His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, attended the graduation ceremony of the 2023 cohort of the Higher Colleges of Technology’s (HCT) Dubai campuses, with 455 students in all successfully completing programmes in Engineering Technology and Science, Health Sciences, Business, Computer Information Science, Applied Media, and Education. The graduation ceremony, for 2023’s ‘Today's Leaders for Tomorrow’ cohort, took place at the Grand Hyatt Dubai Hotel. The event was attended by His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and HCT Chancellor; Dr. Faisal Alayyan, HCT President and CEO; Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director of HCT - Dubai Campuses, as well as dignitaries and senior officials, HCT teaching and administrative staff, and parents and families of the graduating students.
In his inaugural address, Dr. Alayyan, representing the HCT's Board of Trustees, extended a warm welcome to His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed for attending the event.
Dr. Alayyan emphasized that the UAE's leadership places a strong emphasis on ‘quality’ as the key to global competitiveness. He highlighted the remarkable achievements of Emirati citizens in various fields, including space exploration. He also noted that, as HCT celebrated the graduation of the ‘Today's Leaders for Tomorrow’ cohort, the institution looked upon the students as fine examples of a high-quality education who were poised to contribute to a sustainable future through their innovation and hard work.
Dr. Alayyan also expressed his utmost appreciation and gratitude to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court; and Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates for their constant and unwavering support that has been instrumental in HCT's remarkable journey spanning more than 35 years.
Dr. Alayyan also emphasised HCT's dedication to the cause of nurturing national talent at all levels, highlighting how it had effected significant changes to its educational model to achieve this objective. Such strategic transformations had helped establish a new model that underscored HCT's leadership in applied education, aligning it with national aspirations on the one hand and to job market changes on the other.
HCT’s new strategy embraces inclusiveness and integration as core pillars, offering diverse educational pathways for students based on their abilities and interests, Dr. Alayyan said. Such pathways, he added, encompass applied Bachelor's and vocational diploma programmes featuring meaningful partnerships with business sectors that helped impart valuable training and employment prospects to students, helping them emerge as preferred choices in the job market.
Dr. Alayyan noted that the graduation ceremony coincided with World Teachers' Day and sought to extend his heartfelt congratulations to all teachers and educators, voicing deep appreciation and gratitude for their tireless dedication and selfless contributions as those honing young minds and shaping future generations.
On behalf of the HCT’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Alayyan announced the graduation of the 455 students of the ‘Today's Leaders for Tomorrow’ cohort from the HCT-Dubai campuses. Dr. Alayyan extended his heartfelt congratulations to the graduates and conveyed his best wishes for their future endeavours, expressing hope for their continued success and highlighting that their achievements were by dint of sheer academic merit.
In their acknowledgement speeches, the graduates expressed their immense joy and pride, sharing their gratitude for the unwavering support and trust of the UAE leadership in its citizens. They described the overwhelming joy experienced by their families on the occasion and conveyed their heartfelt appreciation to their teachers and all those who had been pillars of support in their journey to success. The graduates emphasised their shared love for their country and their aspiration to become leaders of tomorrow, driven by a strong desire to make a positive impact and contribute to shaping the future.
The celebration also featured a video presentation entitled ‘Shaping the Future’ showcasing how HCT equips its graduates to become leaders of tomorrow in their respective fields. It also highlighted HCT's commitment to imbuing its graduates with the skills and expertise needed to become preferred candidates in the job market.
The highlight of the event for all those in attendance was when His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed presented the graduates with their certificates and posed with them for a commemorative group photo.