His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Chairman of the Education and Human Resources Council, inaugurated the new strategy for the Higher Colleges of Technology 2023-2028 under the title “Designing the Future”.
This came during his visit to the headquarters of the Higher Colleges of Technology for students in Dubai, where he inaugurated the new strategy in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education, and His Excellency Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Mannan Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Head of the Higher Colleges of Technology Complex. His Excellency Dr. Faisal Al-Ayyan, Director of the Higher Colleges of Technology Complex, and a number of officials.
The new strategy aims to draw a new work map for the applied education model for colleges in accordance with the directions of the wise leadership and its vision in building and preparing the future person, with the highest level of skill, competence and readiness to ensure successful dealing with challenges and variables, and in a way that enhances competitiveness to build a sustainable economy.
On this occasion, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed that investing in human development has been one of the basic constants in the march of the UAE since the establishment of the federation, as well as in its forward-looking vision for the future.
His Highness indicated his keenness to support all development plans and initiatives for higher education institutions, which aim to improve the quality of educational services in accordance with international performance and evaluation standards, in order to enable them to reach distinguished national outputs with specific skills and capabilities that meet the needs of future jobs and the requirements of the priority industrial and vital sectors in the country.
His Highness stressed the importance of the new strategic transformations implemented by the Higher Colleges of Technology, through which it is keen to balance academic capabilities with professional and practical skills required by the labor market, and strive to provide various educational opportunities that take into account the skills and individual differences between students and give them the opportunity to continue their studies at the level of higher education within pathways that ensure their access They will find jobs in the labor market commensurate with their abilities and tendencies to enable them to be productive and creative. His Highness also praised the focus on complementarity in work between colleges as an educational institution and work institutions from the public and private sectors.
During the visit, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan was briefed on the new strategic transformations of the Higher Colleges of Technology and listened to a detailed explanation from His Excellency Dr. It is based on 3 main pillars: “inclusiveness”, “sustainability” and “integration”.
His Excellency Dr. Faisal Al-Ayyan indicated that the pillar of inclusiveness is based on international best practices at the level of applied education, which will allow attracting the largest segment of students and grant them various study opportunities according to their different abilities and inclinations through a model that includes three new educational paths characterized by different acceptance criteria that correspond to different student levels.
He explained that the sustainability pillar will enable the colleges to design their programs in line with the requirements of the labor market at the level of knowledge and skills, allowing for continuous evaluation and development according to functional variables related to technological developments and in line with the job priorities of the labor market in the country, indicating that the integration pillar is linked to partnership relations between colleges and The various work sectors, in a way that supports the directions and efforts of the wise leadership of the state in providing various employment opportunities and raising the rate of Emiratisation in vital sectors, as the Higher Colleges of Technology is a strategic partner in achieving the goals of the Emiratisation agenda, especially in the private sector, in partnership with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and strategic partners.
He drew attention to the partnership with the business sectors; It includes managing the educational process according to an integrated mechanism in the so-called “apprenticeship model” that achieves the link between the trio of academic study, practical experience, and engagement with employers, in order to provide a rich professional educational experience for students that places them in suitable positions for them in the labor market.
Dr. Al-Ayyan explained to His Highness the reasons for the colleges’ strategic transformation journey, which is directed towards more focus on “applied learning” in a new strategic plan that will continue over the course of five years 2023-2028, in order to achieve more focus on educational goals and vocational training programs and introduce new programs in line with the market. Work, introduce new educational paths that enhance inclusiveness and employment, and ensure the development of programs in accordance with the standards of international applied education institutions.
He pointed out the nature of the changes that will occur in the programs and admission processes in the Colleges of Technology with the start of the new academic year 2023/2024, as registration will include five basic programs: health sciences, business administration, engineering and science technology, computer and information sciences, and education. The new pathways were offered to receive more than 8,000 male and female students, an increase of about 31 percent compared to the previous academic year.
His Highness also reviewed the factors that will contribute to the success of the new educational model, which relies heavily on strategic partners in the educational sector and the labor and industry sectors, to ensure working together at the level of designing programs, providing the best teaching staff and training them, and cooperation at the advisory level in addition to supporting training and employment for students during and after study. graduation.
During the visit, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan was briefed on the details of the new campus of the Higher Colleges of Technology in the Bani Yas region in Abu Dhabi, which will enter into operation at the beginning of the next academic year 2023/2024. It will be built on an area of 220,000 square meters and accommodate more than 10,000 people. Male and female student.
The new campus includes a building for male students and another for female students, the main administration building and central services, and a ballroom that can accommodate more than 1,200 people, in addition to classrooms, advanced laboratories, and various facilities and services that are designed in line with modern standards in design and sustainability.
During the visit, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation agreements with 11 strategic partners of the colleges, namely the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company “ADNOC”, the Tawazun Council, the Al-Futtaim Group, the Emirates Health Services Corporation, the Chalhoub Group, the G42 Healthcare Group, and GEMS Education. Al Fardan Exchange, Al Rostamani Foundation, Presidential Guard “Hamim Technology”, UAE Football Association.
These governmental and private institutions specialized in various sectors, including health, education, energy, services, retail, security and the financial sector, seek to provide various forms of cooperation and support, including the provision of about 4,053 job opportunities and more than 4,200 training opportunities for students over a period of five years, and the implementation of workshops and laboratories specialized in innovation, emerging technology and solutions. FinTech, developing professional programs and certificates, supporting applied student projects and research, and cooperating in events and activities.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan valued the partnership between the Higher Colleges of Technology and this constellation of leading national companies to support students and provide them with specialized training and suitable job opportunities after graduation.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan also met with a group of students from the Colleges of Technology who won first places and distinguished medals in many local and international competitions, including the Emirates Skills National Competition, the UAE Hackathon 2023, the “Future Inventors 2023” competition, and the Microsoft “Imagine Cup 2023” competition. .
His Highness expressed his happiness at meeting the students of the Colleges of Technology, stressing that their achievements reflect the excellence and quality of educational outputs and the ability of young people to compete and achieve excellence.
For his part, His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Abdullah Hamid Belhoul Al Falasi appreciated the visit of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the Higher Colleges of Technology and the inauguration of His Highness the new strategy for the colleges, which represents a strong motive for them to move towards achieving their strategic goals for the next stage aimed at confirming the status of applied education, which is distinguished It has faculties and the role it plays in graduating qualitative national competencies that meet the different needs of the vital work and industry sectors in the country.
His Excellency praised the support of the wise leadership of all educational institutions, which are continuously working to develop their educational services and provide them in accordance with international standards and live up to the level of national aspirations, and contribute to building a generation ready for future challenges and capable of dealing effectively and successfully with the rapid developments and transformations in the labor market.
His Excellency added that the Ministry of Education believes in the importance of investing in people as the cornerstone of comprehensive and sustainable growth, stressing the need for continuous work to develop education methodologies and teaching mechanisms and focus on future skills within the framework of an effective partnership with the labor and industry sectors, expressing his appreciation for the efforts of the Colleges of Technology and their keenness to develop their strategy in accordance with The requirements of each stage in order to ensure the qualitative preparation of competencies so that they can contribute to building a sustainable national economy.
For his part, His Excellency Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Manan Al Awar expressed his pride in the launch of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s new strategy for the Higher Colleges of Technology 2023-2028 under the slogan “We Design the Future”, appreciating the role of His Highness in supporting the colleges and his permanent directives that contributed to the success of the new launch of the colleges. With the aim of bringing about transformations that are compatible with the national visions and directions concerned with anticipating the future and preparing for it through national competencies that enjoy the skillful and creative readiness that enables them to compete in various fields and vital sectors.
His Excellency added that the Higher Colleges of Technology are aware of the nature of global changes and challenges, and are fully aware of the functional changes in the labor market as a result of the massive and rapid technological developments, and that success in dealing with this challenging reality depends on the human being, the wealth of this country through optimal investment in our youth and empowering them with skills The future, that is why change was an important requirement for the next stage, through a new strategy developed after a thorough and comprehensive study of the educational and functional reality, which resulted in a new, more comprehensive, flexible and integrated model that supports colleges in providing the best opportunities and educational options for students of all levels and tendencies, to enable them to obtain Education that is compatible with the requirements of the labor market for the next stage, and gives every Emirati man and woman the opportunity to contribute to the development process in the public and private sectors, which enhances the presence of the citizen element in those sectors and in various administrative, vital and specialized jobs in order to build a sustainable economy.
His Excellency stated that the new launch of the colleges is a valuable opportunity during which we express all thanks and appreciation to the wise leadership for their constant support to higher education institutions and everything that would enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities efficiently and competently, and their continuous directives to provide the best and finest educational opportunities for the people of the country, stressing that the colleges will work with every effort Sincerity to be as confident and ambitious.
