Exponential Thinking in the UAE

Exponential Thinking in the UAE

Exponential Thinking in the UAE

Thursday, May 15, 2020

Exponential Thinking to create an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Lessons from across the world. The United Arab Emirates is leading the research, technology, and innovation (SRTI) revolution through a triple helix focus that works to incorporate a multi-stakeholder approach, including government, private sector, and academic strengths. H.E. Hussain, CEO of the American University of Sharjah Enterprises and the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park, of the UAE, has been tasked with the development and evolution of the Sharjah region’s innovation measures. The region’s progress both exemplifies the significant growth of the nation over the past 45 years and dictates the necessary sustainable development for this progress to continue for the next 50 years. H.E. Hussain has taken this responsibility, viewing it as a vision to transform Sharjah’s economy. Through concentrating on the quality rather than the number of partnerships, Sharjah has transformed from a space of teaching education to one that encourages the spread of knowledge not solely through instruction, but also through innovative research and practices.

Wanting to move beyond their prosperity from hydrocarbons, UAE exemplifies its value in research by working to shape or “rescale” their nation in light of the successes of other global cities. Described as a need for “exponential thinking,” UAE has centered on six main global trends of change, including logistics, production and design, architecture, digitalization, water technology, and environmental technology. By looking at the strengths and weaknesses of these systems in other nations, H.E. Hussain describes the region’s desire to “start from where others ended.” It is through this innovation that the Sharjah project was able to begin and expand to the high-performing nature that it has today.

In looking for opportunities, the project capitalized on partnering in a way that supports the triple helix rather than competing with its participants. The UAE government recognizes that the exploration and direction needed to take Sharjah and UAE to the next level will come over time and through intentional collaboration. H.E. Hussain drew our attention to the vital work looking to rescale organizations and people towards a mindset and, further, culture of innovation, especially during these moments of a global pandemic.

Using the crisis to reconsider supply chains, UAE recognized that they were importing nearly 90 percent of all their produce. After the supply chain disruption following national border closures, the federal government created a mandate around new agricultural technologies and invested 100 million dollars into four specific companies working within this domain. Focusing on the humane approach of seeking food security for all its people, the UAE took advantage of its ability to innovate, which consequently created new opportunities, expanded industries, generated new employment, and increased production. In working with their environment, this triple helix has researched and identified ways to utilize hydroponics to increase their agricultural yields. Subsequently, the UAE recognizes that the COVID-19 virus has and will continue to change much of the world; and therefore, the nation needs to change with it. Doing so with the support of academia, the Sharjah Open Innovation Lab will play an enormous role in these transitions. This space will soon be equipped with significant machinery, which aims to rescale the workforce and labor with the skills that are required to meet the market demands of future industries. Additionally, the nation has launched multiple initiatives over the past two years to rescale the work of women to integrate more women into technological research through international collaborations.

H.E. Hussain serves a dual role as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the American University of Sharjah Enterprises (AUSE) and as the CEO of the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (SRTIP).

In incorporating the 2,000 individuals holding PhDs in Sharjah throughout these private sectors and government collaborations, the region has leveraged the infrastructure that is already present from the past 45 years of development to create a synergy that H.E. Hussain reports as necessary to spread the culture and mindset of innovation. Through forums and projects, the region has overcome its challenges in relevance as well as legislative and geopolitical constraints and has arrived at a place of gratitude. This space has been vital in allowing this modern nation to recognize the significance of the work that they are doing and that they can do. Sharjah has captured best practices from other cities so that they can build an innovative future informed by evidence-based research, creativity, and attention.

In looking at the regional work in Sharjah and that of the ICSB, Ahmed Osman, President of ICSB, describes the similar synergies with which both groups work in attempting to change the deliverance of knowledge and develop subsequent growth and progress. Sharjah is working on a fascinating SkyWay project, which is completely altering how we view trade and transportation. Being the company’s global innovation center, this project is attractive to the UAE as a sustainable way to link their two ports, which are located on opposite sides of the country, by using next-generation technology. This project will exponentially increase the production and manufacturing sector in Sharjah, which will then change employment and GDP.

It is when cities, regions, and nations recognize that they are part of a greater global ecosystem that they can truly begin to curate their identity as a significant player in current and future sustainable development. Intentional innovation will have a place in the future world, just as it does in this one now. Seen time and time again, the regions and businesses that are not only surviving but instead capturing opportunities and thriving in this crisis moment are those that are seeing with the eyes of possibility. It is these fundamentals of entrepreneurship that are so clearly guiding us through this moment of uncertainty. Now it is up to us to choose to follow them.

Youth Volunteers Help to Turn the Tide on Coronavirus

Youth Volunteers Help to Turn the Tide on Coronavirus

Youth Volunteers Help to Turn the Tide on Coronavirus

Wednesday, April 29, 2020, by Decent Jobs for Youth

Youth Volunteers Help to Turn the Tide on Coronavirus

Wednesday, April 29, 2020, by Decent Jobs for Youth

Youth Rights and Voices

Shortly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Economist’s front page depicted the world with a “CLOSED” sign. The coronavirus pandemic has indeed halted business as usual and disrupted the lives of people around the world. Even though some countries are cautiously planning “re-opening”, still more than 80 per cent of the global workforce remain affected by lockdowns and movement restrictions. As the epicenter of the pandemic moves from continent to continent, a global recession of perhaps unprecedented scale is following suit. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that in the second quarter of 2020 working hours will decline by an equivalent of 305 million full-time jobs.

COVID-19 caused economic hardships will likely disproportionally affect young workers, as detailed in this Youth Rights & Voices Blog Post. For example, for students and young jobseekers alike, the current pause on hiring decisions has taken a particular high toll. This includes those in school and college relying on their summer job to finance their studies and planning their internship, as well as those preparing to leave school behind and looking for full time work.

However, any obstacle is often an unrecognized opportunity. Despite the dangers posed by the pandemic, young people are turning the crisis into an opportunity for collective action, carving out their own niche to support their communities as volunteers. For instance, a community organization based in South Sudan, #DefyHateNow, connects youth through digital means who collaborate to fight misinformation and raise awareness on coronavirus prevention and protection. Youth activists in Syria organize mask and hand sanitizers distribution campaigns – young people took a similar initiative in Nairobi’s Mathare slum. Young Chinese students and workers have been sourcing medical protective equipment to support frontline health care professionals. Similarly, in Canada, groups of volunteers are using 3-D printers to produce face shields and other protective equipment.

These are just a few of many examples how young people have channeled their creativity and compassion towards driving positive action. While volunteering often takes place in communities, mobilizing people willing to help at a large scale has become a national effort, too. In Egypt, 480,000 volunteers registered to support the distribution of facemasks and hygiene kits all over the country. In England, over 1 million people signed up at a volunteering scheme of the National Health Service and through local volunteering centers and charities, primarily to support vulnerable people confined to their homes.

This shows that volunteering not only connects people but also helps to overcome social exclusion. Keeping communities together, volunteering contributes to social cohesion and can support disadvantaged groups in face of poverty and during times of crises. UN Volunteers reports that the most comprehensive estimate of global volunteering today puts the global informal and formal volunteer workforce at 109 million full-time equivalent workers. Some 70 per cent of global volunteer activity occurs through informal (direct person-to-person) engagement, while 30 per cent takes place formally through non-profit organizations or various associations. The UN General Assembly resolution on Volunteering for 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights the powerful contribution volunteerism plays for the implementation of the SDGs and encourages countries to “invest in measuring the scale and contribution of people’s voluntary efforts”.

As part of a UN wide effort to support volunteering, ILO is collaborating with UN Volunteers (UNV) on measuring the impact of volunteering and has conducted a global review of national best practices. The ILO also supports research on the relationship between volunteer work and labour market prospects for youth, as a contribution to the UNV-International Federation of the Red Cross Global Technical Meeting on Volunteering, which will take place later this year. “Volunteering plays an important role in promoting social justice and human and labour rights“, summarized Moussa Oumarou, ILO Deputy Director General for Field Operations and Partnerships, upon the signature of the ILO/UNV Memorandum of Understanding on 9 March 2020.

Volunteers are also contributing to the UN system’s COVID-19 response. To date, UNV has deployed already 6,000 volunteers with 50 UN partners. National UN Volunteers have joined efforts to mitigate the economic, social and health impacts of this crisis, and to safeguard progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This entails working closely with national governments, community groups, the health sector and industry to respond to this crisis. For example, in South Africa, volunteers joined forces with national authorities to help with preparedness and response planning, train health workers and others on infection preventions measures and support the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized groups.

In Chinese, the word “crisis” is composed of two characters, one representing danger and the other opportunity. Business as usual might indeed be “closed” since the onset of COVID-19. No pandemic though can stop empathy and human ingenuity, which is why so many young people are unlocking the potential of volunteerism to do good and make a difference in their communities and beyond. Demonstrating how a rights-based, human-centred vision can translate into positive change in the everyday life, they are role models for all of us.

by Amal Mowafy (ILO) and Jonas Bausch (ILO)