University of Dubai concludes successful PRME conference

The 3^rd Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) MENA Regional Conference, held under the Patronage of His Excellency Abdul Rahman Saif Al Ghurair, the Chairman of Dubai Chamber, came to a successful close. The event, which was recently hosted by the University of Dubai in the Dubai Chamber, was chaired by His Excellency Majid Al Shamsi, the Chairman of University of Dubai Board of Trustees and 1st Vice Chairman of the Dubai Chamber. 

Commenting on the event,His Excellency Hisham Abdulla Al Shirawi, Chairman of Economic Zones World and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Chamber, said,“On behalf of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it was my pleasure to inaugurate the PRME Regional Conference for MENA. As patrons, Dubai Chamber is committed to support the development of business education in the UAE and the wider MENA region.”

Speaking about the importance of increasing corporate social responsibility and sustainability amongst the business community, Al Shirawi said, “As representatives of Dubai’s private sector, we see these concepts as vital to growing Dubai’s economy and developing the transparency and accountability that is expected of a global leader. An essential part of this is educating the young people of today so that they can build a legacy for generations to come. We formed the University of Dubai in 1997 to meet a growing need to educate and prepare young people to enter the workplace or start their own businesses. We are immensely proud of its achievements. The University of Dubai is a leader in the region and is helping to cultivate the next generation of ethical business leaders through its CSR teaching.” 

The first day of the conference was attended by His Excellency Abdul RahmanSaif Al Ghurair and His Excellency Hisham Abdulla Al Shirawi. Following the inaugural address by His Excellency Hisham Abdulla Al Shirawi, His Excellency Dr. Eesa Bastaki, President of the University of Dubai, delivered the opening remarks andkeynote address titled, “Leadership and Innovation.”Highlighting the ways in which University of Dubai has aligned its practices and education with the 6 PRME principles, Dr. Bastaki also presented Expo Live, an initiative of Expo 2020 Dubai, which underlines the proposed Expo 2020 Dubai subthemes - Mobility, Sustainability and Opportunity.

Prominent plenary speakers on the first day included Dr. Bouchra Al Mulla, Director of Social and Cohesion Department at Community Development Authority; Jonas Haertle, Head, Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Secretariat, UN Global Compact Office; Habiba Al Marashi, Chairperson, Emirates Environmental Group, and President, UN Global Compact Network, GCC Statesand Dr. Ahmed Abdel-Meguid, Associate Professor, Chair of the Department of Accounting, Director of the MBA Programs - The American University in Cairo (AUC) - School of Business & PRME MENA Chapter Coordinator. The opening day’s program also included a panel discussion titled, “Impact of Leadership on Principles of Business Education and Society” and a PRME MENA Conferencenetworking meeting. 

Held at the University of Dubai’s Campus in the Dubai Chamber, the second day of the conferencewas attended by His Excellency Majid Al Shamsi. The event witnessed participation from several eminent speakerssuch as: Dr. NehmeAzoury, Secretary-General of the Arab Society of Faculties of Business, Economic and Political Sciences; Dr. Sadig A. Malki, Associate Professor of Economy and Administration, King Abdulaziz University; Lina Hourani Director of CSR Division, Al Ahli Holding Group; Luma Jasim, Vice President of Corporate Communications, du; and Hessa Al Ghurair, Head of Human Resources, Tanfeeth. The event concluded with a PRME Non-Signatory session moderated by Jonas Haertle and Dr. Eappen Thiruvattal, CBA Assistant Professor and PRME Coordinator, University of Dubai, followed by closing remarks by Dr. Genanew Bekele, CBA Assistant Professor and PRME Coordinator, University of Dubai. 

Upon the event’s closing, Dr. Eesa Bastaki, said, “The successful PRME conference, hosted by The University of Dubai - the first signatory to its principles in the Middle East -concluded with a clear statement of intent. Sustainability and responsible business management are critical to the economic and social development of the region. It is essential that these elements are built into business management education in order to instill sound principles within our future leaders. I believe that this conference has moved the debate on this important topic forward. We have heard from a number of prominent speakers and panelists, all of whom agree that it is essential that sustainability and responsibility are included in business management education. It is imperative that these discussions continue in order to provide a more stable economy and healthy planet for future generations. The University of Dubai is committed to ensuring that its graduates are taughtsustainable and responsible business practices within our accredited business management programs and we will continue to promote these values within the region and around the world.”