du receives overwhelming 5000+ applications from Emirati talent, following participation at careers fairs in 2009

In a clear positioning as an attractive employer for the region’s young Emirati talent, du today announced that it has received more than five thousand applications from graduates, undergraduates and other talented UAE nationals, during the course of du’s participation in recent series of career fairs around the country.

du, which is currently the Diamond sponsor of the Al Fujairah Career Fair during 12 – 14 May, received huge interest at each of the recent careers fairs held in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, American University in Sharjah, Dubai, Al Ain and Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, since January 2009.

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah also visited the du stand after inaugurating the event and was briefed about du’s efforts in Emiratisation. He also honoured du for it’s outstanding Emiratisation efforts and the sponsorship of Fujairah Career fair. Jamal Khalifa Lootah, Senior Director, National Recruitment and Development at du received the trophy on behalf of du.

Firmly committed to Emiratisation, du is offering 100 job vacancies for fresh graduates through its graduate training programme – Masar – this year alone. Overall, the company is committed to reaching a goal of 23% Emiratisation by the end of 2009; and had achieved a rate of 20% Emiratisation by February 2009, among which 30% is in the senior management level.

Fahad Al Hassawi, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, du, said: “We are committed to reaching out to young Emiratis as part of our ongoing drive towards greater Emiratisation, and participating in careers fairs enables us to do just that. We encourage more prospective Emirati job-seekers to apply online through our website careers.du.ae.”

"We are proud with the vast magnitude of responses received from Emirati nationals, and by the calibre of talent and expertise that we have witnessed. It demonstrates that du is an attractive employer to local talent and that we are on a positive track for reaching our Emiratisation goals.”

The applications will be assessed and channelled through different avenues at du, depending on the level of experience and qualifications.

Fresh graduates and those with the necessary qualifications but not the experience for direct recruitment will fall under du’s Graduate Training Programme and Development Plan ‘Masar’, which is structured to ensure jobs for nationals with varying educational backgrounds, from high school to post graduate degrees.

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.

UAE Has Recovered Quickly From The Global Financial Crisis : Hamdan

The UAE has managed under its prudent leadership to recover from the world financial crisis rapidly, said H. H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, at a keynote address to the Islamic banks conference.’’The conference seeks to devise a sound concept to deal with the choking economic crunch the governments, firms and individual are passing through,’’Sheikh Hamdan told the meeting which was opened by H.H. Sheikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. The Four-day banking forum is being organised by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities (DICD). ’’Dubai has the honour as the leader of the Islamic banking industry when Dubai modern maker the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum launched the Dubai Islamic Bank,’’ Sheikh Hamdan said in his address read on his behalf by Dr. Hamad Al Shaibani, Director General of DICD and chairman of the conference. ’’It is our duty to protect this industry by complete financial transparency,’ he added

Mohammed bin Rashid opens Aswaaq shopping mall in Dubai

Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, inaugurated here today morning at Al Mizhar district the Aswaaq shopping mall, a first series of malls, which will be constructed within next five years in different districts and quarters of Dubai.Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Dubai Crown Prince HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Dubai Deputy Ruler HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. They toured the two storey building of the mall to acquaint themselves with the shopping activity at the shopping mall.The Vice President and Dubai Ruler expressed his willingness to set up a series of shopping malls to reach 22 shopping mall centres to facilitate shopping activity to youth and families, adding that productive families could hire outlets in the shopping malls to market their productions.

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Orders The Launch Of The 2nd Round Of DAST, Special Needs Added

 HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, directed to launch the second edition of Dubai Award for Sustained Transport (DAST); an event organized by Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) that aims at educating and encouraging community organizations to play an active & constructive role in supporting RTA sustained transport objectives. The Award also reasserts the leading role of the RTA in promoting partnerships & cooperation with various organizations, and placing sustained transport among the key issues of concern to the local organizations and media. HH directed to introduce a new Category to the Award to cater for Special Needs Transportation. Accordingly the number of categories covered by the Award becomes four, namely: Mobility Management & Regulation, Environment Conservation, Safety, and the newly introduced Special Needs Transport Category. The Chairman of the Board & Executive Director of RTA H.E. Mattar Al Tayer expressed his deep thanks to HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for lending support & patronage to Dubai Award for Sustained Transport (DAST). “DAST is sheer translation of Dubai Strategic Plan; which stems from the vision of the emirate; particularly Infrastructure, Lands and Environment Sector. It is also a reflection of the strategic goals of the RTA calling for protecting lives & properties, conserving the environment & natural wealth, and improving public safety under the drive to fulfill the vision of the RTA to provide Safe & Smooth Transport for All” said Al Tayer. He added: “Nomination to the Award is open up to 30 October 2009, and RTA has set nomination categories & standards of DAST in parallel categories, enabling a large number of organizations to apply for the Award which covers small as well as large businesses in the private and public sector, as well as government departments and non-profit organizations. "The Award comprises four Categories: the first one is Special Needs Transport; which is concerned with any initiative or practice that takes into consideration the mobility requirements of special needs. The second category is: Mobility Management; which focuses on applied practices & initiatives that contributed to the enhanced use of various modes of transport. The third category: Conserving the Environment from the negative impact of mass transit modes, which covers any initiative leading to suppression of noise levels & effects, and the optical pollution resulting from various public transport modes. The fourth category is Transport Safety, which addresses initiatives & practices leading to improved security & safety levels for various mass transport commuters through boosting performance metrics & levels related to transport modes users. This can be achieved through stressing & upgrading the compliance with safety laws and safe practices during operation or use of any transport means. It also relates to the drive of upgrading security & safety levels to make mass transit modes safer; which in turn involves the application of simple or highly sophisticated technologies and introducing of changes to those means. Safety aspects also include caring for transport facilities through strengthening security elements of those facilities such as roads, bus stops and stations, railways, and marine transport facilities.“In its second edition, DAST added two new categories; the Best Media Coverage; which is meant to boost the awareness of the Award, and the Best Academic Research in Sustained Transport. The Award has 3-tier sponsors; Platinum Sponsor, Gold Sponsor, and Silver Sponsor” said Al Tayer in a concluding remark.For obtaining information about the Award, or downloading the Nomination Form, please log on to the Award link from RTA portal (www.rta.ae).

Victory Team Launch 2009 World Championship Charge With Fazza 3

The Dubai Victory Team will launch their 2009 Class 1 World Championship charge in Doha this week with an all-star pairing gunning for the title in a boat named in honour of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.Current world champion Nader Bin Hendi will join forces again with 2007 world number one Arif Al Zafeen in the 1,800hp Fazza 3 – the first time a boat from the Victory stable has raced in the sport’s premier competition without the team’s name on the hull.“Our participation in the 2009 World Championship is a result of the great support the team receives from our chairman HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of the Executive Council,” said Victory Team Managing Director and former world champion Khalfan Harib.“While one of our two entries in the world championship will be called Victory 1 and will feature our traditional colours and name, the Fazza 3 boat is painted in a unique style and will carry ‘Fazza 3’ on both sides of the hull. The name is synonymous with HH Sheikh Hamdan and we are proud and honoured to be able to race under his name in 2009.”While the 2009 season – which gets underway with the Qatar Marine Festival Grand Prix in Doha on Saturday (April 25) – will be the first outing for the Fazza team, the boat’s crew is one of the best and most experienced in the world.Bin Hendi stormed to his first Class 1 world crown just five months ago, while Al Zafeen lifted the same title a year earlier at the end of a remarkable rookie season.Initially paired together for the 2008 campaign, Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi picked up maximum points in Doha last year before a racing injury forced Al Zafeen to sit out the remainder of the season. Bin Hendi subsequently paired up with Mohammed Al Marri and the duo powered on to win the Victory Team’s eighth Class 1 world crown in the boat now renamed Fazza 3.“Winning the Class 1 World Championship is always a major achievement so we were delighted to finish first and second in the standings last year,” added Harib, the first Arab Class 1 World Champion back in 1993. “Winning the Middle East and Pole Position championships meant it was a memorable year for all of us but that’s history now.“Every other team will be looking to beat us this season so we have again spent the winter months preparing for what will be yet another major challenge. With Fazza 3 and Victory 1, we believe we have boat and crew packages that can keep us at the forefront of the sport.”While Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi will compete in Fazza 3, Victory 1 will see experienced throttleman and former world champion Jean Marc Sanchez join forces with rookie driver Mohammed Al Mehairi.

HE Dr. Anwar Gargash Launches Dubai School of Government Alumni Association

His Excellency Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Federal National Council Affairs and Chairman of the DSG Board of Trustees, today inaugurated the Dubai School of Government Alumni Association.

High-ranking government officials, various heads of private and public sector organizations and business leaders from throughout the region attended the event, which was held at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

The Dubai School of Government (DSG) also announced the appointment of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, as the first Honorary President of the DSG Alumni Association. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan is an alumnus of a specialized training program from the School, which is the first in the region to offer curricula in public policy and administration through partnerships with globally renowned institutions.

Dr. Tarik Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government, said: “The launch of the DSG Alumni Association is a significant milestone for the School. It celebrates the accomplishments of our alumni and ensures that every past student of the institution remains connected. The new body is also an effective platform to keep these professionals informed of the latest developments in public policy, while providing them with continued access to DSG’s community of policy experts.

“It is an honor for the association to be chaired by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan, who is one of our distinguished graduates. We are proud of our academic growth, and look forward to strengthening our bonds with former students who have benefited from our academic and executive education programs. We believe the establishment of the DSG Alumni Association will help to promote ongoing interaction among our past students who now hold high-ranking positions as top professionals in the region.”

During the inauguration ceremony, the School also honored the contributions of HE Mr. Nabil Alyousuf. As Executive President, Mr. Alyousuf has guided the development of the School since its inception in 2005. Mr. Alyousuf is also Vice Chair of the Dubai School of Government’s Board of Trustees.

Established in 2005 in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, the Dubai School of Government is actively engaged in the creation of knowledge, dissemination of global best practices, and 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.

For more details, visit www.dsg.ae or call 04-3293290.

Winners Of 5th Annual Young Entrepreneur Competition Awarded

The Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders (MBRE) will be honoring the winners of the fifth Young Entrepreneur Competition (YEC) with cash prizes for the first time, on April 14th at an awards ceremony held by MBRE.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Chairman of the MBRE’s Board of Directors, the awards ceremony will award the top 5 winners from schools and Universities across the UAE with certificates and a trophy.

The categories include; Best Marketing, Best Technology, Best Team-work, Best Profitable Business, Best Cultural, Best product design, Best Kiosk, Best UAE National Team, Best Unique Business, Best Handmade Product, Best Artistic Projects, Best Environmental Awareness.

Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment said:
“The YEC 2009 attracted over 280 projects that were far more creative than previous years. In terms of selecting the overall winner, we were looking for business ideas, products that are creative, innovative are well marketed and have the potential to be a profitable business. We look forward to congratulating the top five winners at the MBRE award ceremony on April 14th and working with the overall winner to develop their business plan.”

The winner of the competition was selected on April 4th by judge panel, which comprises of members of the Ministry of Education, MBRE, Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority and will be announced next week at the awards ceremony.

ENDP’s High Praise For HSBC Emiratisation Efforts

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, presented HSBC yesterday with a
special award for its successful Emiratisation programme and ongoing commitment to the recruitment and development of UAE Nationals. The award was received by Mr. Youssef
Nasr, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC at the Emirates National Development Programme’s (ENDP) Annual Graduation Ceremony 2008.

HSBC had partnered with ENDP and the Dubai Institute for Human Resource Development earlier to ensure the highest standards for the development of UAE national talent. Through this partnership, over 100 UAE nationals had joined HSBC’s first specialised training programme entitled the ‘HSBC Emiratee Development Programme’.

The ‘HSBC Emiratee Development Programme’ is six weeks long and covers language, communication and computer skills together with the standards of work behavior expected
in a large organisation. Successful completion of the programme results in the award of the internationally recognised ’Work Essentials’ qualification conferred by BTEC (Business & Technology Education Council) of the UK.

This programme is then followed by job placements,
mentoring and further job-specific training designed to help the new recruits succeed in their new careers.

Youssef Nasr, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC said: “HSBC is committed to developing UAE’s national talent for they are the future leaders of the banking and finance industry and we are very honoured to be recognised for our efforts by ENDP. Emiratisation has been one of our strategic objectives and is at the top our agenda. We have been committed not only to recruit the best UAE nationals but also to train, develop, and provide them with a
challenging career plan. We currently have the highest number of UAE nationals amongst all banks in the country.”

“HSBC has set strategies to ensure that it remains the employer of choice for the very best talent in the market place and the ‘Best Place to Work’. We have introduced new career banding and market-related pay policies which enable the Bank to offer more flexible packages to retain talent. Moreover, the Bank introduced special policies concerning
paternity, maternity and adoption leave which are unique to this market.

The Bank has also introduced a number of flexible working arrangements which takes into consideration the personal circumstances of individuals who might find it difficult to work full time. Such facilities include Key time Employment, the option to work between 4 and 7.5 Hours per day, job sharing, term time variation and staggered hours,” said Joel Farnworth, Regional Head of Human Resources, HSBC.
As ’The world’s local bank’, HSBC diversifies its staff resources to contribute to societies where it operates.

Pushing forward with Emiratisation is a reflection of this goal.

Live Cardiac Catheterization Tele-Surgery

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Patron of Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University, HE Humaid Mohamed Al Qutami Minister of Health launched today the First Annual Conference on e-Health “The Virtual Dimensions of Health and Environment” at the Dubai Scientific and Cultural Association in the presence of HE Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University.

In this occasion HE Humaid Mohamed Al Qutami, Minister of Health, said:
“The role of the Ministry of Health is to provide a the basis to support the health care sector, through improving the overall health services to meet the best global standards, in addition that the ministries role consists of coordinating with the various department that encourage the development of the health sector such as Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University.”

HE Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, said:
“The First Annual Conference on e-Health enjoys the special sponsorship of the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Environment and Water, it comes to provide a platform for participants to share their experiences and knowledge, and address the challenges that accompany the emergence of e-health in the Middle East, this conference will also shed the lights on environmental issues in relation to health issues.”

The first day of this congress witnessed a large number of participation by veterans in the field of health and environment as well as representatives from governmental and non- governmental organizations interested in health and environmental issues as well as a number of researchers in the field of health care.

The conference witnessed the first event f its kind at state level, when the participants watched a live broadcast of a Cardiac catheterization Tele Surgery by Dr. Safwan A. Taha, from Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi. The conference also included various discussions and presentations by key speakers such as: Prof. Gopal Kanji, Prof. James Harrington, Dr. Ali Al Numairy and Dr. Abdelghaffar Al Hawi. They discussed the challenges facing the innovation in health, they addressed issues like: “Health through a Better Environment”, “Toward virtual hospitals: Dream, Threat or Trend?”, and How could e-Health contribute to Health?”

Also during the conference, Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University signed MOUs with a number of parties, the first was with the UAE Ministry of Health. According to this agreement, the University will provide specialized consultancy services to help build the ministry’s quality advancement, the agreement will also foster the culture of e-learning at the Ministry. The second memorandum of understanding was with the Emirates Medical Association, in which the two parties agree to cooperate in providing help and support to each other in future e-health conferences, and the third was with the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, as per this agreement the parties cooperate in conducting research and academic programs to allow the learners to enrol in both universities.

The 1st Annual Conference on e-Health: The Virtual Dimensions of Health and Environment, is held in partnership with Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, the International Hospital Federation, Health Management, World Health Care Congress Europe, World Health Care Congress, Emirates Medical Association; and under the sponsorship of Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Environment and Water. In addition, the conference is privileged to receive the platinum sponsorship of the Dubai health Authority, the golden sponsorship of RTA, and in support of enPark, SUKAD , zarca interactive, Dubai International Academic City, arabmedicare.com and International Turnkey Systems Group (ITS).