Celerant YouGov Poll finds that only 45% in UAE and KSA think sustainability is very important

A YouGov poll has found that only 45% of people in work think sustainability is very important for their businesses and is frequently considered in decision making (UAE: 51%; KSA: 38%). Furthermore, just under one fifth (17%) said they felt sustainability was of no importance and that it was rarely or never considered in decision making.

The poll, commissioned by Celerant Consulting in October 2011 surveying over 1,100 respondents in the UAE and KSA, also highlighted concern over the perceived cost of putting sustainability at the heart of business strategy. 80% of those polled said that cost was a barrier to the implementation of more sustainable practices in their organisation.

Over three quarters (76%) admitted to not knowing exactly how to implement a more sustainable direction for their companies with just under one third (31%) having little or no idea.

The YouGov poll was commission by Celerant Consulting, which has offices in Abu Dhabi, Doha and Muscat, to coincide with a talk on sustainability being given this evening in Abu Dhabi by HRH Prince Carlos de Bourbon Parma. HH Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research will open the event.

Ian Clarkson, Founder and CEO of Celerant Consulting, said: “Attitudes and practices towards sustainability have come a long way over the past decade but there is still a long way to go. Organisations are facing pressures on both sides from those who want more environmentally-friendly operations and those who want increased cost-savings and profits.

“Sustainability does not have to mean a hit to the bottom line. At Celerant we are finding that companies which embrace sustainability see greater certainty in cost management and the sourcing of raw materials, not to mention the benefits to customers and their recruitment efforts. Education is urgently required to demonstrate the importance and benefits of sustainability. Added to this companies need help in implementing sustainable practice.”

Abu Dhabi, : In its efforts to transform education to align with international standards, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) is moving from the traditional way of managing education to a more transparent approach, whereby decisions made by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) are based on concrete and accurate data that will result in good decision making.

Those were the words of HE Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili during his tour visit at Building Future Education (BFE) MENA and BETT Middle East 2011 yesterday.

“The ADEC has introduced a lot of its initiatives today, ones that were a dream for ADEC exactly two years ago. Now ADEC is sharing its achievements and first steps with students and teachers, and there are still a many more achievements to come. Abu Dhabi needs to be recognized as among the number one educational system in the region, and eventually internationally, because we believe we are heading in the right direction, and that is towards a knowledge based economy,” said Al Khaili.

Speaking about his opinion on public-private school partnership, which was the most talked about topic discussed by various speakers during BFE’s day one conference, Engineer Hamad Al Dhaheri, Infrastructure & Facilities Division Manager, ADEC said: “Even though the partnership model between the public and private sector is still  developing, we are witnessing an improvement in their willingness to work together in different areas, such as on the school curriculum, standards, quality of teaching, and licensing for teachers.”

When asked to clarify the situation across the reducing number of public schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Al Dhaheri explained that ADEC is closing down smaller schools and building more efficient schools. “We are reducing the number of public schools but have an overall student growth by almost three percent.”

Mr. Ahmed Al Hammadi, Senior Analyst and Co-Manager for the i-Class project at ADEC , spoke about the i-Class enhances the New School Model (NSM) while presenting the paradigm shift required to more fully realizing ADEC’s learning objectives.

“During BFE MENA there was a high level of interest in how ADEC approaches technology embedded curriculum in classrooms and schools. Students and teachers found themselves fully engaged in digital learning tools and content presented at the model classroom,” said Mr. Mehrer.

A common agreement among speakers at the conference on “Education Facilities and Design” was the notion that “education is moving forward in great stride, requiring a new curriculum, new school models, new technologies and new methodologies.”

During his presentation on “Infrastructure and Facilities Division Design Section” Mr. Alberto Treves, Section Manager for Education Facilities Design, ADEC, spoke about ADEC’s latest achievements in delivering 23 schools, that we started planning and designing in 2009.  Such schools have been benchmarked against the highest international standards and they follow the directions from the higher authority about our school buildings to be appropriate for learning, sustainable, easy to build using cost effective construction methods.”

“2011 was of big achievement for the facilities division in general. We strengthened our communication with educators by receiving feedback on how to manage and administer a school, and how to better use each educational space, and how to integrate schools with the surrounding community. ADEC introduced for the first time, a girls and boy’s school under the same roof, brought down some of the fences around schools, and achieved the highest level of sustainability of any public building in Abu Dhabi. ADEC continues to improve its design manuals which are now translated into Arabic, again for the first time, with continuous updates based on a set of lessons learnt mostly coming from the construction process,” said Treves.

Etisalat and Intel are taking part at the BETT Middle East for the first time this year. Asked to give their intake on how their experience went during BETT, Abdulla Ebrahim Al Ahmed, Senior Vice President, Business Solutions at Etisalat, said: “At Etisalat we believe that ICT can be harnessed for sociological and economic development of the country and Etisalat is proud to lead the education sector through innovative solutions and applications. Our association with BETT reinforces our commitment towards enhancing the education infrastructure in the UAE through advanced ICT deployments.  The 21st century has created both challenges and opportunities for schools and educators. Not only have the opportunities to benefit from technology increased, but the benchmark for an acceptable level of education has also been raised. I invite all members of the education sector to take full advantage and use our modern technological services to help them achieve a knowledgeable and prosperous future.”

Dr. Sabine Huber, EMEA Pedagogical Consultant, Ecosystem Manager, Intel said:  “Intel is contributing at BETT ME for the first time, and intend on contributing next year as well. Our aim through contributing is to achieve local and global presence. We have products especially designed for the education market worldwide, and this is not the only contribution we can provide. During the past two days, we have received a lot of question regarding our products from education delegates, ministers and teachers. We are currently undergoing a pilot project with ADEC through providing the Intel learning series with hardware, software and content services, which are all relevant for the schooling process in the Emirate.”

Investments, infrastructure, innovation among issues to be addressed by leading international education experts and stakeholders

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 25 October 2011 – Leading education experts, stakeholders and VIP’s from around the world are attending this year’s edition of Building Future Education MENA including HE Mohammed Ahmed Al-Bowardi, Secretary General to the Executive Council; HE Dr. Ahmed Gamal El-din Moussa, the Minister of Education in Egypt; HE Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili, Director General, ADEC; Dr. Ahmed Tobal, Associate to Minister of Education for ICT; in addition to many senior international, Middle East and GCC delegates.

In partnership with Abu Dhabi Education Council, Building Future Education MENA will host more than 80 companies and 4,000 visitors, providing a unique platform for education providers to highlight their products and services to key decision makers from institutions, ministries of education council operators, architects and investors.

Regional and international speakers from leading organisations including University College London (UCL) Wellington College, Harrow International, Abu Dhabi University, Phillips Academy Andover, SABIS and The World Bank will be speaking at high-powered conference and leading panel discussions to address challenges and opportunities confronting the education sector in the region.

Currently, the Middle East region comprises over 92500 public educational institutions and 50 million students with education budget amounted to 55 billion dollars.

Yet experts believe that the Middle East is a region ripe for even further growth and massive investments in education – to accommodate a growing school population expected to increase to 2.5 million in 2020.1

With schools under pressure to provide Arab youth new job skills and better learning for better employment opportunities, developing education curriculum and programmes as well as workforce systems will be critical in addressing record youth unemployment rates across the MENA region, where one out of four young people in the age range of 15-24 who are able and in search of employment faces the disappointment of not being able to find a job.2

HE Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director General, Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) believes joint collaborations are critical to achieving improvement of educational standards and service delivery.  “We have supported BFE MENA for three years now and are delighted the event continues to be an important platform where various stakeholders can discuss and address issues related to school environment, curriculum and school improvement, quality assurance, special education requirements and sustainable educational facilities.”

Andrew Pert, Regional Director of UBM Middle East, organisers of the region’s premier education exhibition, welcomed ADEC’s continuing support.  “Through BFE MENA, we have from the onset committed to working with regional stakeholders in developing the whole school environment to world-class standards – from the physical infrastructure to curriculum development and programme enhancement.  In addition, with the help of our knowledge partners, we have provided a wealth of information resources that investors and government authorities can use to make informed decisions to develop the education sector throughout the region.”

As well as an interactive exhibition floor, this year’s Building Future Education MENA will include a public awareness programme, high-level roundtable forums, and “Design my Learning Space Live!” competition.

The main conference will bring together those at the forefront of education from ministries, institutions, operators, architects and investors. The conference features in-depth panel discussions, based around specific research studies from Building Future Education MENA’s Knowledge Partners Booz & Company, Parthenon and RAND Corporation, assessing the education market in the GCC and areas of potential investment. 

The conference will also cover key topics such as world-class facilities and learning environments, curriculum and school improvement, quality assurance, special education needs and sustainable education facilities.

Building Future Education MENA will also have strong representation from the MENA region’s education ministries and councils including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Jordon and Lebanon.

1 A Decade of Opportunity: The Coming Expansion of the Private School Market in the GCC (Booz & Company, 2011)

2 Education for Employment: Realizing Arab Youth Potential (International Finance Corporation, the World Bank Group and Islamic Development Bank Group, 2011)

IDEAS introduced to support UAE Ministry’s student-centric strategy for 2010 to 2020

October 5, 2011

GETEX Autumn, the Middle East and Asia’s leading education, training and professional development event, has been positioned to complement the exponential growth of the Dubai’s education sector, which now has more than 40,000 university students currently enrolled in the emirate and at least 52 higher education institutions from just a few universities 10 years ago. GETEX Autumn will be presenting multiple options of graduate and postgraduate degrees from leading academic institutions around the world, as the event has been strategically timed to assist students looking to enrol for courses starting early 2012.

GETEX Autumn 2011 will hold its first leg at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre from October 26 to 28, while the concluding leg will be held at the Gulf Hotel in Manama, Bahrain from October 31 to November 1. This year’s edition will focus on distinct areas of higher education, targeting a much wider range of students and young working adults who are keen to explore their study options or looking for specialized courses to keep abreast with the growing competition in the global job market.

Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E), organisers of the event, said: “GETEX Autumn 2011 provides an excellent platform to help higher secondary and undergraduate students explore their options for further studies or training. We are particularly excited to have launched the IDEAS forum this year. IDEAS which stands for ‘Innovation, Design & Engineering Arena’ is an active display of Occupational Education achievements intended to motivate aspiring Students into vocational trades.”

A diverse option of postgraduate courses that are now in great demand in the Arab World will be on offer at GETEX, including popular programs in engineering, medicine, HR, marketing & communications, humanities, natural resources, business, finance, research, accounting, languages and management. The more popular occupational course preferences such as architecture and interior design, aviation, fashion, graphic design, hospitality, photography, teaching and technical programs will also be available at GETEX Autumn.

Dubai, UAE, September XX, 2011-

Highlighting its dedication to children’s education, McDonald’s UAE partnered once again with Beit Al Khair Society for a charity campaign aimed at educating orphans this Ramadan, raising a total of AED 200,000.

The campaign encouraged McDonald’s customers to buy specially created children’s books that were developed by McDonald’s UAE. A series of four books based on different topics related to Ramadan were sold for AED 5 at McDonald’s restaurants across the UAE during the months of August and September. All proceeds accumulated were donated to Beit Al Khair Society.

Mr. Rafic Fakih, Managing Director, McDonald’s UAE commented, “We are very pleased with the results of this book campaign. We are happy to see that our customers across the UAE have contributed to the charity campaign. Not only does this benefit the orphans at the Beit Al Khair society but it also benefits the children reading the books as they learn about relevant themes such as the importance of charity and fasting. McDonald’s UAE is proud of this longstanding campaign and hopes to renew it in the years to come.”

Abidine Taher Alawadi, Managing Director, Beit Al Khair said, “ We are grateful for McDonald’s UAE’s donation as it will help many of our orphaned children with their education. We aim to use our donations in the most efficient way in order to ensure a better future for all of the children.”

The Prime Minister of the UAE on Sunday said education and Emiratisation were two key priorities to be tackled by the government.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also the UAE’s vice-president and ruler of Dubai, said both areas represented “a national responsibility” to achieve “the aspirations of the people of the UAE and ensuring their welfare and decent living”.

Sheikh Mohammed made the comments while addressing the cabinet at a meeting, state news agency WAM reported.

The cabinet approved the UAE’s education agenda until 2020 and the three-year strategy of the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia) for 2011-2013.

The education agenda will be based on the betterment of student achievement, development of the school environment, guaranteeing of equal educational opportunities for all students, programmes for promoting patriotism among students and the enhancement of administrative efficiency and effectiveness in the Ministry of Education.

The agenda also sets 10 major goals and contains a large number of initiatives for achieving them, WAM said.

The initiatives include filling the gap between the private and public education, restructuring the education system, it added.

The strategy also includes a project for licensing educational authorities at private and governmental levels across the country. A total number of 1,190 schools, among which 61 percent are government schools, will be covered by this scheme.

The approval of the 2011-2013 Tanmia strategy sets specific goals for reducing unemployment among UAE citizens and rolls out plans for continuous training and empowerment of the local workforce to enable them for job relocation and actual participation in the job market by filling of jobs in the private sector.

Activity highlights fasting tips for diabetic patients and healthy eating habits to be followed during the Holy month

Abu Dhabi, 22 August 2011

In line with its Ramadan program, Al Rahba Hospital hosted a special education activity in a tent built next to the hospital main entrance. The activity welcomed over 150 visitors from different age groups and highlighted health topics such as controlling Diabetes in Ramadan, healthy eating and fasting tips. The goal of the activity was to reach out to the general public about the importance of monitoring health and regulating eating and fasting during the Holy month and to ensure optimal lifestyle benefits during fasting.

A team comprised of doctors, nurse educators, dietitians, nurses and the Patient and Family Education committee team members interacted with the patients. Handouts and healthy cooking recipes were distributed to the patients and the doctors made sure that the patients’ questions about do’s and don’ts in Ramadan were answered.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Nellie Boma, Chief Medical Officer at Al Rahba Hospital said, “Ramadan is a time where people have the chance to regulate their eating habits and monitor their dietary intake. There are a number of steps that can be followed to enjoy a healthy Ramadan, and Al Rahba will ensure that this message reaches a large segment of Abu Dhabi residents. We are working closely with SEHA to launch several health campaigns during the Holy month.”

One of the topics discussed during the event was the consumption of caffeine. Although there’s an urge to stay awake for long hours during night in the Holy Month, caffeine drinks like tea, coffee, and cola should be taken in moderation as caffeine is a natural diuretic, stimulating faster water loss. This effect will remain until the following day.  Anything that is heavily-processed is also not going to give the body everything it needs to stay healthy. 

“Caffeine intake, healthy meals for diabetic patients and a long list of health tips to follow during the Holy month were major parts of this event and received a vast interaction from the audience.  We’re reaching out to the community to ensure that healthcare needs are met during this holy and spiritual month, and we wish everyone a happy – and healthy- Ramadan,” Dr. Boma concluded.

The 163-bed hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International and owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC (SEHA).

Electronics Retailer introduces latest philanthropic initiative ‘Jacky’s Eco-Care’

Release Date: 13th August 2011

jackys eco care

Jacky’s Electronics, the UAE’s leading multi-brand consumer electronics retailer, has partnered with UAE-based philanthropic organisation Dubai Cares, to help raise funds for its Girls’ Education Campaign 2011. The campaign aims to increase awareness of the importance of girls’ education as well as raise funds to support Dubai Cares programs, which address the gender imbalance in primary education and empower girls within their communities in developing countries across the world.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed by Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, and Ashish Panjabi, Chief Operating Officer of Jacky’s Electronics, is effective between August and November 2011. Through Dubai Cares’ Point of Sale (POS) Promotion, customers are given the opportunity to donate AED5 by choosing to add the amount to purchases made at Jacky’s.

Meanwhile, Jacky’s Eco-Care, the company’s newest initiative launched this Ramadan, allows customers to further support Dubai Cares through the “Jacky’s Eco-Exchange” and “You Shop We Donate” programs. Jacky’s will donate AED10 for every old electronic product recycled in addition to donations of up to AED200 on purchases made by customers on selected product ranges. All proceeds will be donated to Dubai Cares as part of its fundraising activities.

“Jacky’s campaign, in support of the ‘Dubai Cares Girls’ Education Campaign 2011’, is a very generous initiative which gives members of the community innovative ways of participation in our fundraising campaign. Dubai Cares relies on the support of the community to continue to make a difference in the lives of children in developing countries. Funds raised through this campaign will go towards providing girls in developing countries with quality primary education, which is one of the best solutions to poverty,” said Al Gurg.

“Jacky’s Electronics is raising its bar to engage our customers to become socially responsible by giving back to the community and serving the less fortunate particularly young children. It is our privilege to support Dubai Cares in its quest to provide quality primary education to girls in developing countries around the world,” Panjabi said.

“Through Jacky’s Eco-Care, recycling old gadgets will not only make a positive impact on the environment, but will also allow us to support young children to attend school by donating to Dubai Cares. We urge all our loyal customers to join us in this worthwhile campaign by taking part in our latest philanthropic initiative,” Panjabi added.

The ‘Dubai Cares Girls’ Education Campaign 2011’ is the latest in a series of Ramadan campaigns run by Dubai Cares, which was launched in 2007 by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. In 2010, Dubai Cares launched its “School Feeding Campaign” which raised funds that are currently supporting school feeding programs for undernourished primary school-aged children in the Gaza Strip and Bangladesh, benefiting 80,000 and 88,000 children, respectively.

Jacky’s Eco-Care is an annual CSR activity which engages its customers to be socially and environmentally responsible in support of Dubai Cares charity activities. 

Move to bolster cooperation in healthcare education, research and knowledge development

Abu Dhabi, 20 July 2011:

SEHA, the Abu Dhabi Health Authority, has signed an MOU with the UAE University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Services (FMHS) to enable collaboration in the development of health services, health education and scientific research at SEHA’s teaching hospitals and their affiliated clinics.

The move comes as SEHA addresses the need to improve the clinical education and training of medical students, interns, resident, physicians and healthcare professionals as per its mission of offering healthcare provision and research on par with international standards.

“The MoU with FMHS is an excellent step that will see two world class institutes work in collaboration to extend the spirit and letter of academic research and education in healthcare. SEHA has a mission to develop healthcare infrastructure and knowledge that is on par with international standards, and our association with FMHS will allow employees and students to benefit from rigorous study and development,” said H.E. Saif Bader Al Qubaisi, Chairman and Managing Director, SEHA.

The MOU signing, held at offices of SEHA, was attended by an FMHS delegation that included Professor Mohamed Yousif Baniyas, Vice Provost for Medical Sciences and Dean of Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; Professor Ruth Langer, Associate Dean; Professor Sehamuddin Galadari, Assistant Dean for Scientific Research and Graduate Studies; Professor Mutairu Ezimokhai, Assistant Dean for Education and Academic Affairs; Dr Leena Amiri, Assistant Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs; Dr Suleiman Al-Hammadi, Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs and Medical Director, Emirates Health Services; and Dr Iain Blair, Interim Director, Global Health Research Institute and Director, Master of Public Health Program.

While signing the MoU, Mohammed Al Hameli, Chief Support Services, SEHA, said, “It is an honour to be part of an occasion that will enhance cooperation between two world-class entities and lead to collaborative action to change healthcare research, education and delivery in the UAE. We are determined to continue striking public and private sector partnerships to provide excellence in healthcare.”

Under the terms of the agreement, SEHA and FMHS will share resources and collaborate towards the goal of improving medical leadership, health care delivery and education, and scientific research, while trying to catalyse an optimal environment for conducting research in biomedicine, clinical fields, healthcare quality and patient satisfaction.

“FMHS is glad to cooperate with SEHA on the very important issue of healthcare research, academic progress and knowledge development,” said, Professor Mohamed Yousif Baniyas. “FMHS is recognized as a premier national medical college working to building health care capacity in the UAE, and we are confident that our specialized clinical expertise and research in the fields of healthcare sciences and technology research will be boosted due our cooperation with SEHA.”

Certain SEHA research and training facilities will be affiliated with FMHS, which will allow FMHS employees to use them for research and academic work. At the same time, SEHA employees will be entitled to perform educational duties at FMHS, and receive academic titles.

Dubai, UAE, 12th June 2011: Al Khayyat Investments LLC (AKI), a leading Dubai holding company that represents more than 200 top international brands across the Middle East, has identified healthcare, retail & education as key sectors for growth in 2011.

The strategy was unveiled at its annual offsite meeting in Dubai which was attended by more than 120 managers from the offices across the Middle East region.

Speaking at the meeting, Ahmad Al Khayyat, CEO & MD, Al Khayyat Investments (AKI) said: “Our company has achieved remarkable growth in 2010. This primarily stems from our people that we believe are our most important assets. We have more than 2000 employees from 6 continents who work hand in hand across our business groups and various sectors to achieve the company’s vision of becoming a leading regional entity.”

Al Khayyat Investments expanded its partnerships in 2010 across retail & distribution sectors. Including Superdry, Burger Fuel and group SEB (the owners of Tefal, Moulinex, Rowenta & Krups).

Al Khayyat added: “Al Khayyat Investments has interests in contracting, automotive, real estate and education. The main subsidiaries are: Alphamed, Delta Trade, BinSina Group of Pharmacies, Pest Free, Al Khayyat Retail, Gulf Landscaping, ITALDECO, Realty Capital, ALNO and  Al Khayyat Motors”

At the offsite meeting, AKI felicitated 10 employees who completed more than 20 years in the company across different locations. The management also announced the winners of Best Deal of the Year awards across all sectors, best pharmacist award for BinSina Pharmacy Group and best customer service employee