Abu Dhabi, UAE – April 7, 2016 – Experts in education have intensified their appraisal of education and modern skills that the employer looks out for when it comes to hiring at the first day of Bett’s inaugural Middle East Leadership Forum and Expo in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate.
Distinguished speakers from global organizations and regional governmental entities attended the event at the iconic InterContinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi.
The two-day event has been organized in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) with the primary aim of discussing the transformation of education in the Middle East, whilst promoting the discovery of technology and knowledge to enhance lifelong learning across the regional academic landscape.
Gordon Payne, Divisional Director, Education & Technology at i2i event advised all present to be encouraged by the ambition of the local education authorities and leaders in the region. An address was also delivered by Philip Parham, British Ambassador to United Arab Emirates, British Embassy Abu Dhabi.
In his opening keynote, Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council demonstrated the authority’s clear commitment to developing human capital for transiting to a sustainable global knowledge economy.
The ADEC Director General stressed the importance of investing in technology in order to help develop education further, while improving learning and teaching skills through the usage of modern technology that will help create a knowledge based generation of youth capable of taking part in future challenges, especially since technology already plays a huge part in the lives of students.
He called upon all educators working across schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to fulfill its prudent leadership’s vision “education first” by considering education one of the nation’s top priority, adding that this can only happen through teamwork spirit, while taking advantage of the numerous programs and activities launched on a nationwide level to help improve the overall education system.
“I call upon all educators to take part in the different workshops Bett Middle East has to offer, to network and learn new things, while taking advantage of the vast experiences available during these two days.”
Microsoft’s Worldwide Education Vice President, Anthony Salcito, also spoke at the event and shared how he sees schools throughout the region – and around the world –transforming the way teaching and learning happen.
He said that the modern workplace has evolved as businesses are moving from organization-centric to people centric and that students preparing for today’s workforce need to develop skills required for this shift.
“The five Cs – communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, computational thinking — are the core skills hiring managers are hungry for as they transform globally.”
The first day accommodated speeches and interactive panel discussions that encouraged participation from audience members. This was followed by three simultaneously-running steams centered around teacher training, professional development, higher education and vocational education.
Summarizing the achievements of the first day, Gordon Payne, Divisional Director, Education & Technology , i2i Events noted that the level of success seen at the event serves as a true testament to the UAE’s growing appetite for education technology and nurturing 21st century skills.
“By adopting these innovations the nation can set itself on the right path to achieving its goals of being able to economically compete in a rapidly changing world. We’re proud of our decision to bring Bett to the Middle East, and of our role in bringing significant regional and international leaders from the education sector together where they have the ability to share knowledge and engage in a way that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.”
