De Montfort University empowers Youth to work towards Social Development.

DMU Dubai supports AIESEC Youth Speak Forum Dubai to discuss youth development and the future of work post-Covid-19.

DMU Dubai, a global hub for SDG-16, joins hands with AIESEC, for empowering youths in the UAE. DMU Dubai collaborated with AIESEC to host the Youth Speak Forum Dubai and encourage the youth to support and build sustainable communities in the UAE.  

Speaking about DMU’s SDG vision, Vice-Chancellor Professor Katie Normington said: “DMU is extremely proud to be the only academic impact hub for Sustainable Development Goal 16 in the world. The honour is a reflection of the faith the United Nations Academic Impact initiative has placed in its global hub for Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, based here at DMU.”


 

Achieving SDGs with like-minded partners 

DMU focuses on the sustainability and complete development of youths, and sponsoring the AIESEC Youth Speak Forum Dubai was a significant step towards achieving the goal. The 4-5 day forum discussed four crucial topics that impact the young people in today’s world, namely Youth and sustainability, Youth and digital transformation, Youth and the future of work and Youth and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. 

Dr Manjeet Ridon, the interim Provost for DMU Dubai, underlined the need for collaborating with like-minded partners such as AIESEC. Speaking about the partnership, Dr Ridon said, “[It] provides an opportunity to build strong networks and partnerships across the region which will bring mutual benefits. We are also excited to be operating in a part of the world that so prioritises sustainability. As a global hub for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, we share the same drive to use our innovation and academic experience, and to inspire our students, to create a sustainable future.” 

DMU Dubai encourages entrepreneurship and supports young leaders. While discussing the importance of collaborating with AIESEC, Dr Washad Emambocus, Subject Head – Business and Law, DMU Dubai, said, “De Montfort University Dubai, as a global hub for SDG 16, was proud to host AISEC – an organization committed to raising awareness of sustainable development goals. Their values resonated with DMU Dubai’s ones as we are the “Empowering University”, and our vision is to equip students, staff and our community to create a fairer society.” 

The AIESEC Youth Speak Forum Dubai was an opportunity to understand how the younger generation can act as agents of change. Speaking about the event, Stuart Lawson, the head for the Art, Design and Humanities, DMU Dubai, said, “I was inspired by hearing from so many engaged and articulate young people – who will all clearly make a great impact on our shared futures”.  

Some of the leading names in the world and the UAE that powered the AIESEC Youth Speak Forum Dubai include IBM, Emirates, Dubai Business Events, United Nations Development Programme, SAP and United Arab Bank. The prominent attendees and speakers of the event include Isha Sharma (Evaluation and Sustainability at the World Bank Group), Oriette M Nayel (IBM), Wissam Kadi (SAP and UN SDG Advocate), Beatrice Marandu (Regional Program Associate tech and entrepreneurship at You Lead), Dr Washad Emambocus (Subject Head – Business and Law) and Stuart Lawson (Head for the Art, Design and Humanities).  

Speaking about the AIESEC Youth Speak Forum Dubai, Ahmed Nadzry, President at AIESEC in the UAE, said, “This time we selected the future of work post-COVID-19. So, we want to tackle that. How can you, as a youth, be more prepared for the future? So, this is why we have more digitalisation companies like SAP, IBM, and all that talk about this transition and all it was the focus. But one thing that is very different here is that this one is the regional one. We rarely have regional ones because it takes a lot of energy and effort.  

“All of this somehow comes together with a lot of support from our partners like Dubai tourism, like De Montfort University. Our collaboration with DMU Dubai can help the government of UAE to achieve its vision of youth development and sustainability.” 

What does the future hold?  

DMU Dubai is an academic impact hub committed to addressing the UN SDGs. Aligned to the SDG-16, the institution focuses on promoting peace, justice and strong institutions around the world and the UAE. De Montfort University encourages social commitment and responsibility among the youth through research, teaching and enterprise activity and helps them become advocates of sustainability and social development.