Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Sultan Al Nahyan has become patron of the inaugural UAE Youth Development Programme hosted at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, England.
This programme will take place from August 17-31 and is for 20 selected Emiratis aged between 16 and 19, said a press release.
The Sandhurst UAE Youth Development Programme will be held at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst by the Inspirational Development group (IDG).
The programme has been specifically developed for students in the UAE to gain an understanding of leadership and team-building skills. It has been designed to develop personal and commercial awareness integrated with the practical operational expertise required to lead high-performing teams in a modern world. Students will get the opportunity to get a feel of the Sandhurst experience while learning key concepts.
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst was one of the first international institutions to accept UAE students decades ago, and more than 300 Emiratis have attended the Sandhurst Officer Cadet Course, including members of ruling families such as General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
The academy has recently strengthened ties with the UAE, with the Zayed Building, completed with Dh880 million provided by the UAE, inaugurated in remembrance of Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and commemorating the 200th anniversary of the academy.
Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Sultan Al Nahyan accepted the patronage of the UAE Youth Development Programme “with great pleasure”.
He said, “Youth is the nation’s real wealth; that’s what our late father Shaikh Zayed said. Therefore, investing in the Emirati youth is the best guarantee for a bright and successful future for our beloved country. I wish those students all the best and am confident that they will dedicate the skills they are going to learn from the programme into serving their country in the best way.”
Over the coming weeks, Shaikh Sultan has requested management of the youth development programme to visit key educational institutions as part of the recruitment campaign. This pilot programme initially accommodates only 20 participants. It is hoped, however, that, with community support, the programme will be developed significantly for future programmes.
Tom Hudson, a Sandhurst graduate and UAE country coordinator with IDG, attended Sandhurst and said, “In my view, there is no better place to learn about team work and leadership — it really laid the foundations for me to build on in later life. I know that all involved are sincerely grateful and fortunate that Shaikh Sultan has bestowed his patronage on the Sandhurst Youth Development Programme. The launch of the programme in the week following the visit of His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to the United Kingdom, further cements the ties between the two nations. This is an amazing opportunity for more Emirati students to benefit from these ties exclusively available for them.”
