IFTDO prepares for world congress in Dubai

The conference will focus on four main topics: knowledge creation and human resource management, fast forward technologies in education and training, socio-economic trends, and knowledge work environments.

Speakers will include leading international and regional experts who will address human resources development managers from public and private sectors, academics, researchers, and business professionals. Strong representation is expected from Japan, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Korea which is participating for the first time in the world congress.

The International Federation of Training and Development Organisations' (IFTDO) scientific committee met in Dubai last week to prepare for the event. Top executives present included Dr Abdulla Al Karam, chairman of the board of directors and director general of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dr Eisa Abdel Latif, chief technical advisor for Zayed International for the Environment, Dr Mohammed Butty Al Shamsi, director of postgraduate studies department, associate professor of administrative law and legal counsellor, Dubai Police Academy, Dr Helmi Sallam, chairman of Team engineering & management consultants and IFTDO board member, and Dr Rod Monger, associate professor at the American University in Dubai.

Dr William Rothwell, Professor of Workforce Education and Development Program in the College of Education at the University Park Campus of The Pennsylvania State University, provided important feedback through a conference call.
The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss content and abstracts, finalise speaker selection, and confirm the final programme.
Brigadier Dr Mohamed Ahmed Bin Fahad, 2008 President of IFTDO Board and director general of Dubai Police Academy, said: 'Hosting IFTDO's world conference and exhibition underlines Dubai Police's focus on training and development according to global performance standards.'

Knowledge has become the most important enabler for economic development in the world, and the theme of 'Knowledge and Human Resources' for this year's event reflects the Dubai Government's vision of being a world leader in knowledge-driven economies.

'Special emphasis will be placed on the Middle East's specific needs for training and development. So the scientific committee meeting was important to finalise the content and programme of the event in order to ensure the event delivers what is expected from it and covers the wide spectrum of topics related to knowledge and human resources,' Dr. Bin Fahad added.

Dnata World of Events has been appointed as the official conference organiser and played an important role in supporting the local host in securing the IFTDO congress for Dubai.

IFTDO was founded in Geneva in 1972 and is a diversified network of human resource management and organisations that represents more than 500,000 professionals in 50 countries.

Only member countries can bid for the world congress and Dubai's bid was based on the efforts made by the Dubai Police affiliated Security & Administration Science Institute (SASI), established in 1997 to provide training, development, and consultancy services to various types of government authorities and public sector employees and a member of the IFTDO since 2004.