GDRFA Dubai concludes virtual summer course for the children of governmental department’s employees

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) announced the conclusion of the 3rd edition of the ‘Innovative Generation’ summer program for the children of government employees. The program designed for children belonging to the age group of 10 - 18 years took place virtually and lasted for a week with an average of 10 training hours. The third edition of the program witnessed the participation of 27 students. The summer program aims to rehabilitate and refine the creative skills of the participants and transform their ideas into innovative models and projects to be implemented, in addition to training students to deal with smart technology. The summer program included several axes, including training to use technological tools and parts, 3D printing, programming, internet, solar energy and its applications, in addition to lectures, presentations and practical exercises. The courses enable participants to learn about the best methods and tools necessary for innovation, thereby enhancing their skills in the field of applied innovation. Participants are divided into different categories and are honoured at the end of each stage, to encourage their meaningful participation. Brigadier Hussein Ibrahim, Assistant Director General of the Institutional Support Sector, GDRFA Dubai, confirmed that the summer program launched by the Directorate in 2018 has been receiving a great number of participants, as the program is part of the Directorate’s strategy to establish a culture of innovation in younger generations. It is designed to discover and nurture talents in them in order to realize the government’s vision in activating the role of youth and their contributions in the society’s development. He added that GDRFA Dubai is keen to provide a safe learning environment to promote innovation, addressing the need to maintain learning experiences during the Summer break despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic. Colonel Abdul Samad Suleiman, Deputy Assistant Director for leadership and Future Affairs, added that the ‘Innovative Generation’ Summer program has had a positive impact on the participating students by enabling them to learn various life skills during the Summer holidays. He praised the role of Directorate in adopting such initiatives that motivate talents and enhance their creativity, which in turn encourages younger generations to develop their skills and continue learning by various means. Ilham Ahli, Director of the Department of Innovation and Creativity Center, GDRFA Dubai, confirmed that the Directorate considers the concept of innovation as a firm approach to developing its programs and initiatives. He explained that the results of the summer program throughout the years reflect the extent of the participants’ awareness on the importance of innovation in dealing with future changes in positive and productive ways.