6 Dubai universities join initiative to empower the next young entrepreneurs

Six local and international education institutes have joined the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) initiative that will develop the next generation of entrepreneurs.
These varsities form the second batch of the DFF's University Entrepreneurship Programme (UEP). With a clear vision of "powering the next generations of founders", the UEP aims to cultivate an entrepreneurship mindset among students, encourage risk-taking, and build entrepreneurship and design thinking skillsets.
Among the institutions that recently signed the agreement to join the UEP were the British University in Dubai (BUiD), Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), Heriot-Watt University Dubai, University of Wollongong (UOW) in Dubai, Amity University in Dubai, and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Dubai, bringing the total universities in the programme to 12.
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, said empowering the Emirati youth and instilling a culture of entrepreneurship are among the country's priorities.
"Through adopting innovative business models and proposing novel projects and solutions that contribute to creating new non-traditional economic opportunities, the youth can implement their promising ideas and harness their energies in strengthening the nation's economy and serving society more efficiently," Al Marri said.
Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Deputy Managing Director of the DFF, said the UEP helps young talents become full-fledged entrepreneurs as they benefit from partnerships between the government and the private sector.
"The programme supports them in the early stages of establishing their own companies, and guides their efforts in contributing to future priority economic sectors for the UAE," Al Olama said.
Khalfan Jumaa Belhoul, CEO of the DFF, assured that they will be working with their UEP partners extensively to keep pace with the rapid changes brought about by the pandemic.
Together, they will launch a set of joint projects to encourage the spirit of innovation and leadership among students and help them transform their innovative ideas into companies and projects.
Al Marri, Al Olama and Belhoul, along with other government officials, university presidents, faculty and staff, attended the recent signing ceremony for the UEP.
Part of the 50-year charter
The UEP comes in line with Dubai's ongoing efforts to implement the sixth article of the UAE's 50-Year Charter.
Titled 'Free Economic and Creative Zones in Universities', article six focuses on establishing public and private universities as free zones that allow students to carry out business and creative activities; make these activities part of the education and graduation system; and shape integrated economic and creative zones around the universities.
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