Dubai, UAE: Students representing 12 nationalities from 21 schools, 10 cities, and 4 countries across the GCC have received life-changing mentoring from Ivy League college students, as part of the Harvard Youth Lead the Change (YLC) program, staged recently in Dubai. Organized by university admissions counselling institute, UniHawk, it was the first time that the highly selective youth leadership development conference has been held in the region, following 28 previous editions across 8 different countries.

The group of 67 young, aspiring leaders took part in the prestigious three-day event, which developed participants’ leadership, empathy, and problem-solving skills to help them contribute to a project that could change the world around them in some way. The program of presentations, workshops, case-studies, and project-based exercises also empowered students torecognize their own strengths, and to define goals which would help them identify the career, subjects, and universities that would suit them in the future.

Hosted at GEMS New Millennium School Al Khail, the transformational program saw students work in mentor-led groups to develop social change projects that would address some of the most pressing youth-related issues. Participant were mentored by 10 current Harvard University students representing 6 different nationalities, and worked collaboratively in multicultural, interdisciplinary teams, to build the confidence and skills to drive progress within their own communities.

Curated by the Leadership Institute at Harvard College, the program also provided students with theoretical and practical insights into the fundamentals of leadership, developing their capabilities in communication, negotiation, teamwork, problem-solving, organization and planning. Sharing an understanding of the nuances of growing up in the 21st century, the mentors passed on the invaluable skills and experience they have gathered at a young age, to participants as young as 13 years old.

The conference was staged in Dubai in partnership with education firm, The Big Red Group, based in India and founded by Rishi Jalan. Speaking about bringing the event to the region for the first time, UniHawk’s Founder and CEO, Varun Jain, said, “It was an honour to host mentors from the Leadership Institute at Harvardfor this prestigious program. During the 3 days, I could visibly see the positive impact each activity had on the students. Thesesuccesses have given us further impetus in our mission to drive value-added experiences to help students achieve their education goals.”

Among the students participating from the UAE was 17-year-old Sara AlRemeithi from AlIttihad Private School, who explained her motivation to join the program. She said, “I have always wanted to hone my leadership skills, and this was a unique opportunity for me to gain exposure to international mentors, meet peers from different backgrounds here in the UAE, and work collaboratively to design ideas for positive social change.”

She continued, “The program has far exceeded my expectations; I have been able to improve my critical thinking and problem solving skills and gained a real insight into tackling social challenges. It has also given me insights into the characteristics of good leadership in a global context, which will help me as I prepare for life at university and beyond.”

Bringing together youth from across the GCC, including 27students from Saudi Arabia, the region’s first edition of the conference also proved to be an enlightening experience for the Harvard delegation. Mentor and current Chair of the YLC program, junior psychology student, Ethan Kee, said, “The students in Dubai have been engaging and inquisitive around the skills and mindset of leadership, and moreover, they have taught us as mentors a great deal through the different insights and perspectives they bring from life in this part of the world.”

The finale of the program saw the student groups present their social project to peers, mentors, and family members. Tackling global challenges such as plastic pollution, youth mental health, and food security, the students set out their own vision to confront the problem and proposed practical solutions to lead change in society.

Reflecting on the experience, 14-year-old Layan Eyas Zakri, from Jeddah Private School, said, “This journey has changed me for the better and I have grown personally within just 3 days, learning how good leadership can really make changes for the better.”

The program culminated with the presentation of completion certificates awarded by the Leadership Institute at Harvard. All participants of the program now have the opportunity to receive mentorship for an entire year, to help implement their project and navigate their future skills development.​

About UniHawk

UniHawk is a leading university admissions counselling and test preparation institute operating across the GCC. Specializing in guidance for overseas study, UniHawk helps students and their families to identify the right university program and also assists working adults to advance their further professional growth. With a multinational team of education specialists, UniHawk guides university applicants through profile-building, careers counselling, interview skills development, scholarship application advice, and academic writing support, to help get each student into the university that is the right fit for them. 

Bringing world class opportunities and guidance to students in the GCC, the UniHawk team has the collective experience of placing 12,000 applicants from more than 50 countries, helping them to navigate the admissions process for institutions around the world. UniHawk has supported them to craft a profile to earn entry to some of the world’s best schools, including Columbia, Stanford, Harvard, University of Chicago, UC-Berkeley, Brown, Oxford, Cambridge, INSEAD, LBS, Cornell, Williams, IE-Spain, HKUST, University of Toronto, and many more.

https://www.unihawk.