Visiting US Scholar At Dubai School Of Government Awarded Public Policy Fellowship By Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation

The Dubai School of Government (DSG), a research and teaching institution focusing on public policy in the Arab world, today announced Dr Victor Santiago Pineda, one of its visiting scholars, has been awarded a public policy fellowship by the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research (SSFPR).

Dr Pineda, a Fulbright-Hayes Scholar from the US and a specialist in urban planning and disability issues, has been working in Dubai for the last two months focusing on further integrating the disabled into the society.

The Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research is the visionary initiative of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. Scholarships are awarded to foster research collaboration between the Government of Ras Al Khaimah and the international research community towards aiding the economic and social development of Ras Al Khaimah and the UAE.

Hafed Al Ghwell, Director, External Affairs and Communications, Dubai School of Government, said: “We are proud to host a scholar such as Dr Victor Pineda who has shown that dedication and consistent effort can make a difference in public life. He is a living example of what a challenged person can achieve, given the will and the right circumstances.

“With his superior intellect he has contributed to helping the disabled integrate into society and has raised awareness about their rights. The public policy fellowship by the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation is in recognition of his efforts and spirit, which seeks to challenge, question and find the path to solutions that make life better for the disabled. We believe his knowledge and insights will continue to be invaluable in shaping public policy in the region and in integrating disabled people into the mainstream society.”

Dr Victor Pineda said: “It is a great honour that the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation has selected me for this fellowship. I came to the UAE with the intention of contributing to the debate and facilitate the implementation of public policies. I have assessed the infrastructure and the policy guidelines while studying the community’s attitudes towards the disabled in comparative and cultural perspectives.

“Through the fellowship, I aim to contribute to understand how regulatory approaches, in light of the legislation such as ‘Federal Law No. 29 in Respect of People with Special Needs’ can better foster social inclusion. For this law, my research will offer international best practices in disability planning and policy. For urban planners and developers in the region, my research will highlight key strategies and guidelines, and for government agencies it will provide a policy framework to implement effective policies and regulations.”

Dr Victor Pineda’s research assumes significance as the policy framework and social realities of the UAE allow for more integration of disabled into mainstream society. With a global average of about 10 per cent people being disabled in any population set, the need for work in this area is immediate. This is also in tune with the vision of Dubai’s leadership that has set the development of human capital as one of the key focus areas for the country’s march towards becoming a knowledge-based society.

Founded in 2005 in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, Dubai School of Government currently hosts 25 research fellows and associates with different specializations such as public administration and governance, gender and public policy, economic development, youth inclusion, operations management, community development, and e-government.

Dubai TV Continues Trend of Showcasing Spectacular Line up of Arab Theatre Stars During the Holy Month of Ramadan

Dubai TV, part of Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), one of the pioneering media organizations and creative services group in the Middle East, makes a strategic endeavor to present significant programming during the Holy Month of Ramadan that caters to a highly diversified audience across the region.

Complementing this mission, the Arabic drama series that are showcased on the channel, are typically characterized by rich content that is set in a repertoire of social backgrounds.

Dubai TV also ensures that it brings to the fore works featuring leading protagonists of Arabic theatre, particularly during the Holy Month of Ramadan

In the past years, the channel has set a precedent to highlight a galaxy of stars through social and reality stories, ranging from comedy to drama, including historical and even Bedouin.

With mega productions that match DMI’s ambition of presenting programming to suit the tastes of viewers all across the Arab world, the series rise to the level of distinguished international works with the talent and stature of the Arab actors matching their counterparts in some of the most advanced theatres around the world.

This year, the Egyptian star Yousra will lead the parade of Arabic theatre stars during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Her earlier appearance during Ramadan 2007 through ‘Qadeyet Ra’y A’am’ (A Case of Public Opinion) was considered one of the most important and bold drama works that mirrored numerous social issues that are overlooked in the Arab societies. In Ramadan 2008, Yousra appeared again with her series ‘Fi Ayden Amina’ (In Safe Hands), which scored high level of viewership and public success. In her 2009 appearance, the Egyptian star will showcase unforgettable drama characters in her new series ‘Khas Jeddan’ (Very Private), where she presents a new angle of her artistic character, in addition to social and humanitarian models that are bound to amaze every viewer.

The picture does not vary much with the Syrian drama stars, who excelled in the masterpiece of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In his historical epic ‘Sera’a Ala El Remal’ (Struggle on the Sands), the characters were embodied by several Syrian drama stars such as Khalid Taja, Muna Wasif, and Tayyem Hassan. This Ramadan season, the same stars will return for a new social series ‘Zaman Al A’ar’ (The Era of Shame) that touches on significant social and humanitarian issues. The series will also feature Syrian star Bassam Kousa, who shone in the series ‘Al Hout’ (The Whale) that was aired on Dubai TV last Ramadan.

The Jordanian star Saba Mubarak, who starred in ‘Sera’a Ala El Remal’, will emerge through the new historical series ‘Balqees’ this year, which tells the story of the queen of Saba’a with all the struggles and conspiracies. The series also takes us into the roots of will power and democracy that she established in Yemen.

The Kuwaiti star ‘Hayat Al Fahad’ is a guest of Dubai TV every Ramadan season, presenting the series ‘Al Akh Salha’ (Brother Salha) as an actress and author. She was also featured in the series ‘Al Kharraz’ with a group of Khaleeji drama stars in Ramadan 2007. Last year, she presented the series ‘Abla Noora’ (Mrs. Noora), which was produced by Dubai TV. Al Fahad comes to us this Ramadan with a new series ‘Omr Al Shaqa’ (Lifetime of Burdens), which is characterized by its simple dialogue in the Khaleeji accent devoid of strange and invasive expressions. The series focuses on pure norms, habits and manners that people of the GCC inherited from their ancestors. Are we mentioning this for sure about her series?

The Saudi star Fahad Al Hayyan has a special place in the hearts of his audiences. His light comedy ‘Ghashamsham’, which he presented during the second and third seasons of Ramadan on Dubai TV, achieved phenomenal acclaim among viewers. Al Hayyan is preparing to present the fourth season of this series, which returns with more humorous situations that occur in the lives of the kind, spontaneous and naïve people of his town, but impart a valuable lesson. The ever-popular characters ‘Rasheed’ and his wife ‘Sheikha’ remain the constant factor of every series, the latest of which was filmed in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey, and Bahrain.

Speaking of Arab and Khaleeji drama stars, we cannot help but mention the local drama stars who have successfully presented a body of social and comedy works that have even received an honorary award from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid last year. The home-grown stars include Jaber Naghmoosh who earlier presented the series ‘Al Maqareed’ along with Abdul Aziz Al Jasim, as well as the galaxy of Emirati drama stars who featured in ‘Hayer Tayer’ is there any better translation that we can out here? It doesn’t sound good at all. Last Ramadan. In addition, the star Ahmed Al Jasmi was also honoured for his portfolio of important drama works such as ‘Reeh Al Shamal’ (North Wind) with Hayat Al Fahad. He comes back this Ramadan through his series ‘Qawm Al Ghesh’ (People of Cheating) with the Emirati star Sameera Ahmed, who presented last Ramadan the series ‘Nos Darzen’ (Half a Dozen).

Within the glamorous names comes the young star Marwan Abdulla Saleh, who drew attention to his talent and ability to play a variety of challenging roles and characters in the genre of drama and comedy. His appeal in the programme ‘Sawalefna Helwa’ on Dubai TV epitomizes the successful Emirati youth who are conscious and committed to highlighting the development of the UAE.

And, as with every year, Chef Osama Al Sayyed prepares to present his new and special dishes that befit the Holy Month of Ramadan. Ever popular among niche audiences, the chef will initially display a choice of main courses and supplementary dishes that are appropriate for the season. In the run up to the festivities of Eid Al Fitr, he will dedicate his programme to showcasing different types of desserts, cookies, and biscuits. He will also allocate a segment of his programme to nutrition, explaining the benefits of fasting for the different body organs. A special segment titled ‘Ghetha Al Rouh’ (Nutrition for the Soul) will see the chef drawing out special advice on fasting from a well-known religious personality.

Dubai TV’s special fare during the Holy Month of Ramadan promises a fulfilling programming that will allow audiences to experience some delightful moments of indigenous theatre even while absorbing the rich nuances of Arabic culture.

Saudi and UAE teams announced as dual winners for USD $50,000 MIT Arab Business Plan Competition Prize Money

A team from Saudi Arabia and a team from the UAE were dual-winners of the USD $50 000 MIT Arab Business Plan Competition Award which was presented at a ceremony at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai on Thursday night, both teams walking away with USD $25 000 in prize money. The Saudi Arabian-based team was awarded for their project which involved the development of a webmail application to rank all emails in order of their perceived importance. The UAE based team received USD $25 000 for a project that offers short-term loans for medical procedures. Sponsored by Abdul Latif Jameel, the competition aims to serve the Arab community through education and the promotion of entrepreneurial culture.As well as the large sum of prize money, the winners will also be invited to participate in the MIT Global Startup Workshop Forum, organized by the MIT Enterprise Forum Inc, in Massachusetts, USA.This award is the first of its kind in the Arab world, designed to encourage all entrepreneurs in the region to start their own company and, ultimately, create a platform for viable businesses throughout the Middle East.A team from Egypt which cultivated fertilizer from rice straw took out USD $10,000 in second place and a Jordanian team who have developed a website which helps bloggers raise capital to improve their website performance was awarded USD $5,000 for third. All projects presented were by teams of at least three people, and it was compulsory that at least two of them were Arab nationals. The business concepts had to be designed for implementation in a country within the Arab world.Ghassan Fayad, winner from the Saudi-Arabian based team said: “This experience has been phenomenal. Not only have we been provided with great financial-backing for our business, but this competition has also allowed us to network with relevant business people in the region and the chance to interact with the global entrepreneurship culture.”Mrs Hala Fadel, Chair of the MIT Arab Business Plan Award said: “The MIT Arab Business Plan Event this year has been a phenomenal success. Many of the applications presented were above and beyond our expectations. During challenging economic times it is critical that we create a platform for this new generation of talented, high-energy, hard working group of men and women.” Fady Jameel , Representative of Abdul Latif Jameel, the main sponsor of the event said: “My praise goes out to the MIT Business Award team for their hard-work, job creation and positive impact on entrepreneurship across the entire Arab world.”This year 1650 applications were received and 5000 people from 17 Arab countries were involved with the competition. The equivalent of the MIT Arab Business Plan Competition in Boston has created a number of leading firms and thousands of jobs and it is expected that this will have the same impact in this region.

Experts Call For Greater Transparency And Public-Private Partnerships To Ride Out Crisis

Greater transparency, increased public-private partnerships and coordinated action from all economic sectors are urgently needed to tackle the impact of the current global economic downturn and overcome the recessionary trends to work towards sustainable development, according to experts at a public policy forum in Dubai.

The forum, organised by the Dubai School of Government (DSG), included two panel discussions on ‘Public Policy in the Current Downturn: Constraints and Opportunities.’ Participants at the discussions included cabinet ministers, heads of private institutions and industry professionals from across the Arab world.
Dr Maher Al-Mujtahed, Secretary-General of the Syrian Cabinet of Ministers, Dr Zuhair M’dhaffar, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister in charge of the Civil Service and Administrative Development, Tunisia, and Julian Hawkins, Senior Partner at Deloitte, were among those that brought their perspectives to the table.
Opening the panel discussion, Nabil Alyousuf, Vice-Chairman, DSG Board of Trustees, pointed out all the oil and non-oil exporting Arab countries have been affected and public policy reforms as well as other relevant measures actions are being assessed with a view to upgrading the overall performance of the economy.“In light of these challenges, the way we allocate and leverage our resources to maximize our returns has become critical.”
Dr Maher Al–Mujtahed said: “Decentralisation, simplified procedures, transparency, prudent fiscal management, public-private partnerships, and the active role of NGOs are some of the key areas that will significantly contribute to economic development. The concept of good governance is not new, with most countries making progress in the Arab world. What we need is integration of our efforts.

“The world has faced so many challenges starting with the Great Depression. Each crisis has thrown complex challenges on the economic and political fronts. Challenges in HR have been pronounced while the implications on the financial markets have been enormous. This has increased the need to re-prioritise the role of governments, which may take a new dimension in the future.”

Al–Mujtahed continued : “The world today is a global village with closely integrated financial markets. Governments need to focus on good management and ensure the integrity of officials while implementing their public policies. This is the time we need to foster trust between governments and the public, and focus on transparency to take societies and economies out of the crisis.”

During the discussion, Dr Zuhair M’dhaffar pointed out the Tunisian government has reduced VAT as an incentive to increase exports and boost trade. The country has also increased its budget for the year by 20 per cent .
M’dhaffar said: “We cannot go back to a protectionist phase and be socialist in our outlook. There has to be a balance between globalization and ensuring the domestic industries are not hurt.”

Julian Hawkis said: “The governments have a key role to play in managing the crisis and there are decisions they need to take. Some of these include aligning policy changes with growth-oriented programmes and putting in place adequate checks and balances while implementing the hard decisions.”

Dr Tarik Yousef, Dean of Dubai School of Government, said: “We are grateful to the speakers for offering their insights and recommendations. The panel was unanimous in asserting government intervention to the extent required, but agreed that it has to be only regulatory and not restrictive in approach. The need for the development of human resources was stressed by all speakers, who agreed that greater human capital is an imperative need for creatively overcoming the current challenges.”

The half-day conference came as part of DSG’s ongoing efforts to bring authentic insights into the problems facing the Arab world. The panel discussions were designed to assess the constraints and opportunities for government action in fiscal management, economic planning and policy reforms.
For more details, visit www.dsg.ae or call 04-329 3290.

Board Of Trustees Directs Dubai School Of Government To Expand Scope Of Programmes

The Dubai School of Government, (DSG), a research and teaching institution focusing on public policy in the Arab world, today announced it will build on the existing programmes and expand its scope of work to benefit the wider Arab world.

The announcement follows the first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai School of Government that was established in 2006 through a decree by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The board members attended the meeting that was chaired by His Excellency Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Federal National Council (FNC) Affairs. The other board members who attended the meeting included Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade and three ministers from the Arab world.

The next board meeting is scheduled to be held in October this year. The board members reviewed the progress made by DSG within a span of four years to emerge as a pioneering teaching and research institution in the Arab world. The institution was also commended for its role in influencing decision-makers in the region and paving the way for creating the next generation of Arab leaders.

His Excellency, Nabil Alyousuf, Vice Chair of DSG board of trustees, said: “With a clear focus on improving the quality of manpower and furthering the cause of governance, DSG has a committed agenda that has enormously benefited countries in the region. As recommended by the Board, we will expand the ambit of our existing initiatives and actively offer more comprehensive training programmes to the rest of the Arab world.

“We are grateful for the support of our board members, other Arab governments and our partner institutions in realising our objectives. We will continue to play a critical role in formulating government policies in the region and we are proud of the great recognition our innovative concepts and intellectual debates have garnered so far.”
The Dubai School of Government has cemented valuable partnerships with leading institutions across the world including the Harvard Kennedy School and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. It also implements several executive education programmes in partnership with leading institutions across the world and has tie-ups with key government departments to conduct various courses.

DSG also has tie-ups with global organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank to offer practical hands-on research experience to students. With its faculty of experts, the school has successfully emerged as a regional power-house in guiding policy-makers.

Established in 2005 in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, the Dubai School of Government is committed to the creation of knowledge, dissemination of global best practices, and the training of policy makers in the Arab world. The school is focused on capacity building and conducts various programmes that seek to promote good governance through enhancing the region’s capacity for effective public policy.
For more details, visit www.dsg.ae or call 04 329 3290.

Dubai Knowledge Village Partners With IC Events To Host Region’s First Education Forum

Dubai Knowledge Village, a member of TECOM Investments, today announced it will co-host a one-day interactive ‘SkillsInvest’ Forum to identify educational reforms required for meeting the future economic needs of the Arab world through focusing on leading industries that will drive regional growth.The event is organised by IC Events and The Middle East magazine, a division of the international publishing group IC Publications.To be held on 11 June at the DKV Conference Centre, the inaugural forum titled SkillsInvest ‘Growth through Education in the Arab World’ will provide a platform for regional participants to engage with global business leaders, policy makers, academic experts, as well as young professionals and students.Thirty keynote experts from human resources, higher education, ICT, banking and finance, as well as energy sectors, will participate in the discussions at the event that is supported by Dubai School of Government (DSG), a leading think tank research and teaching institution focusing on public policy in the Arab world.Dr Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director, Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City, said: “Dubai Knowledge Village is committed to complementing Dubai’s strategic mission to create a knowledge-based economy across the Arab World. The SkillsInvest forum will aim to provide incisive insights into the gap between the education system and the skills required for key economic sectors such as banking and finance, energy and ICT.“The event will throw open solutions that will help us lead and address the reforms required in our educational system to equip the next generation workforce with relevant skills for sustaining the region’s economic growth.”The SkillInvest Forum will kick-off with a general plenary session to discuss the skills needed for achieving the objectives of the public and private sectors. An open debate on skills that need to be developed to foster entrepreneurship and responsible leadership in the region will be one of highlights of the event that will also include industry-specific working sessions to examine the skills needed for promoting sustained growth and innovation in key business sectors.The first of its kind forum in the region coincides with the 35th anniversary of The Middle East magazine, the best selling pan-Arab monthly. Headquartered in London IC Publications have over 50 years’ experience in publishing magazines, newsletters, country supplements, industry reports and market intelligence on Africa and the Middle East.Afif Ben Yeddder, Founder and Group Publisher, IC Publications, said: “Human development and education remain at the heart of policy making, a reason why we are launching SkillsInvest in Dubai with much enthusiasm. With millions of young people poised to enter the workplace, the time could not be more right for hosting such an event in the Arab world. This event offers a unique platform to foster interstate cooperation and knowledge sharing between key stakeholders who are redefining human development policies in the region. It will also nurture new partnerships between the public and private sector.“Strategically placed between the West and the East, the region needs to gear itself up to take advantage of the shift in economic power. It is not by any coincidence that economic growth, prosperity and stability are positively correlated with strong educational values, workable policy frameworks and high levels of R&D investment.”Speakers at the path-breaking SkillsInvest Forum will include Tarek Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government; Sheikha Aisha Bint Faleh Bin Nasser Al Thani, Member of the Qatar Supreme Education Council; Jeffrey Belnap, Associate Provost and Campus Director Abu Dhabi, Zayed University; Simon Jones, Director Abu Dhabi Men’s College, Higher Colleges of Technology; Malcolm Richards, Dean of the Business School, American University of Sharjah; Ghaith Fariz, UNDP Representative and Director of the Arab Knowledge Report, and Hanine Salem, Senior Project Manager and Co-Author of the Arab Human Capital report, RAND Qatar Policy Institute.The forum will also feature panellists such as Mohamad Khawaja, Deputy Director, Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship; Charbel Fakhoury, General Manager – Gulf Region, Microsoft; Badr Al Badr, General Manager Saudi Arabia, Cisco; Husni Khuffash, Country Manager UAE, Google; Nabih Maroun, Partner, Public sector, Booz & Co; Ammar Shams, Head of Human Resources UAE, HSBC; George Saab, Chief Human Resources Officer, TECOM Investments, and Clare Woodcraft, Regional Communications Director MENA region, Shell.Launched in 2003, Dubai Knowledge Village aims to consolidate the status of the emirate as a global destination for human resource management and learning excellence. It is a unique hub that offers the right investment opportunities in human capital empowerment, skills development and enhancement.The free zone cluster has evolved into an effective catalyst for training and learning for the entire MENA region, hosting a large number of HR training and development centres, management consultancies and e-learning providers.
 

Hamdan Bin Mohammed E-University Organizes Webinar On The Pedagogy Of Online Education

The Centre for e-Learning Excellence (CeLEx) at Hamdan bin Mohammed e-University, the first e-University in the UAE and the region is hosting webinar on the pedagogy of online education, on Monday May 25.

Professor Alain Senteni Dean of the School of e-Education, at Hamdan bin Mohammed e-University, and Professor France Henri Professor of the Science and Technology Department of Tele-Universite du Quebec, (Teluq) Canada will be lecturing through the “e-Learning Grid” an online community portal for e-learning professionals.

e-Learning is a way to consolidate distance learning, through this webinar, HBMeU will further elaborate on e-learning, to provide a wider, more comprehensive idea of what e-learning is, and what it means to learn and teach in the new global knowledge environment, as well as the art and science of being a teacher in the e-learning arena.

Dr. Narimane Hadj Hamou, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic affairs at Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University said:
"Long have educational institutions spoken about shifting to e-learning, but unfortunately in our region we do not have the manpower to do it, this seminar comes to coach individuals how to be e-learning teachers,”
“This seminar falls in line with our vision to empower people and enable them to better understand e-learning, we believe that good learning is one of the major pillars of development, in our times, e-learning has become a necessity, which is why we have taken on the responsibility to disseminate this type of learning, we look forward to see our learners build the bright future of the UAE,“ concluded Hadj Hamou.

The Centre for e-Learning Excellence (CeLEx) is a pioneering department at the School of Continuing Education at Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University; it was launched in 2008 in an aim to promote excellence in e-Learning in the Arab World through leadership, consulting, research and training services related to e-Learning, through this centre Hamdan Bin Mohammad e-University endeavours to hold periodic online seminars to further spread e-learning in the region.

Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University also offers various graduate programs related to online learning and teaching through its School of e-Education, such as MSc in Interactive Education Technologies, MA in Online Curriculum and Instructions, MA in Online Education leadership and Management, which all seek to enhance the capacity of educational staff to embark upon the latest global changes taking place in the field of e-learning worldwide.

The webinar is open to e-Learning professionals, teachers, faculty members, instructional designers, and student teachers, those who wish to attend can do so through registering at www.elearninggrid.com .

Dubai School Of Government Signs MoU With Young Presidents’ Organization

The Dubai School of Government, a research and teaching institution focusing on public policy in the Arab world, today announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) for collaboration on strategic knowledge- sharing initiatives.

Dr. Tarik Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government, signed the agreement with Waleed Al-Banawi, Incoming Regional Chairman of YPO for Middle East and North Africa.

YPO is a global network of young chief executives that connects 17,000 peers and their families in 100 countries to learn, exchange ideas and address the challenges leaders face today. YPO boasts over 500 members in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Under the agreement, the two entities will work strategically towards sharing mutual resources and networks of contacts, in addition to exploring partnership opportunities for launching joint initiatives and programs in the region.

DSG will specifically contribute to the development and delivery of leadership and public policy programs for YPO members and YPO graduates, who will also gain access to DSG’s faculty for its conferences and seminars in the region. Executive education programs will also be developed by the Dubai School of Government for the members and member organizations of YPO. DSG’s core offerings will be communicated to YPO members and graduates worldwide.

Dr. Tarik Yousef of the Dubai School of Government said: “We are proud to be associated with Young Presidents’ Organization, which is an extremely credible and well-established organization of leaders in the community. Today more than ever, there is a need to network, share resources, knowledge and insights. In challenging times, what we need is perseverance, insights into the complex problems that face us, and networks that help us survive and prosper. We have found YPO to be such a partner, and we look forward to the association that has its foundation in a shared vision of achieving excellence through constant innovation.”

Waleed Al-Banawi, Incoming Regional Chairman of YPO MENA said: “We attach great value to this partnership with DSG for its potential in developing new programs and best practices for our members in MENA. The Dubai School of Government has, within a short period, demonstrated its dedication and pioneering spirit by attracting the brightest minds from across the world. We are a rapidly growing organization with a strong membership base in the region and around the world. With this partnership in place, we are confident of creating more value for our YPO members and graduates in the region, within the organization’s mission of Better Leaders Through Education and Idea ExchangeTM.”

While Rafi Demirjian, YPO MENA Regional Education Chairman said: “It is hard not to notice the great strategic fit in our partnership with DSG given that education is the cornerstone of YPO. Education and idea exchange are the ultimate drivers of progress in any society and we strongly believe that the interaction of our members with the faculty and visiting resources of DSG will have a synergistic effect not only on our respective organizations but on our communities at large."

Established in 2005 in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, the Dubai School of Government is committed to the creation of knowledge, dissemination of global best practices and the training of policy makers in the Arab world. The school is focused on capacity building and conducts various programs that seek to promote good governance through enhancing the region’s capacity for effective public policy. (note: you don’t need this paragraph because you have the DSG boilerplate below)

For more details, visit www.dsg.ae or call 04-329 3290. 

H. H. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Inaugurates Arab Health 2008

UAE vice president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the four-day event and toured the exhibition, in which more than 2,200 exhibitors are taking part.

The exhibition showcases the latest medical breakthroughs and technological developments from over 65 countries. Arab Health is expected to set new records by attracting nearly 50,000 visitors from all over the world, said Minister of Health Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami.

The minister described the event as “the greatest science gathering in the Middle East and the Arab world and the second largest healthcare exhibition worldwide. Arab Health is a world class medical and healthcare event where the latest medical technologies are revealed and healthcare achievements are addressed,” he pointed out.
“I am confident that all the expertise brought to Arab Health by the global health industry and the scientists will benefit the development of the medical sector and health knowledge which will eventually serve entire humanity,” he stated.
 

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation Holds Collaboration Talks With Japanese Consul General

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation today announced His Excellency Adel Al Shared, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Foundation received His Excellency Hiroyasu Kobayashi, Consul General of Japan in Dubai and discussed with him potential collaboration opportunities and future cooperation. His Excellency Kobayashi was briefed on the Foundation’s latest initiatives and achievements.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation works relentlessly to establish communication ties with relevant entities to achieve its multi-pronged objectives in the three main fields of knowledge and education; culture; and entrepreneurship and employment for the overall progress of the Arab world.