Sharing Good Practice
LEADING THE VISION
FOR EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION IN THE UAE
BY: TIM LOGAN
‘
B
rothers, I think it's time for a
new form of government...
We should lead for the future
and build our people's ability
to make their own living, provide
financially for their families. We should
think about tomorrow, today.' Sheikh
Maktoum bin Butti bin Suhail, 1833
(quoted in Weir, 2015)
It is clear from the history of the
UAE, that its leaders have long been
driven by a visionary and voraciously
ambitious focus on the future
possibilities for the country. From the
building of the souk at Dubai Creek
as a hub to expand trade in 1833, to
Majid Al Futtaim's risking of everything
to construct the Mall of the Emirates
25km from central Dubai in the early
2000s confident in his vision that it
would soon be one of the most visited
and lucrative shopping centres in
the world. Today, the Dubai Future
44
Term 1 Sep - Dec 2019
Foundation and the iconic Museum
of the Future are emblems of this
continued vision. While governments
and businesses around the world
are planning for the technological
and ecological upheavals of the next
decade, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al
Nahyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum are envisioning
and preparing for the UAE's position
at the pinnacle of every metric
imaginable in five decades time.
From my perspective as an educator
and school leader, what is particularly
significant
about
this
hugely
determined commitment is the
critical role that is being attributed to
education in translating it into reality.
'More than any other time, we need
to boost innovation among young
people, build nurturing environments
in our society, and encourage our
Class Time
schools and universities to equip
our youth with skills in research and
discovery
m etho dolo gie s .'
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime
Minister of UAE and Ruler of
Dubai, 2014
'An advanced education system
enhances a nation’s capacity to
innovate and create…' The UAE
National Innovation
Strategy,
(UAE Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, 2015)
This is far from a universal realization.
As Andreas Schleicher, Director for
Education and Skills at the OECD,
recently
highlighted:
'Innovation
remains a marginal policy agenda in
most education systems.'
Just as start-ups need incubators
such as Area 2071 to thrive, the school
cultures and structures necessary