The Virtual Forum Entitled “Hamdan Global Forum For Excellence” Kicked Off On 18Th October

Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance is organizing throughout 5 days the Hamdan Global Forum for Excellence with the aim of engaging various students, segments of society and specialized people in a series of sessions and workshops that would enable them to acquire more knowledge and skills in scaling up the quality of education, and to learn more about the latest global practices in developing education and taking it to new heights of excellence.

HE Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education – Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance said,” The forum reflects the foundation’s efforts in the light of the repercussions of the COVID-19. It emphasizes the value of innovative solutions and the impact of using modern technologies to continue effective excellence, action and achievement. Throughout the award cycles of the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, this forum has been distinguished by its rich content that reviews the distinguished educational practices of varied elements of the educational system. This includes students, teachers and educators who have achieved the highest levels and standards of educational excellence, which are one of the main axes that we care about and are certain of their impact in accelerating the integration of the education system in our development strategy based on innovation and artificial intelligence in enhancing the efficiency of educational performance in order to build a sustainable future. We at the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance are keen to translate the visions and goals of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and Supreme President of the Foundation in support of education and enable it to achieve the highest rates of growth and quality through many ambitious projects. These include, The Hamdan / EFQM education model, the world Giftedness Centre, the incentive award system, programs to support excellence, discovery and care for talented and innovative people, as well as qualitative projects that provide realistic experiences and practices that contribute to refining an innovative educational environment that meets the requirements of the global education trend.” 

HE added, “We work in harmony with strategic partners, especially the Ministry of Education, and we cooperate well to exchange experiences and information with prestigious educational institutions internationally and regionally for an optimal education system that meets the requirements of the present stage and the future. We contribute to providing solutions and providing effective services to the local and global community and enable the learner to communicate, cooperate and participate in thinking and developing creative solutions on pressing global issues such as quality education, cultural diversity, health promotion, gender equality, environment and peace. We have worked in this forum to attract distinguished international experts to talk to you about emerging issues of concern to the educational field, especially about the challenges of education during COVID-19, future of education and other related axes which are important issues for specialized international organizations such as UNESCO and ISESCO. We are sure that this educational event which provides the community with the best educational practices in the distinguished educational performance will contribute to building an entrepreneurial identity in our society and leave its impact on the construction, the future of education and sustainable development.”

The forum virtually kicked off on (Sunday, 18th October) and will continue until Thursday (22nd October), through the Microsoft Teams or Zoom program, with the participation of a group of prominent speakers in the field of education from various specialized bodies locally and internationally. All groups of society, specialists and students can virtually attend the forum and benefit from its outputs, aimed at providing the education system in the UAE with the best world class educational practices via the link (http://ha.ae/ar/web/guest/registration_form).

Dr. Jamal Al Mehairi, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Secretary-General of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, said “The Hamdan Global Forum for Excellence embodies the Foundation’s keenness and continuous endeavor to highlight global trends in education and its implications on learning processes worldwide.” 

He explained that the forum this year is of special importance due to the exceptional circumstances that the world is going through as a result of the outbreak of the new Coronavirus (Covid 19), and the efforts of those in charge of education to find alternatives to traditional teaching systems, taking into account maintaining the same efficiency and quality, at a time where education plans and goals are among the basics on which sustainable development strategies rely on in all countries. 

Dr. Al Mehairi added: “The foundation is keen on continuing this forum and following up on the latest developments in education around the world, and on transferring pioneering experiences in order to strengthen the educational system, support our students in the education process and to continue the education journey efficiently and effectively. We are firmly confident that the forum will provide an addition to the educational community and open new horizons for education makers and recipients in order to enhance its readiness for various variables in the future”.

Sessions and workshops

A group of prominent speakers and lecturers from the UAE, the region, and the world, will be participating in the sessions and workshops during the forum.

The forum has inaugurated its work on Sunday (18 October) with an opening speech by His Excellency Hussain Al Hammadi, the UAE Minister of Education. This was followed by a session titled "Productivity and High Performance during Crisis", given by Mr Jamil Qureshi from the United Kingdom, a specialist on the mindset and attitude for high performance.

Professor James O'Meara, president of the International Council on Education for Teaching and dean of Texas A&M International University, has also participated in the forum on its second day (Monday, October 19) from the United States, delivering a session under the title “Teachers Innovators: Being the disruption for sustainable futures beyond Covid-19”.

On its third day (Tuesday 20 October), Dr. Salah Meemar, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Taibah University - KSA, will present a session under the title "Thinking Environment". On the fourth day of the forum, (Wednesday 21 October), Mr. Borhene Chakroun from France, Director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division at UNESCO, will review the organization's experience in promoting distance learning under the current circumstances. On the same day, from the Kingdom of Morocco, His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Said Ould Bah, Advisor of Director General of Partnerships and International Relations at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), will present an overview of the educational practices distinguished in ICESCO (ICESCO Digital Home). On the final day (Thursday 22 October), Dr. Najwa AlHosani, Dean of the College of Education at the United Arab Emirates University, will shed light on the issue of quality assurance in distance learning. This will be followed by a session presented by Mrs. Hessa Ahmed Al Rasheed, from the UAE Ministry of Education, in which she talks about the UAE experience in distance learning.

The Hamdan Global Forum for Excellence will also witness the holding of several workshops, which will highlight a number of categories of the the Foundation’s Award, namely, the best practices workshop in the field of distance learning - distinguished school category (Gulf), in addition to a workshop on best practices in the field of distance learning - the distinguished teacher category (local), in addition to a workshop on best practices in the field of distance learning among others.

The sessions and workshops will be followed throughout the days of the forum by a virtual exhibition of the best practice for the winners of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation Awards for Distinguished Academic Performance in different categories.