Coursera to develop lifelong learning system in UAE

ABU DHABI – The Ministry of Education (MoE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Coursera, a leading online learning platform, to develop an innovative lifelong learning system in the UAE.

The agreement was signed during the World Government Summit (WGS) by Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda in the presence of Dr Mohamed Ebrahim Al Mualla, Undersecretary for Academic Affairs at the Ministry of Education; Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education, and other senior officials.

The MoU aims to strengthen cooperation between the two parties in establishing local and international partnerships to promote credit-recommended content in the UAE. The partnership will also support higher education institutions in the UAE to develop micro-credentials with creditworthiness.

Dr Al Falasi emphasized the importance of lifelong learning as an important tool for improving individual capabilities and skills. Lifelong learning, he said, helps increase an individual’s productivity, enhances their entrepreneurial spirit and innovation capacity, and teaches them additional skills that help them grow in their careers. The Minister of Education also emphasized that strategic partnerships with the public and private sectors are crucial to realizing the vision of improving the UAE’s education system and building a knowledge-based society to enhance the country’s competitiveness in various fields.

Maggioncalda emphasized the importance of career-relevant, accessible and flexible learning opportunities, with a particular emphasis on micro-credentials to enable the transition to a knowledge economy. He praised the UAE’s efforts to establish itself as a hub for start-ups and multinational corporations, and expressed his enthusiasm for supporting the Ministry of Education’s vision for an innovative lifelong learning system that will further establish the UAE as a global leader in talent competitiveness.

As part of its participation in WGS, the Department of Education organized the first Future of Education Forum, where officials, education sector experts and thought leaders discussed ways to improve the education system to meet future needs. The theme of this forum is “Foreseeing the Future of Education”.