UAE Vice-President launches smart learning initiative

Abu Dhabi: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice- President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched on Sunday the Mohammad Bin Rashid Initiative for Smart Learning for higher education in the country.

The initiative will reach about 13,000 students in the early stages of college education at the Zayed University, the Emirates University and the Higher Colleges of Technology.

Shaikh Mohammad launched the programme at the Abu Dhabi Men’s College headquarters where he signed on iPad, a device that will be used for the programme.

He talked to students and urged them to derive maximum benefit from the potential and opportunities provided to them so as to acquire the required scientific and technical skills.

“Optimum use of technology in our universities and colleges will bring about a qualitative leap in knowledge, enhancing the capabilities of our sons and daughters to address future challenges. It will help them start a new career path in science and technology and open up new avenues for innovation and excellence and allow them contribute to building a knowledge-based community,” Shaikh Mohammad said.

“The UAE needs the energies and minds of its children to realise significant achievements in science and technology,” he added.

John Couch, Vice-President of Education - Apple, described the initiative as “historic and the first of its kind in size and scope in the Middle East”.

“It took eight months of planning and a very careful assessment of our campus’ ability to handle these devices,” Thomas Cochran, Associate Provost and Campus Director of Zayed University told Gulf News.

“We then had to get the faculty interested enough to play the active role which such a large-scale process requires and finally, we had to decide on the content being taught and how it should be practised,” he added.

The iPads have been distributed to all students at the early stage of their college education where they learn mathematics, English, Arabic and information technology.

Earlier, Shaikh Mohammad chaired a Cabinet meeting which approved the recommendations made by the Federal National Council on conserving the environment.

With additional inputs from WAM