Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Under the directives of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Holding, the leading global investment group, and Dubai Creative Clusters Authority announced the establishment of Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI).
Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that the launch of DIDI supports the government’s efforts to develop design talent in the region. The Crown Prince said it also supports the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to make Dubai a model for sustainable economic development based on innovation and productivity as outlined in the ‘Dubai 2021 Plan”.
“Dubai seeks to constantly enhance its capacity for sustainable development by driving innovation and creativity, and creating an environment for skilled graduates across sectors to acquire the skills that will enable them to meet the challenges of the job market. Today, we are launching a new platform that will support the development of creative talent not only in the UAE but also the region. This initiative will have a positive impact on sustainable economic growth both locally and regionally,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
His Highness also said that DIDI serves to diversify higher education opportunities at a time when the fields of design and innovation are attracting more talent. Given the importance of innovation as a key driver of development across sectors, Dubai is taking the lead in establishing educational institutions that help students meet the requirements of the job market, thereby raising its profile as a hub for both talent and enterprises specialised in creativity and design.
Considered a new milestone in the UAE’s efforts towards driving innovation by building regionally developed graduate design talent, plans for the development of DIDI in collaboration with MIT and Parsons were announced today at an event hosted in the Dubai Design District (d3). Attended by the education and design communities, the event outlined Dubai’s innovation agenda and DIDI’s vision to support it by creating a world class design educational institution. The establishment of the DIDI board of directors, chaired by Dubai Holding Chief Executive Officer, Fadel Al Ali was also announced at the event.
Driven by the ambitious goals the UAE has set for its economic and knowledge development, the institute is developing a first-of-its-kind curriculum aimed to empower students to design their own four-year educational journey, culminating in the region’s first Bachelor of Design degree with cross concentrations in Product Design, Strategic Design Management, Media, Visual Art and Fashion Design.
Dubai has been a beacon of innovation and design for the region, with the government creating initiatives to support the progress of the design industry. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid decreed the establishment of the Dubai Design & Fashion Council (DDFC) to support Dubai’s development as the emerging design capital of the world. To foster an active design community for people and businesses, TECOM Group formed d3 in collaboration with the creative industry. The MENA Design Education Outlook study released by DDFC in collaboration with d3 in May 2016, highlighted the need for at least 30,000 design graduates by 2019. The findings of this report led to the establishment of DIDI to support the sustainable growth of the regional design sector.
Fadel Al Ali, Chairman of the board, DIDI and CEO of Dubai Holding said: Dubai Holding is constantly working to support Dubai’s strategic development through various initiatives and creative clusters built on a foundation of innovation and creativity. We have been focused on building a knowledge based economy which contributes to Dubai’s economic diversification, through the establishment of innovative clusters and specialized organizations that are capable of building capacities and developing the skills required to enhance various sectors, led by innovation. Today, almost 25 thousand students from across the world are educated at institutes and universities located within our creative clusters."
"The establishment of DIDI is a natural next step following the launch of d3, which is now a regional hub for innovation and a preferred destination for the world’s leading fashion designers and artists. Students will be able to benefit from this unique location at the heart of the Creative Community at d3, which will provide them with the inspiration they need to innovate and create,” Al Ali added.
The DIDI campus was designed by Foster + Partners to create a unique learning environment for students to nurture and showcase their innovation and creativity. The space is laid out in a ‘mega’ studio setting, together with world-class facilities, enabling cross-collaboration between design disciplines, bringing students and faculty together in a dynamic environment. The campus will be located in the Creative Community at d3.
Commenting on the milestone announcement, Dr Amina Al Rustamani, Chairperson, DDFC and CEO of TECOM Group said, “Developing talented youth and creativity are essential to achieving the goals outlined by His Highness to establish a sustainable economy, and innovation is key to his vision for Dubai to become the smartest city in the world, with creative industries, manufacturing and production sectors capable of competing with some of the most advanced counties across the globe.”
“We constantly work to empower youth to take ownership of the journey towards a sustainable economy and a future led by innovation. DIDI will be a strategically critical platform for providing youth with the tools they need to drive the UAE’s future development. By harnessing the expertise of world-class institutions such as MIT and Parsons and incubating students within the Creative Community at d3, DIDI students have the unique opportunity of getting a practical education from interacting directly with designers within the industry, and benefiting from their experience,” she added.
In the 2016 ranking of the world’s best art and design schools by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), MIT and Parsons were ranked in the top five. MIT is located in Massachusetts, USA; its School of Architecture and Planning is dedicated to addressing and improving the human environment by advancing the frontiers of design, architecture, urbanism, art, and media. Based in New York but active around the world, Parsons offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the full spectrum of art and design disciplines.
Hashim Sarkis, Dean, MIT School of Architecture and Planning added, "The announcement of DIDI affirms the growing importance of design as a means to improve the relationship between human beings and their environment, both in the UAE and globally. We could not be more enthusiastic about working with Dubai to nurture design talent and to promote design and design thinking as powerful tools for building a better world."
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