Dubai hosts IB governance meetings
The IB Board of Governors held their biannual meeting in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on 19-22 November and were warmly received by government authorities, media and members of the local IB community.
The four days of Board and governance committee meetings also included guided visits to local IB World Schools (11 in UAE, 8 in Dubai) with students’ artistic performances for the visitors. Fruitful discussions also took place with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) of the Emirate of Dubai, aiming “to develop the education and human resource sectors and bring them on par with international standards and prevalent best practices, while keeping in mind the requirements of the job market.”
The visit culminated in an IB community dinner at the Madinat Jumeirah, sponsored by five educational organizations in Dubai. Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of KHDA (pictured above), spoke on the subject of “International-mindedness and the Arabic speaking world.” In his speech, Dr Karam asked the guests to reflect on the idea that in war, everybody loses: some more than others; in a knowledge society everybody has something to gain: some more than others. Five students from local schools addressed the dinner guests, each explaining the way in which the IB had made an impact on their lives.
The visit of IB staff and Board members to Dubai also attracted much media attention, including front-page coverage in The National newspaper and a televised interview for Dubai One TV with Andrew Bollington, regional director for the Africa, Europe and Middle East region.
