• Dhahi Khalfan: We are committed to encouraging talented Emirati nationals and help shape a bright future
• Al Awar: We seek to foster an environment where Emirati talents and innovators can thrive and equip them with the requisite programming skills and scientific experiences to prosper in the field of technology

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), in collaboration with the Emirates Society for the Talented, implemented the ‘UAE Technology Pioneers’ program to encourage and foster the innovative as well as creative skills of the talented Emirati youths. This is a significant addition to the University’s other key projects that are aimed at nurturing the creativity and innovation of young Emirati talents. Through this program, the University intends to offer the Emirati youths with advanced technological skills, empower the next generation of creators, as well as encourage the learners to significantly contribute to the creation of cutting-edge technologies and thrive in computers and programming disciplines.

The new initiative is intended for UAE nationals between the age group of 11 and 15. The initial phase of the program titled ‘Creating the Foundation’, that lasts for nine days, will commence on October 15, 2022. Numerous practical projects are included in the program including Visual Design and JavaScript, Brain-Controlled Games and Activities, and Emirati Utopia. The program covers a wide range of topics such as producing practical projects using Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Internet of Things (IoT), developing futuristic thinking skillsets, programming languages, and application programming.

H.E Lieutenant-General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai, Chairman of Board of Governors of HBMSU, said: “We have implemented the ‘UAE Technology Pioneers’ program together with the Emirates Society for the Talented, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to progress towards an era of technological advancements. Under the guidance of H. E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a national program was launched to accelerate the pace of digital transformation in various sectors. The ‘UAE Technology Pioneers’ program marks a significant milestone and reflects our steadfast commitment in encouraging talented Emirati nationals and enabling them to further contribute to shaping a brighter future. It also intends to produce a generation of creators and innovators that assist the nation in its ambitious visions and strategies, which aims to solidify UAE’s leading position as one of the most advanced and developed countries. The program is designed for the talented youths, to support and promote a culture of innovation among them, developing their skills and capabilities. The program focuses on programming, with an emphasis on its significance as a key driving force for the future developmental and economic models.”

H.E Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University stated that the UAE Technology Pioneers program aims to pursue the joint efforts of HBMSU and the Emirates Society for the Talented to support the national talents, as well as fostering a suitable environment for the Emirati creators and innovators. He emphasised that it also offers the requisite tools and resources to the youth generation to accomplish future visions as well as nurture strong values of self-belief, to significantly influence and revolutionise the field of programming and software development.

Al Awar added: “This program is launched in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, President of HBMSU, to embrace programming as the language of the future, its most important tools, and the creator of opportunities for the coming generations. Our initiatives and programs are driven by this ambition to help younger generations to become skilled in a variety of advanced technology disciplines. The program ‘UAE Technology Pioneers’ is a significant outcome of our partnership with the Emirates Society for the Talented. We are advancing this collaboration to launch various other ambitious projects and initiatives, as well as further form alliances with key players in the technology industry globally. One of our innovative programs, the ‘UAE Brilliants in the Technology Industry’ seeks to establish a solid framework to create a generation of Emirati talents and innovators who are equipped with all the requisite practical experience, programming expertise, and resources for thriving in the evolving technical fields. In addition to this, the program also intends to strengthen the participation of the younger generation in the advanced technology industry, which contributes significantly to the future economies as well as national development.

The program ‘UAE Technology Pioneers’ further seeks to offer its participants several future resources and equip them with skills necessary to use emerging technologies proficiently as well as help them play a significant role in its development. The program emphasises on providing in-depth knowledge of concepts related to programming and computer hardware. It additionally gives the practical training to the participants through a visual design project and JavaScript, beginning by learning the fundamentals of programming before moving on to acquiring the basics of JavaScript.

Under the ‘UAE Brilliants in the Technology Industry’ program, students are enrolled in an interactive project-based learning platform. The program comprises of several activities created to provide learners hands-on experience while creating a variety of projects and using AI, IoT, and machine learning applications to address issues. Additionally, the program covers a practical project for IoT application programming utilising the Micro Bit system, as well as the detection of human brain potential by Deep Neural Network (DNN) via a brain-computer interface (NextMind). A practical project with virtual tours to various locations is also included in the program, along with an enhanced metaverse interactive environment that utilises Roblox, Sandbox, augmented reality, and extended reality.

A practical project called the ‘Utopia UAE’ is also part of the ‘UAE Brilliants in the Technology Industry’ program. It involves a virtual tour to the UAE, offering information about its landmarks, culture, and heritage, showcasing the UAE economy and the opportunities available, as well as introducing the existing laws and regulations in the area. The program is offered at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University with the option of both in-person and remote learning.

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