Unesco praises HBMSU’s initiative

DUBAI: In an effort to share its pioneering experience with the world, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), showcased its “Global Benchmarking Framework and Data Set for Online, Open, Smart and Technology-enhanced Higher Education” while participating in the UnescoMobile Learning Week 2019, held recently in Paris.

The world’s leading initiative garnered wide international acclaim for creating a clear and specific mechanism to organise the work of smart universities while keeping up with the rapid pace of technological advancements and providing flexible quality education for all.

Dr Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of the HBMSU, headed the high-level delegation with Stefania Giannini, Unesco Assistant Director-General for Education, who praised the role of the global initiative that paves the way for creating a global model that redefines the quality of smart and e-learning standards. She also lauded the UAE’s pioneering role in introducing an innovative concept that will make a historic, radical and positive impact in smart education, globally.

The HBMSU delegation presented an array of initiatives and experiences in the field of Artificial Intelligence, AI, which have garnered attention from the international community. The most notable among these is the “School of Artificial Intelligence”, the first initiative of its kind in the UAE and the region, aimed at stimulating, developing and creating smart educational skills necessary to anticipate and to build the future. This initiative is in line with the national efforts aimed at making AI technologies the engines of growth and development in the coming decade.

On the sidelines of the conference, Dr Al Awar held a series of meetings, including one with Dr Peter Wells, Head of Unesco’s Department of Higher Education. Both parties discussed the expansion of the “Global Benchmarking Framework and Data Set” in view of its standards and mechanisms for evaluating the quality of educational outputs based on the information and communication technology and sound scientific basis that ensure reliable information and new directions. Dr Wales expressed his support for the initiative and suggested several ways to include it in the “Global Dialogue on Quality Assurance in Education” online.

“The meetings generated very important outcomes. The first achievement is the proposal by UNESCO’s higher education officials to include the ‘Benchmarking Framework and Data Set’ initiative in the Global Dialogue on Quality Assurance of Online Education, while we look forward to studying the proposal to join Unesco’s Category II Centre, for further collaboration to launch an open education institute in the framework of active partnership with universities in Asia, Africa and China. This reflects HBMSU’s strong presence among the smartest universities in the world, promoting the UAE’s position in the field, globally,” Al Awar said in conclusion.

WAM