Mohamed Bin Zayed University For Humanities Board Of Trustees Holds First Meeting, Adopts Multiple Strategic Decisions

Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities Board of Trustees holds first meeting, adopts multiple strategic decisions

ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 19th Jan, 2021) The Board of Trustees of the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanities, which was launched on International Day for Tolerance 2020, held its first meeting at the university's campus in Abu Dhabi.

The meeting was chaired by Dr. Hamdan Muslim Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and was attended by the full board: Sarah Awad Issa Musallam, Vice President, Maryam Eid AlMuhairi, Mohamed Najim AlQubaisi Dr. Yousif Abdulla Majed Alobaidli, Omar Habtoor AlDarei, and Dr. Ali Saeed bin Harmal Al Dhaheri.

Hamdan welcomed the board members and praised the leadership’s efforts in meeting the community’s needs by establishing prestigious academic institutions, which continue to advance humanity with the same visionary approach initiated by the UAE founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan.

Hamdan emphasised that the university would play a pivotal role in building knowledge, creating future leaders, and serving humanity. Supported by Abu Dhabi leadership, the university aims to strengthen the UAE’s higher education system by providing academic programmes in undergraduate and postgraduate studies and finding links between academic research and the community.

Hamdan said: "In addition to the honour of having the name of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and representing the great values embodied by His Highness, the university is proud to have assembled an esteemed list of scholars and thinkers. This includes one of the most prominent Sunni scholars of our time, Shaykh Abdallah bin Bayyah, President of the university’s Higher Academic Council, which aims to establish the university as a global academic centre in the field of humanities."

In their first meeting, the board members discussed a series of strategic decisions designed to enhance the status of the field of humanities as central to building a cohesive society; strengthen the values of human fraternity; and promote coexistence and building bridges of communication between cultures and civilizations.

The board adopted the university's academic plans and programmes, which aim to achieve the university's vision of excellence. The most prominent of these programmes is the world’s first bachelor’s degree in tolerance and coexistence studies, and the middle East’s first philosophy and ethics programme. The programmes are designed so students graduate with a combination of knowledge and values and are able to contribute to sustainable social development.

The board adopted the university's visual identity, inspired by distinctive cultural and historical elements. The logo reflects the university’s vision to spread the values of coexistence, tolerance, and human fraternity. A tree with three intertwined roots, symbolising the shared origins of the Abrahamic religions, extends into water as a reference to the words of the almighty and the fact we all rely on water. An open book at the foot of the tree is a reference to knowledge and intellectual openness, while the symbol for ‘Phi’ – the root of the word ‘philosophy’ – also translates to an appreciation for knowledge.

The board also adopted plans to launch an annual Week of Tolerance, which will coincide with the anniversary of the university's establishment on the International Day for Tolerance, observed on 16 November. The week will include a series of initiatives and events that strengthen the university's role in supporting Abu Dhabi's position as the global capital of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

The board also discussed a series of strategic plans and made decisions that serve the university's efforts to achieve its vision and strategic goals.