Business & Money | Friday 17 August, 2018 6:13 am |

The Board of Trustees of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award, an initiative of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), has commenced evaluating the nominations for the competition's 2018 edition - the fifth since the Award's launch in 2014. The annual Award honours individuals and organisations who strive to create and disseminate knowledge and learning.

The evaluation process started with a review of the applications received via the Award's website up until the submissions deadline in June. The Trustees are now preparing a final shortlist, with the ultimate winners of the USD1 million Award recognised at the Knowledge Summit 2018, held in Dubai in December. The Board revealed that it had received submissions from 34 countries around the world noting that this year, the number of nominations for individuals exceeded those for institutions.

Attending the Board of Trustees' meeting was His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees & Secretary General of the Award; Professor Nick Rawlins, former Pro Vice Chancellor representing the University of Oxford; Professor Alexander J.B. Zehnder, Member of the Board of Trustees of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; and Dr Ali Ahmed Al Ghafli, Vice Dean for Social Sciences at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, UAE University.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award was launched to honour knowledge pioneers and highlight the achievements that inspired humanity and that contribute to building the knowledge economy. Its categories include: knowledge advancement; development and innovation; leadership and creativity; developing research institutions; ICT; and printing, publishing and documentation; among others.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation called on individuals and institutions to benefit from the activities of the fifth annual Knowledge Summit, set to be held on December 5-6, 2018, under the theme "Youth and the Future of the Knowledge Economy". The Summit offers a global platform gathering decision makers, academics and experts from various sectors, to engage in constructive discussions, explore best practices, and propose solutions for future challenges. It cements Dubai's status as a leading international hub for knowledge. This year's discussions focus on the knowledge economy, the digital economy, and the Islamic economy, exploring the youth's role in building knowledge-centred societies.