November 9, 2022

H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and President of the University of Sharjah, witnessed on Wednesday, the inauguration of the Special Educational Needs Forum, at the headquarters of the Sharjah Education Academy (SEA) in the University City.

The forum was organised for the first time in cooperation with Sharjah Education Academy, Sharjah Private Education Authority, Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services and the University of Exeter, with the aim of enhancing the provision of the educational solutions for students with disabilities and special educational needs, and to discuss specialised research to provide innovative solutions for student integration and to develop teaching systems for them in various sciences and skills.

Dr. Muhadtha Al Hashemi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority and Chairperson of the Sharjah Education Academy, delivered a speech thanking Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi for attending the forum, which constitutes the unlimited support for education field and in assisting disabilities.

Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority pointed to the fruitful cooperation with the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services SCHS and the great role of Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, the SCHS’s president during the previous years, and her efforts to enhance service providing for disabilities.

During her speech, Al Hashemi addressed the strategy of the Sharjah Private Education Authority in paying attention to the education of people with disabilities according to five levels, Working on the quality of inclusive education in schools and nurseries through developing policies and procedures in accordance with best practices to ensure regulating the integration process at the first level, and the integrated supervision and control of the authority over the environment and facilities in educational institutions to meet the needs required for them in the second, At the third level, conducting evaluations of the effectiveness of teaching and learning processes, and the fourth level lies in the development, follow-up and supervision of corrective plans, and then the authority follow the roles of continuous education for the local community of educational and administrative cadres in this field and training them as a fifth level.

The attendees watched a visual presentation about the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, the beginnings of its establishment and stages of development, its noble goals, its efforts in education and training of students with disabilities, and the diverse schools and specialised interactive activities provided for them.

Dr. Gareth Stansfield, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter, delivered a speech addressing the great efforts of the Emirate of Sharjah in its various educational institutions in improving the education system for all students with disabilities and others, and by training teachers and developing ways to make the education process easier in order to ensure providing clear lessons for them.

During his speech, he reviewed the partnership projects between the University of Exeter and the Sharjah Academy of Education, which will include productive cooperation in the areas of exchanging experiences, providing joint programmes, organising specialised courses, as well as scientific research in the fields of educating disabilities.

The Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, also witnessed the signing of three memoranda of understanding and cooperation in the educational fields, the development of academic programmes and the exchange of students.

The first memorandum was between the Sharjah Education Academy, the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, and the Sharjah Private Education Authority, and it was signed by Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of SCHS, Dr. Muhadedah Al Hashemi, Chairperson of the Academy, and Ali Al Hosani, Director of the Authority.

As for the second memorandum of understanding between the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the Sharjah Education Academy, and the University of Exeter, which is concerned with developing academic programmes for higher diploma and master’s degrees in special educational needs, and developing a scientific centre of excellence in research and studies in this field.

The memorandum was signed by Dr. Muhadedah Al-Hashemi, Ali Al-Hosani and Dr. Gareth Stansfield.

The third memorandum of cooperation was between the University of Sharjah and the University of Exeter in the areas of student exchange and the provision of specialised study opportunities in the fields of humanities, social sciences and international studies between the two universities, in addition to contributing to training and academic supervision in the fields of advanced and higher scientific research. The memorandum was signed by Dr. Hamid Majul Al Nuaimi, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, and Dr. Gareth Stansfield, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter.