1st World Giftedness Center International Conference 2021
“We live in an age marked by accelerating change. The rate of technological and scientific progress is paralleled by equally profound social and cultural development. To guide this change for the better, to lend it a human face, and to imbue it with a sense of kind restraint, we need our brightest minds at the helm. Yet, we must consistently and critically examine whether the current state of education allows for the development of potential talents in a way that benefits both the individual and society at large. To that end, this conference seeks to identify and also preserve the finest and most worthy means of talent development while at the same time, looking to the future of specialized education and talent pedagogy.”
The 1st World Giftedness Center International Conference will launch the World Giftedness Center officially as an initiative by the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance and will bring together world-renowned researchers and practitioners from across several countries. While scholars will showcase cutting-edge research findings from the fields of gifted education and talent development, practitioners with excellent giftedness initiatives will demonstrate best practice examples. Among researchers and practitioners alike, the event will facilitate an exchange of ideas and experiences through both meaningful discussions, and via a diversity of workshops concerned with the most pressing topics in gifted education and talent development.
Organizer
Initiated by the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance was established in 1998, followed by the establishment of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences in 1999. The aim was to strengthen excellence in the educational and medical sectors, foster innovation, and support high-quality initiatives. These Awards were designed to identify, nurture, and encourage talent while advancing scientific research in these crucial fields.
Within a few years, the scope of services and partnerships of both Awards expanded from the local framework to regional and international levels, especially with prestigious international and regional organizations such as the UNESCO, ICESCO, ALECSO, Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, Fab Lab Organization, World Council for Gifted and Talented Children, International Research Association for Talent Development and Excellence, as well as reputable medical entities like specialized universities and international hospitals. This posed more challenges for the Awards that required an advanced administrative structure and additional resources.
In 2018, a law was issued to establish Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, giving the educational initiative its own institutional identity. In 2023, another law was issued to establish Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences. This law facilitated the transfer of the educational and medical initiative legacies into a single foundation that now possesses a rich portfolio of ongoing programs and projects, along with a solid springboard for further innovation aimed at enhancing governmental and societal efforts in highlighting the importance of the education and medical sectors. The foundation works towards spreading a culture of talent, innovation, excellence, and quality, contributing to the enhancement of quality and performance levels, and fostering creativity in educational and medical institutions at both local and international levels. This includes related elements and components in line with global best practices. Additionally, the foundation contributes to the establishment and support of innovation, talent, and scientific research centers and programs.
Venue
A state-of-the-art venue ideal for conferences, concerts, gala dinners, exhibitions, product launches, award ceremonies, weddings and more