https://arab.news/6g9b4
Students of Bateen World Academy, the exclusive International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme school within the Aldar Academies group, which is part of Aldar Education, have demonstrated exceptional academic performance, as reflected by their remarkable IB exam results.
The students have achieved an average point score of 33, surpassing the international average of 30.2 points. Furthermore, 95 percent of the students have successfully passed the IB examination, exceeding the global pass rate of 79.3 percent.
Rawan Najim, who intends to study genetics at the University of Toronto in Canada, is the top achiever at the Bateen World Academy with an impressive average point score of 44. Deeksha Chaudhuri, who plans to pursue engineering at Princeton University in the United States, and Sona Sedrakyan, who aims to study medicine, have achieved 42 points. Mustafa Rashed, who intends to study finance at the University of Leeds in the UK, and Frank Yeh, who eyes pursuing a career in game development, have achieved 39 points.
Commenting on the results, Neal Dilk, principal of Bateen World Academy, said: “We are incredibly proud of our students’ outstanding achievements in the IB exams this year. These remarkable results are a testament to their resilience and pursuit of excellence, further building upon our school’s established track record of surpassing the IBDP world average results for five years. These exceptional outcomes symbolize the transformative power of lifelong learning and the limitless potential of the global citizens we have nurtured within our inclusive, learner-centered environment. I wish our students all the best in their future endeavors.”
Stephen Sharples, executive director of education at Aldar Education, added: “We are thrilled with the outstanding results achieved by our students in the IB examinations. What truly impresses us is the incredible diversity of fields they aspire to explore in their future studies. It is a testament to the well-rounded education they have received at Aldar Academies, which encourages students to explore and uncover their passions, including futuristic fields such as game development. We have every confidence that they will excel in their chosen fields and make a positive impact in the world.”
On behalf of Aldar Education’s family, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our students and their families, as well as our educators who have played an instrumental role in this journey of success.”
Technal, a leading provider of sustainable aluminium windows, doors and facades solutions, part of Hydro Extruded Solutions has established a regional headquarters in Riyadh.
The announcement was made following an event that was recently hosted at the Norwegian Embassy in Riyadh.
Thomas Lid Ball, ambassador of Norway to Saudi Arabia, who attended the event, said: “We are proud to have Technal in Saudi Arabia contributing to low carbon technologies for the construction sector. I am confident that Technal will contribute to implementing sustainable solutions that support the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.”
Technal is part of Hydro, a global aluminium and energy company that has 32,000 employees in more than 140 locations and 40 countries. Technal has been operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for more than 44 years offering low carbon footprint aluminium, energy efficient and high-performance solutions for windows, doors, and facades. The new RHQ in Riyadh will enable Technal to provide world-class aluminium windows, doors, and facades for its Saudi based customers, architects, consultants, contractors, and developers.
Commenting on the RHQ in Riyadh, Sam Robinson, managing director, Hydro Building Systems – Asia, said: “This is an exciting milestone as we outline our long-term interest to supporting decarbonization through our solutions in Saudi Arabia. By investing in recycled and recyclable products building developers can lower the embodied carbon by a minimum of 75 percent and create more end-of-life value for their buildings as well as contributing to a circular economy. Our aim is to contribute significantly to the Kingdom’s developments as it progresses towards a more sustainable future in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
“Buildings contribute to 40 percent of all energy consumption globally. Our solutions focus on reducing the carbon footprint of buildings by offering leading sustainable aluminium windows, doors and facades worldwide. The Saudi Arabian market has significant potential with many major construction developments including giga-projects like NEOM and the Red Sea Development. We are looking forward to growing our business in Saudi Arabia and the wider region and to continue supporting major projects that we are already involved in,” added Robinson.
Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, is building a number of new projects as it focuses on diversifying its economy away from oil. The projects span sectors including real estate, tourism, entertainment, infrastructure and others.
Saudi Arabia’s construction sector remained strong in the first quarter of 2023 and posted a record reading on the back of higher workloads, a new survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has shown. The headline Rics Construction Activity Index for Saudi Arabia in the three months to the end of March recorded a positive 69 net balance reading, up from the +65 recorded in the previous quarter.
Saudi Arabia is also on track to meet its Net-Zero pledge by 2060. The Kingdom has committed to having 50 percent of its power generated from renewable sources by 2030. The Kingdom targets to reduce carbon emissions by 278 metric tons per annum by 2030. Technal wants to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in driving sustainable development of buildings through its low carbon footprint and energy efficient aluminium windows doors and facades.
In addition, due to stringent emission regulations and the fact that the reserves of natural resources slowly being exhausted, the world’s interest in urban mining is increasing. Technal is investing in urban mining in line with their circularity approach. The company has implemented initiatives to collect and recycle end-of-life aluminium, fostering circularity globally.
At the event, Technal presented Hydro’s latest low carbon alloy “Hydro CIRCAL 100R”, in KSA, the world’s first near-zero carbon aluminium made with 100 percent post-consumer aluminium scrap for doors windows and facades.
Technal has provided a range of sustainable aluminium projects for key landmarks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including the 1960’s Bridgestone HQ as well as work for the Red Sea coastal village and Diryah Gate. Technal has also provided solutions for Riyadh metro, Hilton Garden Inn, Al Zamil Etlal tower, Fairmont Ramla and Qiddiya projects in KSA.
In a pivotal step towards elevating dermatological care in the region, La Roche-Posay, a global leader in skincare, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with King Faisal Specialist Hospital Foundation – Wareef Charity.
The partnership falls under the umbrella of La Roche-Posay’s internationally renowned “Fight with Care” program, which has a decade-long record of furthering cancer supportive care.
In line with L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty’s commitment to the progressive development and robust support of the skincare and haircare sectors, this initiative sets a precedent in enriching patient experiences, and enabling them to access invaluable information related to skin and hair care preservation across various stages of their life.
With God’s grace and success, we have signed a partnership agreement with the L’Oréal company to provide the company’s products to oncology and cancer patients to mitigate the effects of their treatments and to help them make their daily lives better.
Anwar Alsaqabi, CEO at Wareef Charity
The partnership is designed to strengthen and expand the support for patients undergoing chemotherapy at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, offering them comprehensive training on the beneficial impact of dermo-cosmetics in alleviating treatment side effects. Throughout 2023, La Roche-Posay will provide specialized training to between 1,000-1,300 patients and donate thousands of units of its clinically proven skincare products, including Lipikar Baume AP+M and Cicaplast Baume B5.
Commenting on this partnership, Mohamed El Araby, general manager L’Oreal Dermatological beauty division, Middle East, said: “This marks an important stride in our overarching commitment to enhance the skincare sector in the region. This forward-thinking partnership is an extension of our commitment to provide world class training, support and products to dermatologists and patients. A first-of-its-kind in the region under our ‘Fight with Care’ program, will see us combining forces to empower and educate patients about the transformative role of dermo-cosmetics in their well-being journey.”
Remi Naser, brand director at La Roche-Posay, said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with King Faisal Hospital Foundation – Wareef Charity under our longstanding ‘Fight with Care’ program. Eighty percent of cancer patients experience skin side effects, often leading to treatment interruptions. As such, we wanted to play a role in mitigating these effects by leveraging our decade-long expertise in skincare and oncology, to educate patients on the transformative role of dermo-cosmetics in their wellbeing journey. As part of this collaboration, La Roche-Posay will be supporting over 1,000 patients with dedicated skincare solutions as well as equip healthcare professionals with extensive training sessions. As we embark on this journey with King Faisal Hospital Foundation Wareef Charity, we look forward to harnessing the power of collaboration to improve patients’ lives during chemotherapy, to further allow them to navigate their treatment with enhanced comfort and confidence.”
Anwar Alsaqabi, CEO at Wareef Charity said: “With God’s grace and success, we have signed a partnership agreement with the L’Oréal company to provide the company’s products to oncology and cancer patients to mitigate the effects of their treatments and to help them make their daily lives better. The provision of L’Oréal products to the patients of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, which is one of the largest and most reliable medical edifices in the Middle East, is highly appreciated. We express our deepest thanks for this community contribution, which indicates a close and great cooperation. And we are all confident in its success and sustainability,
God willing.”
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop initiatives and conduct research into how AI could transform key aspects of the nation’s integral aviation sector.
This is inline with the university’s commitment to enhancing AI competitiveness across vital sectors, including aviation and logistics in the UAE, while paving the way for sustainable growth and innovation.
The agreement was signed at Etihad Airways HQ in Abu Dhabi to advance knowledge, technology, and collaboration through shaping the future of aviation with the transformative solutions of AI. As part of the agreement, both organizations will establish joint training programs and explore research opportunities, conduct seminars, workshops, and conferences on a range of topics exploring AI in aviation.
The MoU encompasses training opportunities for MBZUAI students, focusing on deepening their understanding of the aviation industry and exploring the potential of AI in addressing its challenges.
Sultan Al Hajji, MBZUAI’s vice president of public affairs and alumni relations, said: “We are proud to collaborate with various stakeholders in driving the integration of AI into their core operations, solidifying MBZUAI’s vision to fostering technological advancement in the UAE. Aviation is a key strategic sector in the UAE, helping to drive commerce and tourism and positioning the nation as a global hub.
“Through this partnership with Etihad Airways, MBZUAI aims to bring the power of AI to the aviation industry. Close collaboration is key in enabling our faculty, students, and researchers to understand the challenges that this sector faces and the opportunities for growth that they see. The partnership will also give our students — many of whom have undertaken internships with Etihad Airways — and our researchers, the opportunity to gain valuable experience and insights, opening up new areas of specialization.”
Mohamed Hasan Al Mansoori, vice president Emiratization strategy & government relation at Etihad Airways said: “As the UAE’s national airline, Etihad Airways prides itself on being an industry leader. We’re excited to partner with MBZUAI to explore opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, particularly in terms of long-term planning in areas such as customer service, flight planning, workforce and fleet management, and security.”
We look forward to developing this collaboration, maintaining our lead as an aviation innovator, and helping position the UAE as the world’s foremost hub for aviation.”
Gulf Islamic Investments expanded its operations in Saudi Arabia substantially in 2023 with the acquisition of a full investment license from the Saudi Capital Market Authority and the planned opening of a GII office in Riyadh this year.
A leading Shariah-compliant global alternative investment company with over $3.5 billion of assets under management, GII already has several investments within the Kingdom.
In May 2022, GII took a majority share in the Al Meswak Medical Group for $600 million co-partnering with the giant Saudi Jadwa Investment management and advisory firm.
Al Meswak has the largest chain of dental and dermatology clinics in Saudi Arabia, comprising over 90 facilities in more than 37 Saudi cities, plus the recent acquisition of two dental clinics in Abu Dhabi’s Al Ain region in the UAE.
Fawaz Al Tamimi, chairman of the GII office in Saudi Arabia, said: “I am delighted that GII has been successful in its bid to play a stronger role in the Kingdom’s impressive investment story. Combining my experience on the GII Board and knowledge of Saudi Arabia’s business landscape with GII’s undoubted talent for spotting investment opportunities can increase the returns for our current shareholders and new partners through our expanded Saudi operations.”
Mohammed Alhassan, GII’s co-founder and co-CEO, said: “This new investment license underlines our willingness to expand our existing relationships in the Kingdom. GII’s Saudi investment operations support the Financial Sector Development Plan of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to diversify the nation’s alternative asset management options, plus other development initiatives by acquisitions and co-investments with Saudi and other investors.”
Fellow GII co-founder and co-CEO Pankaj Gupta said: “GII has already recognized the plethora of opportunities in Saudi Arabia, boosting its existing operations in the agribusiness, healthcare, education and logistics sectors. This investment license and a physical presence in Riyadh can supercharge our operations across the Kingdom and beyond, powered by GII’s network of investment relationships and its international offices across the GCC, Europe, the USA and India.”
MUFG recently announced the appointment of Yohsuke Takahashi as regional head for Middle East. As part of MUFG’s focus on deepening relationships with clients across the Middle East and delivering leading financing solution for the region, Takahashi will be responsible for all operations from the Dubai International Financial Centre branch in Dubai. His appointment is effective from July 5 and will report into Hidefumi Yamamura, deputy regional executive, MUFG EMEA.
The Middle East continues to be an exciting place for innovation, sustainability and technology and I look forward to working with clients on effective and forward-thinking solutions.
Yohsuke Takahashi, Regional head for ME, MUFG
Takahashi replaces Masashi Sakai, who successfully led the operations within the Middle East region since August 2020.
Takahashi said: “I am excited to be leading the team in the Middle East and further growing our presence in the region. The Middle East continues to be an exciting place for innovation, sustainability and technology and I look forward to working with clients on effective and forward-thinking solutions.”