INTERVIEW WITH HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH NAHAYAN BIN MUBARAK AL NAHAYAN, MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OF THE UAE

Your Highness, the UAE became in three decades not only a country with a developed economy but also a state paying enormous attention to issues connected with education of its population and development of science. Could you please share your vision of the future development of higher education and fundamental science in the UAE?

As of today, the Government of the UAE has elaborated a program of the country’s strategic development containing the basic priorities. Among these priorities, the issues related with higher education and scientific research occupy one of the leading positions.

One of the key goals we are facing is the establishment of a national research institute. We attract to this goal the best global companies engaged in scientific research. We have already signed the cooperation agreement in this sphere and on the establishment of a scientific centre in the UAE with Columbia Institute in New York. In the new scientific centre we shall conduct all kinds of up-to-date scientific research. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, has declared a long-term strategic plan of the country’s development; in the framework of this plan, specialized scientific institutions will be created Of course we are well aware that the future of our state will be based not on the oil reserves but on the highly qualified specialists which we have to grow from the young citizens of the UAE. We need our own human resources, progressivescholars who will continue all the endeavours initiated by my generation and lead the Emirates’ economy to new milestones and achievements. That is why we have to invest considerable funds into education and scientific research.

Today’s world is getting very small, due to integration and globalization; it is progressing at a breath-taking speed. And we realize that a modern society is by no means built solely on money and natural resources; first of all, it goes about people and the readiness to meet the realities of tomorrow. We have to undertake everything possible to prepare our young generation to meet the future because these are in particular the young people who will make new discoveries and make their country more prosperous.

We try to actively cooperate in many spheres with scientific and research centres in many countries of the world, with the aim to build up our own scientific potential. In our opinion, the most promising cooperation spheres are the use of human resources, studies of the practical application of the solar energy in the region, nano-technologies. In one word, we understand that we have to pay special attention to basic sciences and to continue the studies we have began.

What is your opinion about the possible use of the experiences gained by Ukrainian scholars when developing the Emirates’ national science?

We know very well the scientific achievements of Ukrainian scholars and research institutes. Even in the Soviet times, Ukraine has been a leading centre of science and industry. We are by all means ready to consider any possible cooperation options. Any experience and knowledge which could be useful for our country is important and interesting for us. The UAE are open for the best international experience and ready to create various joint research programs.

We will welcome everybody coming to us with interesting and useful proposals and projects. Moreover, we are ready to listen and adopt the best experience and knowledge accumulated by other countries, with the aim to establish mutually rewarding cooperation and to improve our scientific base. We cannot be isolated from the global processes as global warming or protection of environment. We are already conducting in these spheres our own research. I would also like to emphasize that we have started cooperation with several Ukrainian scientists, with the assistance of Ukraine Trade Center in the UAE.

Your Highness, let me thank you for the invitation of the employees and VIP-guests of Ukraine Trade Center in the UAE to attend the Festival of Thinkers held at the end of October in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Tell me please how did you come to an idea to conduct such a grandiose event in the Emirates with the participation of 15 Nobel laureates?

As I have already said, our world is getting smaller. Therefore, the peoples of all countries have no alternative but to interact with each other. We also realize that we cannot be isolated when there are disasters or cataclysms somewhere in the world. All the events happening in the world whether in Ukraine or China, are important in some way or another, for the entire mankind. If something happens to the ecosystem of our planet, it matters for everybody. If there are some disruptions in the economy of any region, it also matters for everybody. I would remind you on the oil prices explosion at the world commodity exchanges that affect the economic stability of many countries.

In short, in the modern world we cannot afford to live isolated from each other. The frontiers are getting more and more transparent. The IT-technologies enable us to momentarily contact, in real time mode, our partners living in other parts of the world. That is why no government can prevent you from crossing the national boundaries in the virtual space. Our world has changed, and we have to change together with it. And the first thing we should do is to invest in the generations to come.

Therefore, several years ago, we have initiated the conduct of the forum entitled “Education Without Frontiers” that was attended by students from more than 20 countries. The students were offered, in the framework of the forum, to discuss their future; the most discussed issues were global problems. The youngsters started to discuss problems very distant from their national of religious identity, colour of skin, sectarial and class differences. And I find it wonderful. In fact, in previous time, in order to maintain relations with business partners and friends, we had to rely on conventional correspondence.

Sometimes it lasted weeks and even months to receive an answer by mail. The young people of today have unique opportunities to communicate with each other every day, irrespective of their locations. After the first forum “Education Without Frontiers” we have thought it would be interesting to discuss, also in the future, the global problems and to search for their solutions. We have approached the scholars who had attended the first forum, with regard to their opinion and eventually we came to the idea of organizing the Festival of Thinkers. In this year the Festival of Thinkers was conducted for the second time; we have invited 16 Nobel laureates to attend it. Many outstanding scholars, versed in the fields of chemistry, physics, biology, medicine and other natural sciences, participated in the sessions of the Forum.

We are planning to conduct, in December of this year, another large-scale international conference dedicated to medicine and health care. At this conference, the participants will discuss the future of these spheres as there are many countries where people lack the simplest medical services, not to mention complicated operations.

We are trying to be a part of a human society. Our goal is that all the people on our Earth have a worthy life and we cannot ignore the problems. We are learning from the mistakes of others and trying to educate our young generation to the realities of life.

One of the issues discussed at the Forum was a woman’s role in the society. To what extent is this issue important in the today’s life of the UAE?

A woman and a mother have played an important role in every country and, of course, in the Orient. The women of today have long ago passed the limits of day-to-day life and upbringing of children. They head big companies and even states. We are planning to conduct in the next year the international conference “Women As World Leaders” to be attended by scholars, public leaders and female students from many international universities, including the leading universities and colleges of the UAE.

I have heard and read some comments and remarks made by the participants of the current Festival of Thinkers; many participants mention they could not even imagine that the problems like this we are now speaking about and many others related to global problems would be discussed in the Emirates. Many tended to think, prior to their arrival to the Forum that an oriental society is a very closed one; however, our Festival has taught them the contrary. It cannon but rejoice us and convince us that such events are indispensable.

How do you think, can the systems of students’ exchange contribute to better recognition of each other?

Certainly and we are constantly practicing the students’ exchange with the universities of Europe, America, Japan, Korea and many more. If the Ukrainian universities will wish to participate in our programs – they will be welcome! We are open to a dialog with every one.

You have probably noticed that a number of the UAE’s universities and colleges are growing on a permanent basis. The affiliates of the leading world universities are being opened in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah. Also the education quality is improving. We are looking into the future with confidence; hence, a lot of work is still to be done. Therefore, the communication with foreign students will be very useful for the young Emiratis and expats from India, Pakistan, European and CIScountries studying in the UAE.

Judging from the splendid collection of rifles on the walls of your study, you like hunting?

Thank you. The collection from many countries is simply a hobby but indeed, I like hunting. At the end of November we shall travel to hunt with falcons to Pakistan as in this time of the year there are many birds of passage migrating from the North and a falconry is allowed.

Have you ever hunted in the CIS-countries like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan?

Not yet. But I have visited Ukraine – the city of Yalta, in Crimea. And I would like to visit Kiev. Everybody say it’s a wonderful city. I would like to use this opportunity and present to you the last issue of the “Business Emirates” magazine where many pages are dedicated exactly to Crimea and its investment potential. And if you have visited Yalta long ago we would be glad to invite you, on behalf of Ukraine Trade Center, to visit once again this picturesque peninsula and Ukrainian capital – the city of Kiev. Thank you, with pleasure. Maybe, in the next year. In this year, I will spend my vacations in Africa and then in Europe. It is my turn now to invite you to the opening of a new educational building in the Sheikh Zayed University that will celebrate in this year its tenth anniversary. This ceremony will be conducted in the presence and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice- President, Prime Minister of the UAE, the Ruler of Dubai; it will be attended by 11 ministers of higher education and science of all GCC states. It will be interesting for you.

Thank you very much for the invitation, we shall definitely visit this event. And the last: what would you like to wish to the participants of the Forum “Leaders in Dubai” who will arrive to the UAE following invitations of the Ukraine Trade Center?

I would like to say the following. We are very satisfied by our bilateral intergovernmental relations. And there are many things we can learn from each other. Our relations are built on mutual respect and our cooperation is rewarding for both parties. We are proud of the achievements of Ukrainian scientists and are ready to adopt their experiences. We know outstanding surgeons from Ukraine as well as the scholars working in the other spheres. And we seek strengthening of our ties in the scientific and educational fields. The forums like “Leaders in Dubai” are very important from the point of view of fostering relations und understanding. That is why we shall continue to support the events of such level, to enhance and develop bilateral relations.