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The ‘Industrial Revolution X’ (IR-X) Program is designed to equip UAE nationals with the knowledge, skills and hands-on
expertise required to keep apace with new technologies and scientific
advancements occurring globally.
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The Ministry
of Education will support the UAE Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)
Government’s strategy to promote the
UAE’s position as the world's first open laboratory to test and apply 4IR
technologies.
·
IR-X 2018 is
designed and implemented in collaboration with Udacity to focus on 4IR
technologies such artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, machine
learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), self-driving cars, robotics, and
blockchain.
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The Program
consists of three core tracks (Entrepreneurship, Research, and Employment), each
serving a purpose.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
(UAE) 20, December 2017: The UAE Ministry of
Education revealed today its plans to launch the first-of-its-kind program in
the region titled ‘Industrial Revolution X’ (IR-X). The Program is designed to
equip UAE nationals with the knowledge, skills and hands-on expertise required
to keep apace with modern technologies and scientific advancements occurring
globally. IR-X will kick off with a ‘Design Thinking’ Workshop at the National
Science, Technology and Innovation Festival (NSTI Festival), running in
conjunction with UAE innovation month. NSTI Festival is held under the
patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu
Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and taking place at
the Festival Arena in Dubai, from 15-19 February 2018.
The vision of the program is
for it to evolve with time and adapt its content to gear UAE nationals for
upcoming industrial revolutions, hence the ‘X’ in the name, which represents the
future eras. The IR-X Program is aligned with the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy
and the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to boost
government performance and to create a highly productive innovative environment
by investing in future technologies. This marks the beginning of the UAE
Centennial 2071 phase that will require Emiratis specialized in Artificial Intelligence
(AI) to develop new sectors and create opportunities for the national economy.
IR-X 2018 is implemented in
collaboration with renowned partners and Udacity, a pioneer in online education with groundbreaking credential programs headquartered
in Silicon Valley, USA to focus on 4IR disciplines that include AI, deep
learning, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), self-driving cars,
robotics, and blockchain. Udacity will create a learning program that invests
in the development of high-performing Emirati’s to become world-class
specialists in their chosen track and encourages them to apply their leanings
into their own working prototypes and research papers that solve real-life
problems. The Ministry is collaborating with local based and international entities
to set a strong network of knowledge, incubation and funding partners and have
a solid foundation for the program.
Commenting on the significance
of the inaugural IR-X Program, the UAE Minister of Education H.E. Hussain
Ibrahim Al Hammadi said: “The UAE is the first country in the world to form a
specialized Council under the name of the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution
Council’ to utilize opportunities and tackle challenges presented by the 4IR. Our
unique IR-X Program is the only multi-purpose initiative that offers various
paths for participants to take and fulfill the future markets requirements from
every aspect. As a comprehensive program designed to create world-class
specialists equipped with knowledge and expertise in 4IR technologies, the IR-X
Program will contribute to positioning the UAE as the world's first open
laboratory to test and apply 4IR technologies.”
H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al
Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills stated,
“With the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we seek to elevate individual
capabilities and equip students with the right skills, to increase overall
competitiveness of the UAE - for the long-term prosperity of our great nation.
To augment these efforts, we want to empower our students, by supporting their
skills and abilities, throughout the entire educational journey. This will pave
the way for life-long learning and form the backbone of a thriving innovation
ecosystem. As the UAE delivers on its vision to be one of the most innovative
nations in the world, programs such as IR-X Program will spur sustainable
economic growth and boost our global competitiveness.”
With its three core tracks; Entrepreneurship, Research, and Employment, the IR-X Program will play an integral part in building a knowledge-based
economy and a workforce capable of meeting future market requirements. The Program
encourages UAE nationals to embark on an educational journey that offers
various paths to help the UAE promote its competitive edge in a rapidly
changing world. In addition to launching specialized start-ups, the Program aims
to bridge the gap between academia and industry through matching applicants
with employment opportunities and promoting research and development (R&D)
within academia to increase the number of scientific papers published by UAE
nationals.
Each of the tracks will help participants
serve a purpose in this revolution. The “Entrepreneurship Track” will support
beneficiaries in starting their entrepreneurial ventures, while the “Employment
Track” supports applicants in finding employment opportunities suitable for
their expertise and skills. Meanwhile, the “Research Track” provides candidates
with the opportunity to submit scientific research papers within 4IR fields in
return for postgraduate scholarships in prestigious international institutions.
H.E. Dr. Amna AlDahak
AlShamsi, Assistant Undersecretary Activities Sector and Director of Innovation
and Entrepreneurship Department at the Ministry of Education explained:
“Utilizing the advanced technological tools learned at the Program will
help participants develop innovative outcomes to raise efficiency and
productivity and convert future challenges to opportunities and achievements.
Through this Program, we endeavor to enrich the entrepreneurship and innovation
ecosystem in the UAE and focus on future technologies. With Udacity’s deep
understanding of the field and its exceptional educational programs, a great
deal of knowledge will be transferred to our participants, who we anticipate
will become entrepreneurs and tomorrow’s experts in 4IR technologies.”
Commenting on their
partnership with the UAE Ministry of Education, Udacity Founder and President
Sebastian Thrun said: “Udacity is honored to work on this mission together with
the UAE Ministry of Education. This program will bring the most future-ready technology
courses from Silicon Valley tech giants to the UAE. It is a great example of
the UAE’s mission to become a leader in innovation and prepare its youth for
the job market”.
All the Program tracks will be
open to high achieving Emiratis (seniors or recent graduates with a Bachelor, Master
or PhD degree) who can register on nstifestival.ae/irx. A panel of experts from
the Ministry of Education and its strategic partners will initially screen the
submitted applications and only the ones that meet the criteria will be
eligible to proceed to the next phase.
The Emirati participants eligible
to be part of the IR-X program will be part of an extensive 12-month journey
that will equip them with all the knowledge, skills, expertise, and mindset to
succeed in their future endeavors and position the UAE amongst the most
advanced technological countries in the world.