Diploma to certify experienced smart city specialists launched in Dubai

Dubai - The programme, which consists of four modules and a capstone project, also forms part of the new phase of Dubai's Happiness Agenda.

A diploma programme has been launched to accredit 35 'smart city experience specialists' from 27 government, semi-government and private sector entities in the emirate.
The three-month course - from September to November - is offered online by Smart Dubai in collaboration with the University of Dubai and the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI). The programme, which consists of four modules and a capstone project, also forms part of the new phase of Dubai's Happiness Agenda.
Current and emerging technologies will be the foundation of the course, helping accelerate innovation, and directly contributing to continued improvements of the economy, the environment and the quality of life in Dubai.
"The audience is experienced practitioners who have extensive knowledge and real-world expertise in services, but are yet to have any formal training in design or research," said Younus Al Nasser, assistant director-general, Smart Dubai and CEO, Dubai Data Establishment.
"The course is part of a comprehensive approach in helping learners develop a better understanding of emerging technologies and enhance their knowledge in this domain," said Dr Eesa Bastaki, president of the University of Dubai.
"We live in the digital world and we must put in all necessary efforts to research, develop and design better learning methods to be applied in future projects," he added.
Participants of the course will graduate with an in-depth understanding of emerging technologies and their utility to designing digital services; an understanding of key aspects and processes of service design; and a clear grasp of research methods that can be applied to service design and provision.
Mohammad Abdullah, president of Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, said: "As urbanisation and populations expand globally, our relationship with the built environment and the natural world is continuously impacted. We urgently need to develop new ways of thinking to solve increasingly complex problems. Design and design thinking are skills that we need to place in the hands and minds of the next generation to enable purposeful and humanised digital transformation."
reporters@khaleejtimes.com 

• Dubai