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The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched the ‘Future Skills Academy’ as part of the ‘Knowledge Project’ to support the empowerment of people across the Arab world.
The announcement was made during the ‘Digitalization for Sustainable Development’ (D4SD), event hosted by the UNDP on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA79) in New York, in the presence of dignitaries from across the Arab region. Notable participants included His Excellency Osama Abdel Khalek, Permanent Representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the United Nations; Haoliang Xu, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of UNDP; HE Mohammed Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Qatar; HE Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt; and HE Omran Sharaf, Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology of the UAE.
The initiative reflects the UAE’s vision of building a knowledge-based economy fuelled by innovation, leadership, and creativity, a vision that stems from the leadership’s unshakeable belief in the power of investing in people and their pivotal role in driving societal progress.
The new academy represents a significant milestone within the FutureSkills4All Initiative launched as part of the ‘Knowledge Project’ last year. The main objective of the academy is to empower people in the Arab countries through various educational programmes that help them acquire new skills, significantly enhancing their capability to advance their professional development. This, in turn, will prepare them for future employment opportunities and thereby promote sustainable economic development in the region.
Clear objectives
The ‘Future Skills Academy’ is envisaged to expand its reach to make its programmes accessible to more than a million people across the Arab world. It further aims to meet the surge in demand from numerous governments for specialised training programmes that are specifically designed to close educational gaps through partnerships with relevant governments. Additionally, it seeks to address various unemployment challenges by bridging the gap between job opportunities available in the market and the skill sets of fresh graduates.
During the event, the MBRF announced the formation of a global coalition for skills development, inviting stakeholders to participate in the coalition’s inaugural meeting at the ninth edition of the ‘Knowledge Summit,’ scheduled to take place in Dubai in November 2024. The coalition underscores the MBRF’s pivotal role in fostering innovation and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals by launching initiatives and training programmes designed to enhance skills within the community and thereby empower individuals.
His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of the MBRF, emphasised that the launch of the ‘Future Skills Academy’ represents a crucial step in the Foundation’s mission to empower future generations with the skills to develop sustainable solutions. “This initiative aligns with MBRF’s commitment to spreading knowledge globally to support community development. The academy embodies our continuous dedication to bridging gaps, advancing the knowledge economy, and promoting human development across the Arab region by equipping individuals with essential skills and directly linking education to employment opportunities,” he emphasised.
“The Future Skills Academy is a strategic investment in the Arab region’s future, further strengthening Dubai's status as a globally prominent hub of knowledge. The aim is to nurture a generation of talented youth equipped to address sustainable development challenges and empowered with the skills to propose effective solutions,” he added.
HE Abdallah Al Dardari, Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States of the UNDP, said: “In addition to signifying a crucial advancement in our strategic partnership with the MBRF, this academy represents a pivotal step towards creating a comprehensive and sustainable future. Its primary mission is to bridge the digital divide in the Arab region by enhancing digital capabilities and equipping local communities with the requisite skills to thrive in today’s ever-changing world. By providing essential and cutting-edge resources, the academy will empower organisations and partnerships to leverage the opportunities offered by the global digital economy.”
Partnership model
On a broader scale, the academy is designed to bridge the digital divide, promoting innovation, resilience, and inclusion by providing individuals, governments, and SMEs with essential digital skills to drive digital transformation and foster community innovation. It also seeks to enhance social innovation through partnerships with universities and the private sector, enriching learning experiences and improving practical educational outcomes. Additionally, the academy addresses labour market inequalities, including gender disparities, and offers educational and vocational programmes tailored to support underrepresented groups.
The Future Skills Academy is set to offer a diverse range of certified and specialised programmes, available both online and in-person, in its initial phase. It is designed to equip students, professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, and government officials with essential future skills and will act as a knowledge-driven catalyst, supporting various global digitalisation and transformation initiatives, including the Digitalisation for Sustainable Development (DT4SD) programme. This collaboration underscores the synergy between UNDP initiatives and the Foundation’s commitment to bringing about positive social change through educational initiatives.
Crucial support
The academy will play a pivotal role in enhancing the skills of younger generations across sectors such as health, education, environment, governance, and policy-making. This is particularly significant given that youth constitute nearly half of the region’s population, with nearly a quarter of this segment facing unemployment and a still bigger proportion preparing to enter the workforce. Recent statistics highlight the growing gap between individual skills and labour market demands in the Arab region. Despite 70% of the population having internet access since 2022, only 1.7% are recognised as ‘digital talents.’
The Knowledge Summit is the leading annual knowledge event in the Arab world, providing a dynamic platform to highlight insights that drive modern technological trends and the evolving knowledge ecosystem. It brings together leaders, experts, visionaries, and policymakers to exchange ideas, explore the future, and address key themes from the knowledge and developmental perspectives.
Strategic collaboration
The ‘Knowledge Project’ is the result of a strong and strategic collaboration between the UNDP and the MBRF. Its mission is to guarantee accessibility to knowledge-based societies and promote sustainable development. Additionally, the initiative seeks to facilitate meaningful dialogue and enhance awareness around the significance of knowledge and knowledge-driven policies. It also fosters the use of knowledge outputs, with a special emphasis on the 'Global Knowledge Index' (GKI) as a catalyst for transformation.
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