Sustainability and renewable energy sciences to be part of school curriculum

Abu Dhabi: Sustainability and renewable energy sciences, as well as environmental awareness will soon become part of the curriculum in the schools in UAE.

The topics are to be added to the curriculum as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between UAE Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and Masdar.

Masdar, Abu Dhabi's multi faceted renewable energy initiative, will be charge of developing tailor-made programs and training professionals in the education sector.

“This partnership with Masdar will bring the study of sustainability and renewable energy to the classroom. This is an excellent example of how companies and educators can work together to strengthen and advance the knowledge base of our country,'' said Humaid Al Qutami, the Minister of Education, following the signing ceremony on Sunday.

“This step forward represents a transitional point in the practical life of students as it provides them with new opportunities to gain advanced knowledge skills that coincide with the sustainable development and growth in the UAE.''

He added that the introduction of these topics will encourage students as they are valuable in day to day lives.

The MoU was inked by Al Qutami, D. Mugheer Al Khiaely, Director General of ADEC and Dr Sultan Ahmad Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar.

The agreement outlines several areas of collaboration, including curriculum development and support, training and educator development, and student engagement. Masdar will provide technical expertise, as well as access to faculty and researchers from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology for mentorship programmes and a guest lecture series.

“The path to a sustainable future needs to begin with educating our younger generation about climate change, energy security, sustainability, the environment and clean energy. To meet this objective we are working toward developing UAE as a renewable energy and sustainable technology hub,'' said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Masdar CEO. “This is the vision of our leadership and we all have a stake in carrying this vision forward.''

“Renewable energy is a growing and important sector in the UAE, and thanks to the efforts our leadership, we are transforming ourselves into an exporter of knowledge and expertise in the area of renewable energy technology. So, it is vital that we develop capacity now to ensure we have a highly skilled workforce in the future that can see this transformation to its fruition,'' said Al Jaber.

The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MI), developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will play a critical role in providing the educational expertise to advance this joint initiative.

Al Qutami said that the ministry will pursue similar partnerships with government and private organizations to benefit from their experiences and capabilities in creating an interactive educational environment. This will help students benefit from latest developments that are synonymous with the needs of the labour market.

“Today's students are much more environmentally aware than in the past. They understand their responsibilities as global citizens to protect our planet. They are interested in real life issues not just facts in a textbook. We want to inspire our students and give them every opportunity to achieve the highest academic standards in science and at the same time to contribute to the world in which they live,'' said ADEC Director General Dr Mugheer Al Khaili.