UAE Women Leadership Program presents AL Emaratia Forum

Al-Emaratia Forum is an innovative and important forum that aims at empowering working emarati women to discuss challenges and opportunities faced by the public sector from local, regional and global points of view.

Its purpose is to develop and enhance networks that strengthen knowledge, experience and skills in critical strategic cores of Leadership and Strategy; Leadership Policy; Change Leadership and Management as well as Leadership and Effective Communication.

The focus for the first Al-Emaratia forum of 2009 was 'Women and Leadership' and featured a presentation by guest speaker, Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez who serves as Assistant Dean of Executive Education and Director of Research at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore.

"Al-Emaratia Forum is one of our key program components, devised to serve our strategic objectives to produce social and business leaders. Our intention is to develop working women who can participate in high-level governmental projects and serve as agents of change as well as role-model ambassadors for all UAE working women," said Maitha Al Shamsi, Managing Director of Dubai Women Establishment.

In the presentation entitled 'Half the Sky: Women and Leadership', Dr. Tuminez spoke about the importance of ideas, networks, and values as general foundations of leadership in a rapidly changing and globalized world. She addressed the challenges that women face as they forge their paths in life and in the work place, and as they seek to become leaders in their own spheres. She also discussed the issue of finding meaning in work and sustaining one's energy while managing the demands of leadership inside and outside the home.

As one of their means to enhancing the role of the UAE woman as a driving growth force in the UAE, DWE introduced the UAE Leadership Program: an ongoing initiative that is conducted as a two-year cycle of integrated program components, including Al-Emaratia Forum.

35 participants are selected to participate in the program, comprised of emarati working women - potential leaders - who have passed an evaluation process that involves psychometric assessment with a stringent screening, selection and validation process. The UAE Leadership Program's components are based on four key areas of development: Leadership; Management Acumen; Personal Development and Technical Knowledge.

"UAE Women Leadership Program is the first tailor-made leadership program of its kind in the UAE and the region, incorporating unique, interactive training methods that are sustained over a two-year period. As our strategic partners, the objectives of DWE's UAE Women Leadership Program run parallel with MBRPLD's strategy to develop leaders with world class skills and expertise, capable of promoting sustainable development in Dubai," said Adel Al Shared, Executive Chairman of Mohammed Bin Rashid Leadership Development Program.

Dubai Women Establishment is indeed laying the foundation for emerging leaders among working UAE women with three more Al-Emaratia Forums scheduled to take place in 2009.