Inaugural Khalifa University Forum Discusses "Innovation And Future Trends In Education"

Educational Forum Whets International Intellectual Appetite with World Renowned Speakers from 10 countries

Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, recently organized and successfully held its first Education Forum at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Yas Island with world-renowned experts from 10 countries speaking at the forum.

The theme of the forum was “Innovation and Future Trends in Education” with particular emphasis on the different facets of Abu Dhabi and particularly Khalifa University’s educational mission. The program included two keynote speeches and four sessions with each session creating a dialogue between an expert committee and the audience, on the topics such as: Early Math Education, Medical Education, Engineering Education, and Nuclear Education.

The forum was attended by more than 200 participants including students, faculty, staff and guests from national and international organizations.

Commenting during the event, H.E, Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili, Khalifa University, Board of Trustees Member and Director General, Abu Dhabi Educational Council (ADEC), remarked: “I believe the subject of educational innovation and reform is vitally important to Abu Dhabi and indeed for the entire UAE. We are committed to providing the best possible education for our youth, and preparing students for a challenging world. I strongly believe that what Khalifa University has organized adds further momentum to educational innovation and reform in the UAE.”

In his opening address, the President of Khalifa University, Professor Tod Laursen stated; “In order to address global challenges, we need to reform our teaching practices, We are honored to be joined by international academics and we look forward to sharing practices, knowledge and insights with them today and in the future”.

Speaking during the forum, Khalifa University’s Interim Provost, Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla, remarked; “The aim of today’s Education Forum is to establish a dialogue and share best practices, innovative ideas and future trends in education with our academic and industrial partners. These keynote speeches, sessions, and panel discussions provide us with many ideas for shaping the educational experience within Khalifa University and Abu Dhabi as we work towards achieving the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.

The first keynote speech of the forum was by Professor Nam Pyo Suh, President of the Korean Applied Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), on; “Bimodal Education: An Element of the KAIST Education Plan”. Professor Don Giddens, Dean, College of Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, delivered the second keynote speech on ’Strategy for Developing a New Biomedical Engineering Curriculum’.

The first session was led by Professor Maw-Kuen Wu, a Khalifa University Board of Trustees member, academic, Director, Institution of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, who delivered a talk on ‘Early Math and Science Education, a Cradle for the Brightest Minds’. Professor Fou-Lai-Lin, Research Chair Professor, Department of Mathematics, National Taiwan Normal University, discussed the topic of ‘Bridging Mathematics Learning between High School and University’.

The second session was led by Professor Elias Zerhouni, Khalifa University Board of Trustees Member, Professor Radiology, and Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, as well as being US Presidential Science Envoy and Former Director of the National Institutes of Health (USA). He delivered a talk on; ‘Innovation and Future Trends in Medical Research’. Professor Zerhouni was accompanied by Professor, Lord Ara Darzi, M.D., Chair of Surgery, Head of Department, Imperial College, UK, who presented on; ‘Technical Skill Acquisition and Simulation’.

The third session was given by Professor Don Giddens, Dean, College of Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, who presented on; ‘Challenges and Opportunities in Engineering Education: Staying Ahead of the Curve’. Professor Wendy Newstetter, Director of Learning Science Research, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, delivered a presentation on; ‘Engineering Education at the Crossroads: New Approaches for the 21st century’.

The fourth and final session was delivered by Professor Jong-Hyun Kim, Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering and Director of the Center for Khalifa University -KAIST, Nuclear Cooperation, KAIST, who started the discussion on; ‘Educating a New Breed of Nuclear Engineers in the “Glocal” Context’. Mr. Jay Brister, Director of Capacity Building and Training, ENEC, UAE delivered the final presentation of the day on; ‘Beginning with the End in Mind – Planning for the Educational Needs for a New Commercial Nuclear Industry’.
 

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