ABU DHABI, 20th February, 2023 (WAM) – The Ministry of Education (MoE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Coursera, a leading online learning platform, to develop an innovative lifelong learning system in the UAE.
The agreement was signed during the World Government Summit (WGS) 2023 by Dr. Mohamed Ebrahim Al Mualla, Under-Secretary for Academic Affairs at MoE, and Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera, in the presence of Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education, and other senior officials.
The MoU aims to enhance cooperation between the two parties in establishing local and international partnerships to promote credit-recommended content in the UAE. The partnership will also support UAE-based higher education institutions in developing credit-worthy micro-credentials.
Dr. Al Falasi emphasised the importance of lifelong learning as an essential tool for improving personal capabilities and skills. He stated that lifelong learning contributes to increasing individuals' productivity, enhancing their entrepreneurial spirit and innovation, and teaching them additional skills that can help them grow in their careers. The Minister of Education also stressed that strategic partnerships with the public and private sectors are crucial to achieving the vision of improving the educational system in the UAE and building a knowledgeable society that raises the competitiveness of the country in various fields.
Maggioncalda highlighted the importance of career-relevant, accessible, and flexible learning opportunities, with a strong emphasis on micro-credentials, in enabling the transition towards a knowledge-based economy. He praised the UAE's efforts in establishing itself as a hub for startups and multinational corporations, and expressed his enthusiasm to support the MoE's vision of an innovative lifelong learning system, which would further establish the UAE as a global leader in talent competitiveness.
As part of its participation in the WGS, the MoE organised the first edition of the Future Education Forum, where officials, education sector experts, and thought leaders discussed ways to improve the educational system to meet future requirements. The forum's theme was "Foreseeing the Future of Education."
Rashed Alzaabi