New curriculums to keep pace with times

A national programme will integrate innovation and entrepreneurship into the curriculums of both public and private higher education institutions in the UAE. Universities in the country will start teaching these curriculums from January 2016.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the programme - which was developed in collaboration with the Stanford University - on Monday.
The initiative aims to develop higher education programmes to help meet the country's human resource requirements and produce specialised talent needed for the next phase of the UAE's development.
At the launch event organised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Dubai, Shaikh Mohammed said: "Our objective is to prepare the new generation for the future, for a new world that requires different skills.
"Developing the right educational curriculums and tools will support the UAE in maintaining its global competitiveness over the next decade. The coming generations will be required to develop the skills of innovation, analysis and entrepreneurship to keep pace with the rapid changes in technology. Public education is our next target for change."
Shaikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said the leadership's directives to develop the education sector reflects the UAE's efforts to prepare the new generation for meeting the challenges created by rapid changes. He said the new innovation and entrepreneurship curriculums represent a "crucial step" towards achieving the objectives of the National Innovation Strategy and the UAE Vision 2021. The programme will also facilitate direct interactions between the UAE university professors and Stanford University experts.
The programme is aligned with the directives of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to mark 2015 as the year of innovation. The programme is also in response to the call of Shaikh Mohammed to implement the National Innovation Strategy.
Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, attended the ceremony.
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