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Sheikh Mohammed launches Dhs100m Great Arab Minds initiative in Dubai

The five-year initiative will support 1,000 leading Arab intellectuals across fields including physics and mathematics, software and data science, economics, higher education and research

by Varun Godinho

January 5, 2022

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has launched a Dhs100m Great Arab Minds initiative.

The five-year initiative will focus on fields including physics and mathematics, software and data science, economics, higher education and research.

Furthermore, the initiative to identify and support 1,000 Arabs intellectuals will be driven by and headquartered at the Museum of the Future in Dubai.

Great Arab Minds is reportedly the Arab world’s largest movement designed to search for exceptional talents among Arab scientists, thinkers, and innovators across key fields, according to news agency WAM.

We built the Museum of the Future as a global hub for scientists, thinkers and innovators – it is the ideal headquarters to develop the potential of our region’s finest minds. We will act as an incubator and accelerator for fostering Arab and global talent. pic.twitter.com/qKxPXBl5FP

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) January 4, 2022

The programme is backed by a Dhs100m fund and will be administered from the Museum of the Future, with a committee of four Emirati ministers who will develop a system to identify and highlight the extraordinary thinkers and talents that the initiative will support.

The fund will support local and global partnerships in fostering research, development and innovation.

Today we launch a Dhs100 million fund to seek and support 1,000 Great Arab Minds in physics and mathematics, software and data science, economics and universities and research. Great minds built the Arab civilization – I believe the talent in our region can build a better world pic.twitter.com/Qqou1POV7x

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) January 4, 2022

The committee leading Great Arab Minds is chaired by Mohammad Al Gergawi, president of the Museum of the Future. Its other members include Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency; and Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.

The fields of focus of Great Arab minds are selected based on the potential for future development in key areas of innovation to drive development and economic growth.

“Great minds built the Arab civilization – today I believe we have the talent to build a better world,” tweeted Sheikh Mohammed.

“We will accelerate the Emirates’ role as an incubator for fostering Arab and global talent. We built the Museum of the Future as a global hub for scientists, thinkers and innovators – it is the ideal headquarters for a fund to develop the potential of our region’s finest minds.”