Dubai: The UAE on Monday announced the launch of ‘World Giftedness Centre’, said to be the world’s first global platform for students who are especially talented or ‘gifted’.
The announcement was made by Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, during the first ‘World Giftedness Centre International Conference’ hosted by ‘Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance’ till Thursday at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo 2020.
New global awards
Also launched were two international awards – ‘School Global Award Initiative of Gifted Education’ and ‘Applied Research Global Award of Gifted Education’. The aim of these awards is to encourage research and initiatives that support talented students around the world.
Al Hammadi said: “Our presence today [Monday] within Expo 2020 Dubai constitutes an extraordinary opportunity to explore the future prospects of the gifted individuals from all over the world, and create an opportunity to form a deeper understanding of our responsibility towards educating the gifted in particular and the future of talent in general.”
Partnerships between ‘elites’
He added that the Al Maktoum foundation is working with its partners at the University of Regensburg in Germany to build a global platform for the gifted that brings together “the elites” of scientists, students and researchers.
The conference is showcasing “pioneering research findings” from the fields of gifted education and talent development, while practitioners with outstanding giftedness initiatives are sharing best practices.
The event is attended by global researchers, educationalists, psychologists, parents, and anyone interested in the field of gifted education and talent development from across the world.
Benchmark for talent
Dr Jamal Al Mehairi, vice chairman of the board of trustees and secretary-general of the Al Maktoum foundation, said: “[The foundation] has always been committed to the development of innovative platforms that facilitate learning and sharing. We are confident that the launch of World Giftedness Centre and the conference will serve as a benchmark for skill development and talent mentoring across the globe.”
