Dubai: The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) will host the 2022 HCT InnCuVation Forum over three interactive days at EXPO 2020 Dubai, from February 14, 15 and 17, 2022.

The Forum interconnects with the official, nation-wide UAE Innovates 2022 initiative, which itself is borne out of the annual UAE Innovation Month, one of the world’s largest celebrations of innovation, in different formats and across a wide range of sectors.

The 2022 InnCuVation Forum is a unique opportunity for innovators and game changers, academia and industry & government representatives to collaborate on and explore current issues, trends, world-class research and innovative startups through a series of panel discussions and presentations in four strategic sectors of Health, Education, Sustainability, and Emerging Technologies.

Attendees will delve in the four overarching sectors on the first two days of the forum, where HCT faculty and industry practitioners will discuss applied research trends relevant to the Forum topics, while the final day will be devoted to ‘pitch’ sessions of HCT-created startups, organized by HCT in partnership with the Emirates Angels Investors Association.

Professor Abdullatif AlShamsi, HCT President and CEO, stressed the importance of the HCT InnCuVation Forum as it aims to discuss the needs and challenges associated with the four key sectors of society. As a result, attendees will consider possible solutions to those need and challenges, which create opportunities for young people to present solution-oriented, innovative future startup concepts based on advanced technologies.

Prof. AlShamsi said, since being appointed a creative economic free-zone in 2019 to graduate companies and entrepreneurs, HCT has successfully operated its Startup Development Program. “The Program represents a road map for students who wish to set up their own businesses, by adopting their innovative ideas and solutions in the form of applied projects relating to key areas,” Prof. AlShamsi said.

He added that these innovative concepts are developed, in conjunction with growth of students’ skills, into future feasible businesses that leverage advanced technologies and which become commercially viable in the market place.

Prof. AlShamsi said the labor and industry sectors play key roles in advancing the establishment of startups, as well as enhancing the success of HCT’s InnCuVation Spaces, through knowledge-sharing processes of their needs and challenges. In turn, such interactions create opportunities for students to implement solution-oriented projects, helping vital sector growth, he added.

Considering the innovation and entrepreneurship landscape, Prof. AlShamsi stressed the importance of applied research initiatives, as they are intrinsically linked to the needs of the industry and labor sectors.

“Working closely with these sectors, HCT plays a key role as an applied, higher education institution with our expertise and collaborative endeavors. These in turn support the implementation of effective research projects that contribute to the development and improvement of workplace environments and the overall performance of industrial enterprises,” Prof. AlShamsi said.

Mr. Nicola Bettio, HCT’s Executive Director of Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, noted that higher education institutions play a crucial role as the driver of innovation and economic impact in modern societies. “Applied research has impact when it is translated into real innovation, adopted by the industry and the society. At HCT we strive to work hand-in-hand with our industry and government partners to find solutions to specific challenges and to create a long-lasting impact in the society at large,” Mr. Bettio said.

“We have recently launched an important cooperation initiative with Tawazun and Mubadala to leverage the technical capabilities of our students and faculty with the objective of providing engineering solutions to our partners,” he added.

“At the InnCuVation Forum we will see our startups facing real investors on a pitching event, organized with the cooperation of the Emirates Angels Investors Association. The presenting startups have been supported by our Startup Development Program, one of the largest and most prolific university entrepreneurship programs in the GCC, with more than 130 startups launched in less than two years and more than 2,700 students engaged in the Program,” Mr. Bettio concluded.

For more information about the InnCuVation Forum visit: https://hct.ac.ae/en/events/inncuvation-forum-2022/

-Ends-

About HCT

Founded in 1988, the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) is the UAE’s largest applied higher educational institution, gaining a well-respected reputation for innovative education practices and job-focused experiential learning. Over 23,000 students attend 16 modern, technology-oriented men's and women's campuses throughout the UAE. HCT offers over 70 academic programs in Applied Media, Business, Computer Information Science, Education, Engineering Technology & Science and Health Sciences.

These programs are all designed in consultation with business and industry leaders, and incorporate principles of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to ensure HCT students’ skills are up-to-date and to the highest standards. The HCT courses are a hybrid blend of innovative, technology-driven academic studies and work-relevant programs, ensuring that HCT graduates have the necessary 21st century skills to make positive and lasting contributions to society in the 4th Industrial Revolution.

The HCT 4.0 strategic plan, which is strongly aligned to the goals of the National Employment Strategy 2031, was launched in March 2019 with the theme of Employability and Beyond, and consists of three pillars - “Technical Leaders”, “No Emirati Left Behind” and “Graduate Companies”. HCT 4.0 will equip UAE’s National workforce with future skills required in the labor market, so as to meet national goals. It will also empower graduates and employees to be familiar with technological updates and enhance their skills, so as to keep pace with accelerating job changes dictated by the 4th Industrial Revolution and the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence skills.

HCT is a vital contributor to the national agendas, including providing education opportunities to every male and female Emirati and also being announced as a free zone, under the UAE’s Fifty Year Charter”, which stipulates that UAE public and private universities will be announced as free zones that allow students to carry out business and creative activities. In addition, HCT is prominent in its role as a federal institution by promoting applied research opportunities to faculty and students. The HCT has also embraced a global perspective on applied education by establishing the Global Applied Education Network (GAEN), which sees it partner with global educational institutions. Visit www.hct.ac.ae 

MEDIA CONTACTS:
NAME: Aysha AlMeheeri
DEPARTMENT: Director, Communications Department
EMAIL: aalmeheeri@hct.ac.ae 

Send us your press releases to pressrelease.zawya@refinitiv.com

© Press Release 2022

Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.

The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.