UAE Innovation Week begins

Government of Dubai Media Office – 22 November 2015: Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum yesterday attended the inauguration of the UAE Innovation Week 2015. Dubai Crown Prince H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum accompanied Sheikh Mohammed at the inauguration. UAE Innovation Week features the presentation of 900 development projects in the fields of education, healthcare, judicial services and human resources by CEOs of innovation in the government sector.

Sheikh Mohammad said that the government has gone through many phases of development, including instilling a culture of quality and excellence, and implementing performance assessment, e-services and smart services, and is now all set to enter a new phase of innovation.

His Highness added that innovation in government is not an intellectual luxury, administrative improvement or propaganda but rather the essence of the government's role, development and evolution. It is the vital factor behind the transformation of a nation.

Praising innovation experts in government, he said that today there are 50 CEOs of innovation within the federal government who will lead a new phase of the government's development.

During the ceremony, CEOs of innovation in the federal government briefed Sheikh Mohammed on their projects. Speaker of the Federal National Council Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the ceremony. The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Al Gergawi and a number of senior officials.

The first group of presentations was focused on sustainability. Innovation experts presented a project on utilising solar energy and harnessing the energy generated by the movement of cars and bicycles to produce electricity. The project, developed by innovation experts in collaboration with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, is self-financed, facilitates the production of electricity at low cost and helps reduce carbon emissions.

The second group of presentations was focused on social affairs. Experts presented a project on utilising artificial intelligence to help youth define their strengths and choose a career that suits their capabilities. The project was developed by innovation experts in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development.

The third group of presentations was focused on education. Experts presented a ‘smart teacher' project that helps students enhance their learning experience and obtain help from specialised tutors through virtual reality programmes. The project was developed by innovation experts in collaboration with Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University and the Ministry of Education.

Government innovation experts also presented a project inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to attract world-class experts and talented people to the UAE to build a solid base for the development of entrepreneurship and a knowledge-based economy. The project, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, and in partnership with the National Qualifications Authority, aims to attract talent in the fields of space, renewable energy, healthcare, transportation, education, technology and water resources.

Another expert group presented a project on DNA profiling and DNA mapping for the United Arab Emirates. The project aims to use information generated from this exercise to help diagnose and prevent diseases. The project, developed in collaboration with Novartis International, and in partnership with Khalifa University, Dubai Science Park, Microsoft and Illumina, will support the healthcare sector in the UAE with medical research and strategic planning in these areas.

Government innovation experts also presented a smart litigation platform that allows full court procedures to be conducted virtually. Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, the project aims to further enhance the efficiency of the litigation process.

Source: WAM