Experts from the UAE and UK join forces for an intensive week focusing on 'education for employability'

The week-long series focuses on three main events - two roundtable meetings held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Higher Education & Scientific Research & Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology; a series of contact events with vocational education and training institutions from the UAE and UK; and a programme of further education events for employers and students in the UAE.

The week will open with an 'Education for Employability' roundtable meeting in Abu Dhabi on March 9th at the HCT CERT college.

The half-day roundtable events include participation by 25 senior representatives of leading UK organisations and 16 UK Further Education Colleges, led by the Middle East Association in partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology, with the support of the British Council, the UK's Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, and UK Trade and Investment.

Speakers from the UK include Marie Niven, Head of International Programmes, Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills and Bill Twigg, Technical Director, SEMTA (UK Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies).

Alison Devine, Deputy Director UAE and Education UK Manager for the Middle East at the British Council, explains the aims of the week-long series of activities: 'As the UAE makes rapid progress, the economy is creating new career opportunities and demanding new skills; the development of the vocational education sector is essential to ensure the continued availability of these skills. The aim of this week's activities is to highlight the vital contribution that vocational education makes to meeting the economic development needs of the UAE, by equipping students with 'skills for employability', aligned with international standards and quality assurance.'

Experts from the UAE and UK will examine current models of vocational education best practice with a view to creating new models to meet industry standards.

Paul Sellers, Director of the British Council in the UAE, adds: 'This week's events will focus on helping to facilitate the exchange of expertise in vocational training and assessment between the UAE and the UK. The representatives will consider how new and specialist areas emerging within the new economy (such as environmental industries) could be supported through the design and delivery of new forms of vocational training. Critically, the process of working together and sharing expertise and experience will help shape new working relationships between the UAE and the UK that will lead to partnerships in vocational education and future collaboration with mutual benefits.'

As a part of the week's activities, the British Council, in partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology, is organising two mini 'Education for Careers' exhibitions to raise awareness of vocational education.

14 Further Education Colleges from the UK and various UAE institutions will meet people potentially interested in taking vocational courses, as well as HR Managers who may be interested in courses for their companies' employees.

In addition, a series of contact events organised by the British Council will see representatives from these 14 UK Further Education institutions discuss possible partnerships with UAE institutions. These partnerships could range from staff/faculty exchange to curriculum cooperation, to any other form of cooperation that would be mutually beneficial.

Michael Thomas, Director General of the Middle East Association, commented: 'All delegation members look forward to exchanging experience with their UAE counterparts of meeting the important challenges of education for employability, with a view to better equipping local nationals for employment in the fast growing UAE private sector. I am confident that this visit will facilitate further sustainable partnerships between UK and UAE institutions and training providers.'