under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of dubai and President of HBMSU

HBMSU to launch Innovation Arabia 8 in February

• Dr. Farouk El-Baz to discuss innovative solutions to drive comprehensive development in Arab world

• Event is expected to draw wide participation from MSc and PhD students with 30 research papers and 75 poster presentations

  [UAE, January 28, 2015] – Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has revealed plans to launch this year’s edition of Innovation Arabia 8, an annual event that provides a platform to exchange ideas, discuss trends, solutions and challenges in the development of sustainable economies and societies in the Arab world through innovation, which will be held from February 16 to February 18, 2015. The event is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of the HBMSU. The conference, which aims to drive innovation and creativity as fundamental mainstays for the transformation into full-fledged knowledge economies in the Arab World, is being organized under the theme 'Innovate, Collaborate, and Differentiate: Honoring the Past, Treasuring the Present, and Shaping the Future.' Innovation Arabia 8 attracts some of the world's leading experts, including Dr. Farouk El-Baz, Director of the Center for Remote Sensing at Boston University, USA, who has had significant contributions to the fields of innovation and scientific research. On the sidelines of the conference, academic research papers will be presented before high-level academics, experts, decision makers and regional and international intellectuals. The papers will feature four important tracks, namely; Quality and Business Management,    e-learning Excellence, Health and Environment, Islamic Banking and Finance, in order to find out effective solutions that meet the requirements of sustainable development in the Arab World. The conference will also feature notable international, regional and local keynote speakers, including Hussain Al Qemzi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Noor Investment Group and Chief Executive Officer of Noor Bank; Eng. Sobhi A. Batterjee, Founder, President and CEO of Saudi German Hospitals Group; Gregory H. Watson, past-President and Honorary Member of the International Academy for Quality (IAQ); and Alan Bruce, CEO & Director of Universal Learning Systems and Vice President of EDEN. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, said: “The launch of Innovation Arabia 8 reflects HBMSU’s belief that innovation and creativity are of a great significance as the path towards a better tomorrow for the Arab World. The conference will be an ideal platform to discuss new ideas and effective solutions that can drive sustainable economic and social development in the region, in line with the demands of 21st century.” Al Awar added: “The Arab countries need to embark on a journey of innovation and prepare a solid ground for the rise of a creative society and accelerating the pace of digital transformation. Our high-profile conference will help to capitalize on the promising human potentials and unleash the huge economic opportunities waiting within the Arab World through innovation.” Innovation Arabia 8 will highlight the promising research capabilities of the young generation, through discussing research papers submitted by 30 MSc and PhD students from prominent local and international universities, focusing on four important tracks, including Quality and Business Management, e-learning Excellence, Health and Environment, and Islamic Banking and Finance. Innovation Arabia 8 will also discuss 75 poster presentations--38 of which were submitted by graduate students from universities in the UAE, including HBMSU, which will showcase 22 presentations, while another 27 coming from students of international universities, eight from the private sector and four from the government sector.