Dubai, 9 th March, 2023
Under the theme “Advancing Sustainably as a Core Purpose of Higher Education: Strategies, developments and lessons learnt” started this morning the symposiums organized by the Center for Learning Innovations and Customized Knowledge Solutions (CLICKS) in conjunction with the award ceremony celebrating the winners of the 2nd cycle of the Zairi International Awards for Excellence in HE.
The event brings together higher education leaders, decision makers and other key representatives from more than 30 countries to discuss the crucial role Higher Education plays in addressing some of the most challenging social, economic and environmental global issues within the context of the 2030 agenda and how universities are able to transform themselves through a stakeholders’ approach and contribute to the SDGs in terms of research, engagement with the community, teaching and learning and curricula design, management practices, etc.
A rich program for the day was put in place including a morning practical workshop organized by AdvanceHE in the UK, keynote addresses and three panel discussions. Among speakers were: Dr. Peter J. Wells, Chief Higher Education, UNESCO; Dr. Patrick Paul Walsh, Director of the SDG Academy in Ireland; Prof. Dzulkifli bin Abdul Razak, Rector of the International Islamic University in Malaysia ;Prof. Ghaleb Alhadrami Albreiki, Acting Vice Chancellor at the United Arab Emirates University; Mr. Phil Baty, Chief Knowledge Officer at the Times Higher Education in the UK and among others. In addition, the symposium attended by HE Prof. Mohamed Yousif Baniyas Director, Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) at the UAE Ministry of Education and Vicki Stott, CEO of the UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).
Commenting on the event, Dr Narimane Hadj-Hamou, Founder and CEO of CLICKS and Chair of the Symposium said: “Higher Education Institutions have always played a crucial role in our society, economy and environment and in addressing some of the world’s greatest challenges. Within the context of the 2030 agenda, they are pivotal to the achievement of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs which serve as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all through addressing some of the most pressing global challenges such as: poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice and quality education can help transform and shape the purpose of our universities. This event comes timely with the UAE government focus on sustainability after His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, has declared 2023 as the “Year of Sustainability” and where the UAE will be hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).”
Sponsors of the Awards and Symposium include: MEDAD and Cengage as Awards’ Gold Sponsors; QAA as a Symposium Silver Sponsor and Coursera, AdvanceHE and WordsmithRapport as Symposium Bronze Sponsors.
