• HBMSU Chancellor: “Our goal is to make radical changes to transform future universities into knowledge hubs”
• University leads efforts to achieve Mohammed bin Rashid's vision to make Dubai a land of talent, great minds & ideas

UAE, January 16, 2019- Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), set forward a futuristic vision to redefine the future of higher education, by drawing a clear roadmap for universities to become future knowledge hubs. The efforts in this direction fall in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who said “I am convinced that teaching our children in the same way we did yesterday is in itself perpetuating a new kind of illiteracy that no longer has a place in any society that wishes to join the global race.” Dr. Al Awar was addressing the audience during a lecture titled ‘Forging New Horizons: Learning Re-Imagined,’ at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in the presence of a panel of academics and government officials, headed by Professor Dr. Alawi Alsheikh Ali, Dean of College of Medicine. The session highlighted the most outstanding achievements of HBMSU’s progress, which has taken the lead in the restructuring of the higher education sector locally, regionally and globally, based on technology, innovation, creativity and scientific research as foundations for building future skills required to drive progress and development in the 21st century.

Dr. Al Awar said that under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and the University President, the University has become a model that reflects the future of higher education based on three pillars: innovation, disruption and transformation, providing solid foundations for smart learning and lifelong learning. It became the first academic institution to support the ‘50-year charter’ by creating an educational system that identifies the talents of each learner, ensuring the development of his/her competencies to keep pace with the rapid growth and development in various fields.

During the session, he also highlighted the HBMSU’s experience in adopting the methodology of games in learning as a unique gesture that has acquired global intellectual property. This has enabled the University to provide the best education for future innovators by harnessing new futuristic educational tools, thereby leading the efforts towards the achievement of Dubai’s eight principles, making it a land of talent, great minds and best ideas.

Furthermore, Dr. Al Awar emphasized the pioneering experience that qualifies HBMSU to redefine the roles of learners, faculty members, curriculum management and educational environments. The University focuses on supporting learners to transform them from receivers to contributors in the creation, and enrichment of knowledge. This leads to the creation of a new learning environment as a center to enhance knowledge movement, build intellectual capacity and to develop analytical skills.

The Smart Campus supports the University's vision to become the world’s foremost educational institution in next 10 years by providing a learning environment that fosters innovation, creativity and excellence, with interactive, sustainable and innovative features that ensure a unique experience for learners and academics. Dr. Al Awar added that building effective strategic partnerships has been one of the contributing factors to HBMSU’s success in reaching the forefront of the global higher education sector.

Al Awar underscored the importance of changing the established rules of traditional education by replacing it with a unique learning experience through the integration of smart technologies. He also emphasized that the University is leading the race today based on the basic criteria of academic excellence, innovation, creative thinking, communication, passion for knowledge and promotion of national identity. By integrating advanced technologies such as cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality and Internet of Things (IoT) in today’s educational system young learners must be equipped with skills required to lead a knowledge-based economy, thereby making them creatively qualified innovators, for the realization of the vision for the country’s future.

At the end of the lecture, the HBMSU Chancellor called on the academic institutions in the UAE to adopt latest technology to advance education. He emphasized that the University is committed to sharing its pioneering experience as the first accredited university to provide smart learning in the region, to assist the development of the UAE’s education sector.  These efforts are based on the indicators of the UAE Vision 2021 national agenda and goals set by the ‘50-year charter,’ and highlights the University's keenness to implement the ‘Middle East e-learning quality framework,’ which aims to promote direct access to quality education using advanced technology, in a context consistent with the needs of the Middle East region.