Harvard Business School Crossroads Conference

On May 19 2016, under the Patronage of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan  Mabarak Al-Nahyan UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Network of the UAE has been inaugurated. 

The HKS Alumni Network of the UAE comprises of all HKS degree program graduates, Executive Education and Research fellows and HKS affiliates that are currently residing in the UAE. There are HKS Alumni of different nationalities from different parts of the world, including UAE nationals currently working in Government, Private and non-profit sectors in the UAE and this number is growing. 

H.E. Barbara A. Leaf, US Ambassador to the UAE in her welcoming address highlighted the strong and dynamic relationship between UAE and US characterized by deep cooperation in everything from regional security and politics, to commerce and technology, to culture and education: “These true partnerships have even expanded to include space initiatives and education, the UAE’s Mission to Mars, and Vice President Biden’s “moon shot” on cancer .” Ambassador Leaf highlighted the importance of the creation of the HKS Alumni Network of the UAE: “Alumni events, like the one we are gathered at this evening, very much focus on reaffirming our critical people-to-people connections. Those connections form the bedrock of cooperation and partnership not just for individuals and companies, but also for nations.”

 

In his Key Note Address at the Inaugural Event that took place at the Palace Downtown Hotel in Dubai H.E. Sheikh Nahayan  Mabarak Al-Nahyan UAE Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development said: “Had I looked for innovative and courageous people in 1971 when our country was founded, I would have found His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahayan.  His innovation and daring created a great age for our united Emirates.  He met totally unprecedented problems with intelligent solutions.  He would have been an outstanding graduate of Harvard Kennedy School.  He innately knew its lessons.  And he imbued this country with his spirit, a spirit that continually inspires His Highness the President, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, and his leadership team.  Both the Vice President, Prime Minister, and  Ruler of Dubai, His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahayan, promote innovation, and sustain our national commitment to the fulfillment of human potential in every worthy endeavor.  In other words, you daring innovators are in the right place at the right time. “

The president of the Harvard Kennedy School Network of the UAE Ms. Gayane Afrikian in her opening remarks said. “As the Alumni of world’s top Public Policy and Public Administration School, we want to be a force for good in this wonderful country and the region. Our alumni are making a difference here in the UAE both in public and private sector”.

There were welcoming remarks made also by H.E. Laila Hareb, Assistant Director General for Aviation Strategies and International Affairs at General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), H.E. Najla Mohamed Al Kaabi, Assistant Under Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affair and International Cooperation and Mr. Bilal Sabouni, CEO, The American Business Council in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

The mission of the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Network of UAE is to:

  • Enable networking and cooperation among the HKS community in UAE
  • Facilitate idea generation, discussions on good governance & best practices in policy making
  • Promote public-private partnerships and cooperation
  • Outreach for recruitment to help find the best candidate for HKS in UAE especially in light of the Emirates Leadership Fellowship Initiative at the HKS by the UAE Government
  • Support the educational and public service mission of the Harvard Kennedy School

In 2014 with the Government of UAE established the Emirates Leadership Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School. The Emirates Leadership Initiative at HKS will be composed of four elements: fellowships for up to ten exceptional graduate students from the Arab world to study at HKS, a major research initiative focused on the Middle East, executive education for senior officials from the region, and an interactive field visit to the UAE for HKS students.

The HKS Alumni Network of the UAE has been officially registered with the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Relations and Resource Development and the HKS Alumni Board in Cambridge, Massachusetts in December 2015.