Initiatives, workshops and competitions were launched across Abu Dhbai as part of Innovation Week
Abu Dhabi - Innovation Week, announced in 2015 by Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, began across the country on Sunday.
Published: Mon 21 Nov 2016, 5:22 PM
From science and engineering, to healthcare and education, innovative minds around the UAE are seeking smart initiatives that help improve their workspace, while enriching the community. Innovation Week, announced in 2015 by Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, began across the country on Sunday.
In the UAE Capital, the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development launched a number of smart applications that support knowledge content, as well as Arabic language and the national identity.
The ministry also launched initiatives, workshops and competitions across the country representing cultural work, such as the Smart Library, which provides cultural services to employees working in all government institutions.
Virtual paintings were also part of the smart initiative, which included more than 5,500 paintings that relate to Islamic art, thus helping enhance the viewers knowledge of the Islamic history, culture and religion.
A Cultural Observatory was released by the Ministry, which reveals statistics about the nation's cultural heritage according to the classification of the Unesco and voice commands in the classical Arabic language. The ministry is the first to implement such an application in Arabic.
Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, said the participation of the Ministry in the UAE Week for innovation stems from a national motive, as part of the objectives of the UAE through Vision 2021, which seeks to promote and disseminate the culture of innovation to become a way of life of the UAE society.
Adec' activities
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) has partnered with schools, universities and industry leaders to promote a culture of innovation across both public and private schools. Adec has included eight innovation programmes: Innovation Centres; Programing for Life; Young Scientist Competition; Abu Dhabi Innovates; Innovation Clubs; Innovation Ambassadors; Innovation Standards; and Innovation Leaders.
"Adec's contributions are driven by its strategic plans which focus on developing an integrated education system that helps produce knowledge through focusing on STEM subjects," said Dr Ali Al-Nuaimi, Adec's director-general.
He noted that the strategy is based on encouraging students to carry out research activities, while urging them to read and investigate.
Students from kindergarten to grade 12, as well as those form higher education institutions, will thus be encouraged to take part in various Stem-related skills.
This week students will be exposed to new innovative approaches organised by public and private schools, from taking part in displays and interactive workshops, to participating in seminars and competitions.Select private schools are also hosting an innovation forum, which allows students and teachers to demonstrate their innovation projects. Cycle three students will be visiting TechShop Abu Dhabi.
Additionally, Adec and Mubadala are organising the '2016 Make it Competition,' which helps attract UAE's brightest new talents into manufacturing and engineering fields. A total of 190 students have participated so far.
'Abu Dhabi Science Festival' will also continue to run throughout the week, encouraging youngsters to engage with Stem-related fields. 'Explore Science with Your Family' will be introduced to students from grades three to five, helping them explore engineering designs, taking place at Khalifa A School on Monday evening.
Open houses
Khalifa University held open houses for two research centres on Sunday, the Visual Analysis and Processing Centre which focuses on research into the areas of surveillance, video communications, biometrics and bio-imaging, and the Khalifa Semiconductor Research Centre focusing on biomedical and nuclear engineering.
"Innovation Week gives us the opportunity to really highlight the kind of cutting-edge research the University is engaged in, and offer activities for our students to participate in," said Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Khalifa University's executive vice-president.
On November 23, the 'Aerospace Research and Innovation Centre' will be officially opened, and Khalifa University will host a ceremony for the 'Khalifa Innovation Centre.' The university will also hold an open house for the 'Khalifa University Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology.'
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com
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