Dr. Eesa Baskati, President of the University of Dubai said cultural mindsets must change in the Middle East during his official opening keynote presentation at the 11th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit.
In a fascinating insight, the professor stated that the UAE and the entire Middle East region in general needed to overhaul its approach in relation to R&BD development, or it will be in big, big trouble.
He highlighted how in the overall spend on R&BD globally, the UAE and the majority of countries in the Middle East were ranked outside the Top 20, and said this has to eradicated urgently.
Dr. Baskati said, “We need to change the culture here in the UAE in relation to our approach to Research & Business Development. If we don’t, then we’re in a lot of trouble.”
In addition to this, he highlighted the need for techno-edutainment to be introduced into learning in an effort to better stimulate students. He also said that Silicon Valley was a perfect example of a tech hub that aligned itself with academic institutions to drive change.
Dr. Bastaki said, “Silicon Valley was successful because it was interlinked with prestigious universities such as Stanford and UC Berkeley. It recruited graduates from those institutions which ultimately drove innovation and entrepreneurship.”
However, despite outlining some of his fears, Dr. Baskati expressed his hope and optimism for the UAE and said that he believes that the brave leadership of the government will ensure it remains a global leader for championing pioneering new technologies. In addition to this, he said it was critical that the UAE aligns academia with technological advancement in order to foster continued innovation and prosperity.
He concluded by saying, "The future is what our imagination leads us to. The future is limitless. However we need to brave and fortune favours the bold.”