Dubai Boosts Higher Education With KHDA-TECOM Partnership

• Dubai International Academic City & Dubai Knowledge Park (TECOM Group) sign strategic pact with KHDA to boost higher education sector
• Partnership launched at The Knowledge Assembly event, attended by senior leaders from KHDA & TECOM Group
• Deal establishes Higher Education Leadership Network to align with Dubai’s D33 & E33 strategies, driving research, innovation & global student attraction

Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, part of TECOM Group PJSC, have signed a strategic partnership with Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to strengthen the higher education sector and support Dubai’s position as a world-class learning destination.

In line with Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and Education 33 (E33) Strategy objectives, the deal was signed on the sidelines of an event called 'The Knowledge Assembly', which was organized by KHDA in collaboration with Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, both forming part of TECOM Group's Education Cluster.

Attended by Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and Abdulla Belhoul, CEO of TECOM Group PJSC, the strategic partnership agreement was signed by Dr Saeed Mubarak Kharbash, CEO of Policies, Research and Programmes at KHDA and Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Senior Vice President of Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, member of TECOM Group.

Dr Saeed Kharbash, Policies, Research and Programmes CEO at KHDA stated: "The future of Dubai as a knowledge and innovation hub rests upon close collaboration among the higher education ecosystem. The agreement with Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, and the establishment of the Higher Education Leadership Network, is a step in the right direction towards that vision". Through Education 33 and our joint initiatives, we will keep bringing the world's best minds to the city, enhance research and innovation, and give students an experience that corresponds to Dubai's vision for a city of the future.

"Collaboration is key to drive faster progress that enhances the higher education landscape", stated Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Senior Vice President of Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park, TECOM Group. “We are building on our strategic partnership with KHDA to reaffirm our commitment towards fostering such collaborations by launching initiatives such as the Higher Education Leadership Network, ensuring Dubai’s educational offerings directly respond to the evolving needs of our industries and the global economy”.

As part of the strategic collaboration, Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park will work with KHDA to bring in international universities and vocational institutions through collective events and delegation visits, in addition to showcasing Dubai as a world destination for international students through targeted marketing and roadshows like Study Dubai Initiative.

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In addition, the KHDA and the districts will foster policy alignment to facilitate research and innovation projects; create routes to student entrepreneurship; and bolster the ecosystem to develop industry-readiness for future talent. The partnership will also promote students' and academics' experiences in Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park through extracurricular activities and creating 'Higher Education Leadership Network', a sector-specific platform for industry-wide strategic consensus, collaboration, and thought leadership.

Developed together by KHDA and TECOM Group's Education Cluster, the 'Higher Education Leadership Network' is to chart the future of higher education in Dubai and align jointly with Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and E33 strategies to enhance the knowledge economy of Dubai.

By engaging in purposeful conversation, concerted action, and joint endeavors, the 'Higher Education Leadership Network' will strive to harmonize the higher education sector's initiatives with the vision for sustainable development and social advance of the UAE and Dubai.

The 'Higher Education Leadership Network' was initiated at an event named The Knowledge Assembly, organized by TECOM Group's Education Cluster in association with KHDA to bring together senior leaders from academia, industry, and government. Convened in Dubai Knowledge Park, the event delved into the position of higher education as a driver of economy and how to construct the next generation of founders, with speakers from Dubai Health, the University of Birmingham Dubai, the University of Wollongong, and in5, TECOM Group's start-up and entrepreneurship incubator.

Dubai International Academic City, the address of academic brilliance in the region, and Dubai Knowledge Park, the region's premier hub for lifelong learning, have globally top-ranked higher education institutions and universities facilitating collaboration through joint activities such as workshops, and events. Collectively, they fall under TECOM Group's portfolio of 10 business parks, including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Design District (d3), Dubai Science Park, and Dubai Industrial City.