• Home
• /
• Opinion

Innovation is the way forward for Emiratis

The UAE's trust in its youth acts as a driving force towards change.

The UAE's leadership believes in empowering the youth and so its policies are aimed at creating the right environment for grooming the talent. Which is why UAE Vision 2021 states: "A strong and safe union, knowledgeable and innovative Emiratis will confidently build a competitive and resilient economy." That was reiterated on Tuesday as His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, underscored the need for preparing generations for the future. The message from the leadership, while honouring 50 young Emirati scientists, was loud and clear. It called for the new generation to master innovation, analysis, communication and leadership skills more than ever, in an attempt to lead from the front in an era of ever-increasing competiveness. The competition was part of the Emirates Foundation's Think Science programme, which aims to encourage and empower Emirati youth between the ages of 15 and 35 years. The winning projects, ranging from engineering, energy, aviation and other technological avenues, were short-listed from 235 projects from more than 640 university and high school students. It was a befitting tribute to the young minds as Shaikh Mohammed lauded their creativity and showed them the way to strive for excellence.
The policy approach is to identify the priorities, directions and practical support that the UAE government intends to give to assist the development of its young minds. Its utility can be gauged from the fact that it involves thousands of young nationals and wants them to emerge from a process as bright and victorious. The youth empowerment strategy targets approximately 40 per cent of the UAE's national population ie, around 400,000 people. A number of bodies such as the Emirates Youth Council and the MoI Youth Council are active at various levels to synchronise local talent and bring them according to the best international standards. The UAE's trust in its youth acts as a driving force towards change. By harnessing the right talent through apt innovation, the Emirates want to address local and regional challenges. This is an epoch-making approach that puts the leadership and the youth on the same page.