Abu Dhabi-based technology company Injazat and Zayed University have signed a preliminary agreement to mentor students on education technology projects, aimed at empowering national talent in developing digital solutions.
The partnership will be spearheaded by Abu Dhabi technology company G42, the parent company of Injazat, whose InGenius methodology will be integrated into the programme. Zayed University will match students from their College of Interdisciplinary Studies with Injazat practitioners to mentor them on ideas that solve real-world industry challenges, the entities said on Monday.
The agreement was signed by Ussama Dahabiyeh, chief executive of Injazat, and Clayton MacKenzie, provost and chief academic officer at Zayed University. The programme will leverage the leading role of students on developing innovations that will benefit the environment and industry, Mr Dahabiyeh said.
"Zayed University and its students continue to demonstrate an innovation mindset and are a natural fit for us to introduce the InGenius methodology, which also completely aligns with the Active Learning pedagogy offered by Zayed University," he added.
"This collaboration is a testament to Injazat’s commitment towards investing in the talent pipeline of the country, who will translate ideas into solutions needed for the industry’s most pressing problems.”
Like many other innovation sectors, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the development of EdTech, especially in the GCC and particularly in the UAE.
About 72 per cent of educational institutions brought their digital initiative road maps forward by at least a year, with the UAE among the fastest-growing markets for EdTech, a 2021 research from the International Data Corporation revealed.
Last November, data provider ReportLinker said the Middle East and Africa’s EdTech and smart classroom market is projected to grow to Dh26 billion ($7.1bn) by 2027 with the pandemic continuing to accelerate the shift to digital education, driven by widespread adoption of smartphones, interactive displays and other digital learning tools.
Meanwhile, the Middle East has emerged as a booming market for EdTech platforms, with global players citing a 500 per cent increase in subscribers from the region in 2020 compared to 2019, according to RedSeer Consulting.
EdTech ecosystems in emerging venture markets witnessed significant investor traction in 2020, with 31 deals raising more than $40 million for EdTech start-ups in Mena, according to data platform Magnitt.
The mentorship programme from Injazat and Zayed University will help students research and evaluate the potential of artificial intelligence in diagnosing learning difficulties and explore the use and benefits of augmented and virtual reality in building students' interpersonal skills.
It will also help students analyse non-traditional schools from around the world to localise and brainstorm adaptation models and conduct behavioural change studies in parents to boost acceptance towards online learning.
This collaboration is a testament to Injazat’s commitment towards investing in the talent pipeline of the country, who will translate ideas into solutions needed for the industry’s most pressing problems
Ussama Dahabiyeh,
chief executive of Injazat
Injazat was founded in 2005 and is among the region's market leaders for digital transformation, cloud services and cyber security. It was part of the the information, communications and technology portfolio of Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Company before it was acquired by AI and cloud computing company G42 in November 2020. Mubadala acquired a stake in G42 as part of the deal.
Mr Dahabiyeh told The National in May last year that Injazat also has plans to grow its revenue base to $1bn in the next five years, as it looks to expand to the broader Mena market.
Zayed University, founded in 1998, is one of the UAE’s leading educational institutions focused on the fields of innovation, scientific research and advanced academic learning.
Last October, leading employers took steps to support its mission to develop the UAE's "future change makers" through the launch of interdisciplinary degrees, equipping students with the skills required for the careers of tomorrow.
"We believe in empowering our students with the real-life work experiences and skillsets that they need to brave the business environment of tomorrow," said Professor MacKenzie.
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
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Dust storm
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- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Islamophobia definition
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
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