This year has been declared the Year of Giving for the UAE, marking a renewed focus on the role of charity in society. A holistic approach to giving is now emerging, one that highlights both the societal and personal benefits of giving not only your money but also your time to the causes and people you care about.
The Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research has been listed as one of the best free standing regional studies centers in the world by the University of Pennsylvania in their 2016 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report. The Foundation is one of only three Middle Eastern think tanks to be included on the prestigious list.
In line with the UAE's commitment to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, the UAE Gender Balance Council recently hosted a successful three-day workshop to accelerate the implementation of SDG 5 - 'achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls', as part of 'SDGs in Action @ WGS'. Organized by the World Government Summit in collaboration with the United Nations, the World Bank and the UN Foundation, 'SDGs in Action @ WGS' explored the role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in achieving the 17 SDGs, bringing together scientists, experts, government officials and other key stakeholders to discuss the key challenges of achieving each goal and to identify potential solutions to those challenges.
At almost two metres tall, the Woman From The Mangroves is life-size and imposing. Her body is made from fishing-net wire, traditionally used by the portside fishermen of Ras Al Khaimah, and her head is fashioned from part of an old mangrove tree taken after it had already died, from the natural landscape along the emirate’s thriving coast.
The 2016 Global Go To Think Tank Index (GGTTI) marks the tenth year of continued efforts by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania to acknowledge the important contributions and emerging global trends of think tanks worldwide.
Gulf philanthropic organizations have become increasingly prominent actors in the global education arena. While they are often working to support inclusive and equitable quality education, there is little research examining the overarching activities of these institutions. This piece describes why Gulf philanthropic organizations operating in education deserve greater attention from academics and policymakers.
In October the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research hosted an event to share findings from a collaborative case study with UNESCO Doha on Ras Al Khaimah's education system. The case study was one of six included in a broader research initiative which was funded by the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF).
Foundations and nonprofits are mission-driven organizations, and there is growing acknowledgement that communications play an important role in achieving their social change goals. While new practices and social media platforms often garner the most attention, it would be a mistake to underestimate the value of more traditional tools in effectively reaching stakeholders. Annual reports are one such tool.
Dr. Natasha Ridge, Executive Director at the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, discusses the organization's current projects and plans for the future, including initiatives related to research, teacher professional development, and arts and culture.
Despite the UAE maintaining its top ranking for the region in a survey conducted by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) on pupils’ proficiency, it experienced a drop in its global rankings across two other subjects. Dr. Natasha Ridge discusses that while country comparisons can be useful, the UAE should use its country data to identify areas where it believes improvement is needed