Dubai: The Dubai Future Academy will host a series of cutting-edge events and programmes to help UAE’s residents embrace the technology of tomorrow, it was announced on Monday.
One of the many offerings by the academy this Ramadan will be a series of lectures by pioneering individuals working on breakthrough ideas.
The knowledge academy, an initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation, also announced the launch of a design competition for youth who can compete on the best concept design for what the majlis of the future will look like.
From within the world’s first fully functional three-dimensional (3D) office building where the academy operates, Saeed Al Gergawi, Director of the Academy, told the press that the Pioneer Series will be open to the public to attend for free and achieves the Academy’s vision in serving as a knowledge hub for those creating the future.
“The Pioneer Series is one of our main upcoming programmes where we will bring in pioneering individuals, either leading specific futuristic projects or have interesting futuristic concepts to share with the public,” he said.
“There will be more than 20 sessions held over 30 nights from 10pm-12am and a range of topics discussed from security to the future of corporates,” Al Gergawi added, noting that the lectures can accommodate up to 50 people and that the public can sign up to them on the academy’s website.
Al Gergawi also invited youth to participate in the Majlis Of The Future Design Challenge. Announcing details of the contest, he said the innovative majlis of the future can be an online or physical platform where knowledge can be exchanged.
“When we look at history of knowledge sharing it started in the region through the majlis, even the House of Wisdom that impacted the region and the science we know today, came through the majlis and expanded to something larger,” he explained.
The requirements for the design are yet to be announced on social media, but he said it has to be one “encompassing a modular design, fits different needs of the majlis and have a minimalist aspect to it just like the traditional majlis”.
Winners will have their designs displayed during the Pioneer Series in Ramadan at the 3D Office of the Future beside Jumeira Emirates Towers, which will be converted into a majlis for the lectures and an exhibition. The designs will also be displayed at the Dubai future accelerators in emirates towers.
Employees from the government and private sector can also benefit from the other upcoming course offerings at the academy in April which are mainly aimed at equipping participants the skill sets to deal with the developments of future, said Al Gergawi.
More than 600 individuals have completed courses at the academy since it was launched in 2017.
“One of our flagship courses is the ‘Strategic Foresight Training’ where we provide individuals and employees in the government and private sector with skills and tools that they can use in workplace to adapt to future changes based on their sectors.”
The other offering is the ‘Bespoke Courses’ for entities and companies which are customised to meet an organisation’s needs. Courses offer deep-dive’s into specific topics such as Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, block chain, robotics and more.
