Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research and Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education Sign Agreement to Deliver High-Quality Career Guidance and Soft Skill Development to UAE Youth

Two UAE-based organizations, the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research (AQF) and the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education (AGFE), have virtually signed an MoU agreement to deliver high-quality education and career guidance services to youth in the UAE.

After a long-standing relationship of mutual support, the two entities will serve UAE youth through a collaborative three-year partnership. Together, they will provide workshops for Ras Al Khaimah based Emirati students on the AGFE Young Thinkers Program (YTP), introducing resources such as career guidance counseling and university preparation to help them excel.

AGFE and AQF will work together to strategically increase the quality of learning for UAE youth and fill the gaps in student career guidance needed to transition them seamlessly from their education to a meaningful career path. By the end of their collaboration, both entities aim to provide services to thousands of youth across the emirate and conduct virtual sessions for parents and educators in Ras Al Khaimah to help them provide education and employment guidance to their children and students, respectively.

This initiative is aligned with the UAE National Strategy for Higher Education 2030, which aims to prepare a new generation of Emiratis to face future challenges. It also reflects AGFE's commitment to elevating Emirati and Arab students' livelihoods in the UAE and across the region.

H.E Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education (AGFE) said: "Youth in the UAE are at the heart of the nation's economic growth. Recognizing their potential, our partnership with the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research will support them in developing the skills needed for these young people to find greater success along their education to employment journey.

"Our mission at AGFE is to contribute to the sustainable development of the region through inclusive, innovative, and wide-reaching education opportunities for Emirati and Arab students. With this goal in mind, we are proud to collaborate with partners who share our vision to encourage and support the young people of this country to achieve excellence."

Seeking to generate a world-class body of research on Ras Al Khaimah and the broader UAE, develop local capacity in the public sector, and engage the community in its work, the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research was established in 2009 through Emiri decree by His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.

H.E Mohammad Omran Al Shamsi, Chairman of the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research (AQF), said: "One of our aims at the Foundation is to establish fruitful relationships with strategic partners that ultimately serve to benefit students in the UAE along their education journey. When youth are guided and are provided high quality learning opportunities, it allows them to reach their full potential, and contribute to the development of their nation. I am confident that this partnership with the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, a long-standing ally, will help students realize their passions and explore future career pathways that will inspire them to create a better future for themselves, their communities and society at large."

AGFE and AQF have worked together in previous years, supporting one another in several capacities. During AGFE's early days of establishment, AQF offered valuable insights to the Foundation that contributed to the design and development of the Al Ghurair Young Thinkers Program (YTP). Having explored ways to work together over the years, AGFE and AQF are looking forward to collaborating closely in the implementation of university and career readiness programming.