Masdar is highlighting its role in education and nurturing young talent for a sustainably better tomorrow as the platinum sponsors of ‘Education Without Borders 2011,’ a biennial international student conference that creates networks across cultures to understand and generate solutions for some of the world’s greatest challenges, being held in Abu Dhabi.

Organised under the patronage of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the sixth edition of Education Without Borders conference themed ‘Innovative Solutions to Global Challenges’ is being hosted from 28 – 31 March by Higher Colleges of Technology, the largest higher educational institution in the UAE. More than 1000 tertiary students from all over the world are attending the international event.

The Education Without Borders conference serves as a rallying point for students from across the world to share ideas on some of the most pressing challenges such as global warming, sustainable development and renewable energy. The event aims to engage the most innovative students and leaders in the business, technology, education and humanitarian sector in a collaborative forum that culminates in a commitment to action.

Aida Al Busaidy is Manager of Planning, Internal and Online Communications at Masdar, and oversees its community outreach program. She said: “Through the platinum sponsorship, Masdar is privileged to support the sixth Education Without Borders conference in Abu Dhabi. The sponsorship forms part of our wider commitment to the 2030 Vision of Abu Dhabi, which seeks to transform the emirate into a knowledge-based and sustainable economy.

“A paramount global challenge today is the issue of climate change and consequently, there is an urgent need for innovation in the renewable energy sector to enable large-scale and practical use of clean energy. We believe that providing the right educational tools to the youth of today holds key to innovation that will lead the world into a sustainably better tomorrow,” Al Busaidy added. “Through the educational arm of the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Masdar is actively engaged in nurturing young talent by giving students an ideal platform and prompting them to become leaders in offering innovative solutions.”

Masdar actively engages in multi-pronged initiatives for students as part of its commitment towards educating them in the dynamic relevance of renewable energy. It brought about 2,000 students from over 60 schools across the UAE to attend the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, January 2011. Since then, it has hosted over 50 batches of junior students who have toured the City, providing them with brochures and giveaways made of sustainable and bio-degradable materials to help them appreciate the value of sustainable living. In February, it was the sponsor of the Modern UN conference for the British School ‘Al Khubairat’, an event that highlighted the relevance of renewable energy and its bearing upon regional issues such as environment, energy and resource scarcity to the UAE student community.

Masdar places special and continuous emphasis on motivating youth to realizing their prospective roles as tomorrow’s leaders in the field of renewable energy. Towards this end, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, which operates in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), leads the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) programme, a unique initiative that raises awareness among students and young professionals. YFEL helps mentor future leaders in alternative energy by engaging them with the leaders of today. Masdar also administers several Master’s-level programmes in disciplines such as engineering, materials science as well as computer and information science.
 

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