Zayed University Council, led by Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth and President of Zayed University (ZU) met at a strategy retreat to discuss the strategic direction of the University for the next 5 years.
During the retreat, the University Council welcomed the University leadership team and international experts to discuss the starting point of the university, relevant global trends and local factors that will shape higher education for the next few years. Finally, the University Council explored the alternative positions for the University as well as implications for our academic enterprise.
Initiating the meeting, which was held at the Address Sky View Hotel in Dubai, following safety and precaution measures,Al Kaabi thanked the ZU leadership for their tireless efforts especially throughout the pandemic and acknowledged their continuous commitment to assess the University’s development.
She also welcomed three international experts from“Arizona State University”, the most innovative university in the US for the past 10 years),“Minerva”, an innovative higher education player imagining the future of learning and preparation for the future of work, and “Times Higher Education”, a leading university ranking agency. The University Council discussed a wide range of topics covering academic, financial and administrative aspects with the leadership of the university and experts and expressed appreciation for their insights and recommendations for a distinctive and future-ready position for the university.
“Given the fast-changing world around us, the Zayed University Council has been mandated to revisit the strategic planning framework for the university whilst taking into consideration all academic and administrative aspects of the university” said Noura Al Kaabi. “We gather today in absolute confidence to take a major step towards placing the appropriate foundation of a great start to the year 2021 and beyond, and we all have the chance to finally pursue our ambitions towards a strategy for Zayed University that we will all be proud of.”
The meeting was attended by all the University Council members; Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, Vice-Chair of the University Council; Moza Al Akraf Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Community Development; Shatha AlHashmi, Advisor- Director General’s Office Prime Minister Office; Mariam Saeed Ghobash, Vice Chairperson of Abu Dhabi Investment Company; Saeed Sultan Rashed Al Dhaheri, Businessman; Emeritus Professor Rob Whelan, Director – Whelan Consulting Pty Ltd; Hassan Al Najjar, Entrepreneur – President of Alumni Association at ZU, and academic deans, ZU heads of institutes and research centers, student affairs leaders and administrative leaders.
