the council reviewed the policies and mechanisms for immunising students as part of the National Immunisation Programme, which would maintain the health and safety of students and all members of society. It also stressed the importance of adhering to the vaccinations specified in the programme to achieve a healthy, safe and disease-free school community.

The council also reviewed the developments of the professional licencing project for workers in the education sector, project completion rates, teachers and whoever involved in the educational process test results, and plans for training and qualifying school teachers, as this project is an essential step to ensure the efficiency and quality of the educational system in the country.

Jameela Bint Salem Al Muheiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Chairwoman of Emirates Schools Establishment, discussed the mechanism of implementing the professional licencing project for school teachers in government schools, which came as an important step to raise professional competencies in the educational sector.The meeting was attended by several ministers and officials.

Enhancing Students Skills: The UAEU Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai launched the “Enhancing Students Skills” programme as one of the main activities of the pavilion. The programme will run from November 2021 and continue until March 2022.

Prof. Ahmed Ali Murad - Associate Provost for Research, and Deputy Commissioner-General of the UAEU pavilion - explained that the Enhancing Students Skills Programme organised by the pavilion is an educational programme within an integrated interactive training environment that helps the student to be creative and innovative. The programme topics that come under the pavilion’s slogan, “University of the Future,” are various.  It aims at enhancing and empowering students’ skills and linking them to the labor market, in line with the university’s vision of the importance of building pioneering national cadres for the future and meeting the country’s aspirations in preparation for the next fifty years.

The programme was designed by faculty members and researchers at the university, taking into account the diversity in the quality and presentation of training courses. Motivation has been adopted as an important tool in communicating information. These programs take into account the future agility and dynamism that guarantee high-quality educational outcomes in a manner that ensures the student’s ability to adapt quickly to changes in the labor market.

The programme’s themes focus on: personal effectiveness, leadership, critical thinking, importance of quality of life, and machine learning. The university students from various colleges will participate in these training programs, with an average of 20 students per programme.

Sheikh Mansoor during his visit to Expo 2020. WAM

Separately, Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, on Wednesday toured the pavilions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Morocco at Expo 2020 Dubai.

He was accompanied during the visit by Mona Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office.

Speaking during his visit to the mega event, which has attracted millions of visitors from around the world since it opened its doors on Oct.1, Sheikh Mansoor said that Expo 2020 provides a unique opportunity to showcase the Arab world’s contributions to human civilisation. The global show, held for the first time in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, is also able to present the region’s aspirations and innovative initiatives that are set to contribute to its future progress and development, he said.

Sheikh Mansoor toured the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Pavilion, which presents the country’s vision and aspirations in various fields, including business, tourism, innovation and advanced technologies. Located in the Opportunity District, the Pavilion, spanning over 13,000 square metres, is the second largest pavilion in size at the Expo 2020 Dubai site.
Sheikh Mansoor being briefed during his visit to Expo 2020. WAM

Sheikh Mansoor also visited the Morocco Pavilion located at the Opportunity District, which invites visitors to discover the country and its history, identity, achievements and vision for the future.

He was briefed on the various features of the Pavilion, which showcases the country’s modernity and tradition. The Pavilion provideas a fascinating insight into Morocco’s commitment to sustainability. The design of the Pavilion is inspired by ancestral methods of using earth, typical of many traditional Moroccan villages.

The Emirates’ Pavilion was another stop on His Highness’s tour. The Pavilion showcases the Dubai-based airline’s vision for the future of air travel. Displaying technologies that offer a glimpse into the changing world of commercial aviation, the Pavilion enables visitors to learn about advancements that will define the travel experience of the future, both in the air and on the ground.

He praised the airline’s commitment to development which contributes to enhancing Dubai and the UAE’s leading position in the fields of air transport, tourism and aviation.