Al Habtoor confirms participation at INDEX06

As this project becomes increasingly important, Al Habtoor Interiors has confirmed its continued support and sponsorship for the fourth consecutive year.

"To have great designers of the future we must continue to support budding designers of the here and now. The student pavilion provides an ideal platform from which students can showcase their ideas and designs and potentially impress future employers," said Kim Willis, Exhibition Director, dmg world media Dubai Ltd.

The initial concept for the student pavilion was to enable interior design students from local universities to participate in the show and to experience firsthand the wealth of ideas available at such a global exhibition. The pavilion is designed and produced by Al Habtoor Interiors, in consultation with all the universities, to suit their specific requirements. In the past local universities have participated in the student pavilion by offering advice on courses and by displaying examples of their work.

Last year, the student pavilion encompassed two new initiatives which were both led and funded by Al Habtoor Interiors. Firstly, the inter-university room set competition, where students were given the challenge of designing a hotel room. The winning design from Zayed University was transformed into a life-size room mock-up by Al Habtoor Interiors. Students were awarded a work placement at Al Habtoor Interiors as well as Dhs 10,000 for their university. 'It was a challenging and ultimately extremely rewarding experience for our students' said Omid Rouhani, Professor of Interior design at Zayed University. "Some of the prize money has been allocated for a survey and digital model of a 2000 year old mountain village in Ras Al Khaimah and the rest of the money will be spent on similar projects that will help the students in their studies while also helping the society at large".

The second new initiative was to introduce a recruitment form, available to all visitors and exhibitors at the show, allowing them to register their manpower requirements. The aim here was to raise the profile of local talent and provide work experience or even future employment for students in the region. The response was very encouraging with students being offered places in local companies, such as Al Naboodah Interiors, while others obtained some freelance projects.

Lina Sadek, Corporate Affairs Manager for Al Habtoor, says 'this is exactly the kind of response we were hoping for. We are very committed to putting something back into the community and helping to bridge that often huge gap between the educational institute and the workplace is one way of doing so".

This year promises to be even more exciting with many new ideas under discussion and more universities participating. Bernard Walsh, Managing Director of dmg world media Dubai Ltd., expressed his delight at the growth of the student pavilion project; "Thanks to the generosity and continued support of Al Habtoor Interiors, the student pavilion has gone from strength to strength over the past three years and has become an integral part of the exhibition. Students are exposed to some of the best designs in the world and to be immersed in such an environment will surely inspire them to succeed in the exciting world of interior design. This is crucial to the future of the industry".

As in previous years, the student pavilion will be situated in the main concourse area. Index 2006, the 16th International Middle East Furniture And Interior Design Exhibition, which will be 20% larger than the 2005 show, due to the availability of additional floor space, takes place from 7-11 November 2006 at Dubai International Exhibition Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

With visitor numbers predicted to be higher than ever this year, even more people will have the opportunity to see, first hand, the impressively high standard of work produced.