Hotbed of ideas

Last week's Education Without Borders conference gave students from around the world a platform to air their opinions and suggest solutions to a range of global issues. Maysam Ali reports.

More than 1,200 students from 120 countries joined scholars and world leaders in Dubai last week for a three-day international conference on education and the global recession.

The conference, titled 'Education Without Borders', is a biennial conference being held for the fifth time in the UAE. In his opening address, Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, spoke about the impact of the global economic crisis on education.

"The global economic downturn has created significant difficulties for national economies and now threatens education as well. Already we know of library budgets being slashed, professional development programmes being eliminated, upgrading of information technology being postponed, purchase of essential educational equipment deferred and reductions in the number of teachers and faculty members.

While educational institutions can sustain these budget reductions for a very short time, the projected long-term economic recession bodes poorly for education and the research needed to allow our nations to continue to grow and prosper," he said.

Striking a positive note, Shaikh Nahyan said a 2009 Unesco report said that national spending and international aid for education increased between 2000 and 2007; primary school enrolments show impressive gains for both genders in Africa and Asia; demand for secondary level enrolment has increased, and enrolment in higher education has also increased.

He said the growth of higher education is due to the strong political commitment to educational goals and sustained economic growth assisted by international aid. Education is a short- and long-term investment in a country's economic growth and to be successful it cannot be a start and stop operation, he said.

"We should emphasise that there are important and complex linkages between education, social mobility, innovation and economic competitiveness."

Inspiring young minds In his keynote address, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former president of India and renowned scientist, emphasised the importance of righteousness and citizenship and said that education enables the evolution of rightful citizens. He drew similarities between the UAE and India, saying that both are multicultural environments that should inspire young minds.

He highlighted the importance of science and engineering in today's world and said that they should be used for the advancement of societies. Student feedback Students said that they were inspired by Dr Abdul Kalam's words.

"We agreed with his discussion of evil and righteousness," said Aliah Khalifa, health information management student at Sharjah Women's College. Aliah's friends Bashayer Al Za'abi, Aliah Al Hossair and Badriya Al Zarouni are also graduating in the same major.

The fact that this year's conference tackled the issue of education in the current economic downturn attracted them to the conference. "We will be graduating this year and I have to say there is a bit of apprehension because it's hard to find jobs," said Badriya.

They attended the lectures and met students from South Korea, the US and other countries. Other students said they were inspired by the open invitation to contribute ideas and discuss solutions to global problems.

"I am interested in what students like me, from all over the world, have to say about certain issues, what their ideas are and how they're thinking," said Deborah Ramamoorthy, an Indian student studying in the US. Ramamoorthy was one of several students selected to present research papers during the conference.

From the environment to global poverty, the media, development and energy, students discussed current global issues and possible solutions.

They sat in groups to discuss several topics their papers touched upon. Issues covered included the role of education in meeting global challenges, solutions for economic recovery, and the importance of cultural exchanges for tolerance, understanding and peace.

Desmond Cheung, an international relations student studying in the UK, presented a paper on the environment. "It's how I see the environmental issues from a political point of view," he said. Getting to know the UAE After lengthy discussions and debates on day one, students visited the Atlantis hotel.

On their second evening they went on a desert safari which served to give them a first-hand view of the land and its heritage. It was also a way for students to get to know each other and exchange experiences and ideas.

The final day The conference concluded with Shaikh Nahyan presenting an award to nine student winners for the most outstanding paper, for best multimedia presentation, best paper on economy, cultural exchange, harnessing technology, environment and energy.

The winner of the most outstanding paper, Irina Pleva from Latvia, tackled the subject of industry and the environment. She tried to show in her presentation that nothing can survive unless it is a 'cooperative part of a larger global life'. The rest of the winners were from India, Australia and the US among other countries.

In his closing speech, Shaikh Nahyan urged students to make a positive difference in the world, work hard, get the best education they can, act with integrity, contribute through their business endeavours and through public service and dream big ideas and do not fear to take risks to achieve them.

He said of the conference: "I prefer to think of it as an important next step toward forging improved international understandings and expanded relationships.

Through the knowledge gained and the friendships made, together we are positioned to find fresh approaches to the global problems of inequities and injustices that have plagued humankind for millennia."