Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences Holds Hamdan International Forum for Talent Discovery and Development at Mohammed bin Rashid Library in Dubai

Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences successfully convened Hamdan International Forum for Talent Discovery and Development 2023 at Mohammed bin Rashid Library in Dubai today (Tuesday, 14 November). 

With a primary objective of empowering and enhancing the skills of talent discovery practitioners in the educational field, the forum attracted distinguished attendees including prominent education experts from both national and international domains, encompassing professors across various educational levels, specialists, officials, and students.

In a welcoming address during the forum, His Excellency Humaid Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, extended his warm greetings to the attendees. He emphasized that the forum aims to contribute to supporting efforts aimed at improving and developing services for the talented sector.

Furthermore, His Excellency conveyed the regards of Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum, Supreme Chairman of the Foundation, expressing his wishes for the success of the forum. He extended a heartfelt welcome to participants, guests, officials, experts, and specialists from various institutions involved in nurturing talent.

His Excellency added: “Our presence in this forum today reflects our deep interest, dedication, and commitment to the development of the field of talent, and exploring its varied avenues, all aimed at achieving a noble objective. This objective entails rectifying overlooked talent, emphasizing the crucial need to access, invest in, and derive its benefits. This endeavour is significant, especially in regions where opportunities for many talented individuals are scarce, limiting their discovery due to a lack of resources and the absence of detection and care services.”

He added, “These minds, fuelled by contemplation and reflection, and those gifted with excellence and distinction, represent true wealth. They deserve our planning, design, and efforts to realize their real value. Particularly in our current era, where the knowledge economy and astonishing technological advancements offer tremendous opportunities to innovate modern models for talent detection, their care management, and empowerment.”

His Excellency emphasized that the efforts of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences align seamlessly with the national efforts in the UAE. Discovering and nurturing talents is a strategic priority for the foundation, directing its efforts toward organizing conferences, fostering partnerships, and initiating qualitative endeavours. Over the past twenty-five years, collaborations with global experts have been integral to these initiatives, culminating in two significant projects: Hamdan Talent Scale and World Giftedness Center. These initiatives aim to support educational systems, scholars, and specialists.

The forum’s sessions addressed several significant topics. In the initial main session, titled “Talent Discovery and Development in the UAE – Towards Sustainable Talent,” His Excellency Dr. Mubarak Al Shamsi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Center for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), delivered a presentation. The second main session featured Dr. Jonathan Plucker, Professor of Education and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Education, discussing “Talent Discovery and Development in the UAE – Towards Sustainable Talent”. The first session, moderated by Dr. Karima Al Mazrouei, focused on “The Role of Highly Efficient Higher Educational Institutions in Sustaining Talent”. Speakers included Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Care and Capacity Building Sector at the Ministry of Education, Dr. Basil bin Abdullah Al-Sadhan, Deputy Secretary General for Gifted Services at King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and Prof. Dr. Najla Alnaqbi Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Sector in Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanities. The second session, titled “A Standardized Approach to Hamdan’s Talent Scale in Light of Global Assessment Strategies”, featured Professor Alaa Eldin Ayoub, Professor of Psychological Measurement and Statistics at the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain. The third session, led by Rana Nazzal, School Development Consultant at the Sharjah Education Council, discussed “Strategic Transformations in Global Measurement Areas for Talent Discovery”. Speakers included Prof. Eman Gaad, Dean of the Faculty of Education and a Full Professor of Special and Inclusive Education at British University in Dubai, Dr. Abdulhameed Alarfaj, former Dean of the College of Applied Sciences and former Head of the Special Education Department and supervisor of Doctorate Program in Gifted Education at King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia and Dr. Ahmed bin Marhoon Al Borsaeedi, a specialist in talent and creativity.

Additionally, the speakers at the forum were honoured, and the forum concluded with remarks from HE Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences.   Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi praised the purposeful dialogues and discussions held during the forum, highlighting its success in achieving its objectives. He expressed gratitude and appreciation to all attendees and participants for their valuable contributions that enriched the discussions and contributed to the success of the forum.