Page 69 - MBRF English PR Report - September 2024

9/30/24, 10:52 AM MBRF launches ‘Future Skills Academy’ – The Gulf Time Newspaper
During the event, the MBRF announced the formation of a global coalition for skills development, inviting stakeholders to
participate in the coalition’s inaugural meeting at the ninth edition of the ‘Knowledge Summit,’ scheduled to take place in Dubai
in November 2024. The coalition underscores the MBRF’s pivotal role in fostering innovation and advancing the Sustainable
Development Goals by launching initiatives and training programmes designed to enhance skills within the community and
thereby empower individuals.
Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of the MBRF, emphasised that the launch of the ‘Future Skills Academy’ represents a crucial step in
the foundation’s mission to empower future generations with the skills to develop sustainable solutions. “This initiative aligns
with MBRF’s commitment to spreading knowledge globally to support community development. The academy embodies our
continuous dedication to bridging gaps, advancing the knowledge economy, and promoting human development across the
Arab region by equipping individuals with essential skills and directly linking education to employment opportunities,” he
emphasised.
“The Future Skills Academy is a strategic investment in the Arab region’s future, further strengthening Dubai’s status as a

globally prominent hub of knowledge. The aim is to nurture a generation of talented youth equipped to address sustainable
development challenges and empowered with the skills to propose effective solutions,” he added.
Abdallah Al Dardari, Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States
of the UNDP, said: “In addition to signifying a crucial advancement in our strategic partnership with the MBRF, this academy
represents a pivotal step towards creating a comprehensive and sustainable future. Its primary mission is to bridge the digital
divide in the Arab region by enhancing digital capabilities and equipping local communities with the requisite skills to thrive in
today’s ever-changing world. By providing essential and cutting-edge resources, the academy will empower organisations and
partnerships to leverage the opportunities offered by the global digital economy.”
On a broader scale, the academy is designed to bridge the digital divide, promoting innovation, resilience, and inclusion by
providing individuals, governments, and SMEs with essential digital skills to drive digital transformation and foster community
innovation. It also seeks to enhance social innovation through partnerships with universities and the private sector, enriching
learning experiences and improving practical educational outcomes. Additionally, the academy addresses labour market
inequalities, including gender disparities, and offers educational and vocational programmes tailored to support
underrepresented groups.

The Future Skills Academy is set to offer a diverse range of certified and specialised programmes, available both online and
in-person, in its initial phase. It is designed to equip students, professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, and government
officials with essential future skills and will act as a knowledge-driven catalyst, supporting various global digitalisation and
transformation initiatives, including the Digitalisation for Sustainable Development (DT4SD) programme. This collaboration
underscores the synergy between UNDP initiatives and the Foundation’s commitment to bringing about positive social change
through educational initiatives.
The academy will play a pivotal role in enhancing the skills of younger generations across sectors such as health, education,
environment, governance, and policy-making. This is particularly significant given that youth constitute nearly half of the
region’s population, with nearly a quarter of this segment facing unemployment and a still bigger proportion preparing to enter
the workforce. Recent statistics highlight the growing gap between individual skills and labour market demands in the Arab
region. Despite 70 percent of the population having internet access since 2022, only 1.7 percent are recognised as ‘digital
talents.’
The Knowledge Summit is the leading annual knowledge event in the Arab world, providing a dynamic platform to highlight
insights that drive modern technological trends and the evolving knowledge ecosystem. It brings together leaders, experts,
visionaries, and policymakers to exchange ideas, explore the future, and address key themes from the knowledge and
developmental perspectives.
The ‘Knowledge Project’ is the result of a strong and strategic collaboration between the UNDP and the MBRF. Its mission is
to guarantee accessibility to knowledge-based societies and promote sustainable development. Additionally, the initiative

https://gulftime.ae/mbrf-launches-future-skills-academy/#:~:text=DUBAI/WAM The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), 2/3