The British University in Dubai and Amity University Dubai co-organise the 7th ICASE World Conference on Science and Technology Education

Dubai, UAE

Sallam Sallam 

The British University in Dubai (BUiD) in collaboration with Amity University Dubai, organised the 7th ICASE World Conference on Science and Technology Education which was held at Amity University Dubai’s campus. The conference brought together policy makers, curriculum developers, scientists, university researchers, teachers, and experts in related education and engineering fields to share best practice and research and to discuss the latest developments.

This ICASE 2023 edition, themed ‘STEM Education for Global Challenges and Solutions’ marked the 50th anniversary of ICASE. ICASE was established in 1973 with support from UNESCO to extend and enhance the work of its member organisations; to provide and support activities and opportunities to enhance formal, non-formal, and informal STEM education at all levels worldwide; to establish and maintain an international communication network; and to encourage and support the establishment and development of professional STEM organisations.

The conference covered areas of education policy and impact, teaching practices, and pedagogy and projects. It aimed to widen the diversity of teaching approaches and assessment techniques while highlighting the importance of education through science and technology to promote problem-solving, decision-making, and personal development of not only teachers but their students as well. The conference encouraged the rethinking of current certification and summative examination policies to enable greater attention to assessment of personal and social development of the individual through STEM education.

BUiD’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdullah Alshamsi, noted the importance of the conference for promoting research and education not only in the UAE but in the region and beyond. He added, “This conference provides us with a very rich environment to address the challenges in the education sector with new technologies emerging every day. We need to learn how to embrace them and how to make them part of students’ learning experience.”

Dr. Fazal Malik, Pro Vice Chancellor at Amity University Dubai, said: “The UAE is taking significant steps towards becoming a leading technology hub, by implementing strategies aimed at addressing the skill gaps between the number of STEM graduates and the human capital requirements to fulfil the ambitions of the region.

The UAE Government has launched several innovative new initiatives, including the National Program for Coders, a programme aimed at creating 1,000 new start-ups through attracting computer science specialists, and One Million Arab Coders, a project which aims to empower one million Arabs with the essential coding skills required for employment in the future.

Conferences like ICASE are important for the region as these events give students, academics and industry experts a platform to network, discuss research, and provide solutions needed to cater to the growing demand in STEM degrees and careers. These initiatives are fueling the ambitions of Dubai as it rapidly expands towards becoming a hub for start-ups and tech companies.”

By organising and hosting the ICASE 2023, the two higher education institutions’ collaboration facilitated interaction between researchers and made a positive impact on promoting STEM education in the UAE and beyond.