Higher Colleges of Technology and Crescent Group join forces to develop UAE's next generation of engineering experts

His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan opened the UAE and MENA Region's Inaugural Curriculum Design Conference and Curriculum Institute at the HCT Dubai Men's College by making an address to the attending delegates, following which he formally signed the partnership with Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises and Managing Director of Crescent Group.

As part of the HCT's 25th anniversary celebrations, HCT has launched the Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training (CERT) Research & Innovation Initiative. This scheme has been designed to support students' graduation projects across a range of disciplines including technology, business, and health sciences whilst nurturing research and innovation skills as they build upon their ideas, and Crescent Group is one of the largest contributors to this Initiative from the UAE. The Crescent Group is supporting twenty student projects, each of which will be worked on by a number of students for three years.

Dr Tayeb Kamali, Vice Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, said the student capstone projects program with Crescent Group will help to prepare HCT's Emirati graduates for vital careers in the energy resources and other sectors.

"This partnership with Crescent Group will result in empowering our graduates with the knowledge, skills and confidence to contribute effectively to the nation and its growing economy; to reach their full potential; and to ultimately lead them to successful future careers," Dr Kamali said.

"It is also very pleasing to see Crescent Group taking proactive steps towards the training of young Emiratis, and we will give them all necessary assistance to achieve these Emiratization goals," Dr Kamali added.

Following the signing, Badr Jafar said "It is a huge privilege to be part of such a prestigious and pioneering institute and the initiative they have created. As a family business with responsibility to our society, one of Crescent Group's missions is to support entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the Region and the CERT Research & Innovation Initiative has given us a huge opportunity to invest in the bright future of our UAE nationals."

Crescent Group's sponsorship will support HCT national students complete their graduation projects through a number of important avenues including by assisting them with the development of prototypes and in securing intellectual property rights; creating a professional business plan which will act as a basis for securing further investment; delivering customized training for students to sharpen their business skills; and providing them access to a skilled mentor to help guide the business forward. As a result, Crescent Group will be recognized as one of the founding members of the CERT Research & Innovation Initiative.