Recently, His Excellency Sheikh Nahiyaan bin Mubarak Al Nahiyaan, the Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the National Fund Board, launched the second phase of the “Swift Pro Accelerator” program. This initiative demonstrates the Fund’s commitment to advancing the UAE’s vision of becoming a global model for knowledge-based economies and societies. By empowering a new generation with essential modern skills, the “Swift Pro Accelerator” aims to position Emirati youth as leaders in innovation, fostering social and economic success.
Program Objectives and Implementation
In a statement made after the launch of the “Swift Pro Accelerator,” Sheikh Nahiyaan highlighted the Fund’s dedication to nurturing Emirati talent. The program is designed to equip young Emiratis, who successfully completed the first phase, with advanced digital skills that are essential for thriving in a competitive knowledge economy. Additionally, the initiative reinforces national identity by bridging technology with the UAE’s cultural values.
Structure of the Second Phase
Yasser Al Qargawi, the General Director of the National Fund, elaborated on the structure of the second phase of the “Swift Pro Accelerator.” This advanced program consists of three progressive levels and spans 28 weeks across various cities, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, and Ras Al Khaimah. From a pool of 308 talented participants in programming, the top 50 students will be selected to advance.
Al Qargawi emphasized that the program is under the auspices of Sheikh Nahiyaan, who actively engages with participants to inspire them to excel in global programming arenas. This initiative seeks to ensure that the UAE occupies its rightful place as a leader in advanced technological fields, focusing on developing young talents’ skills in creating “iOS” applications through professional practices and advanced techniques.
Practical Application and Learning Methodology
Students will engage in hands-on projects that will enable them to develop high-performance applications. Notably, the best projects will be featured on the Apple App Store, enhancing participants’ technical skills and providing practical experiences in app development and user interface design. This prepares them to become pioneers in the technology sector.
Regarding the operational framework of the “Swift Pro Accelerator,” Al Qargawi explained that the program unfolds over 28 weeks, commencing with a preparation and team-building phase that includes content development and learning management system (LMS) setup for six weeks. This is followed by a knowledge acquisition stage that spans 12 weeks and utilizes a hybrid learning model through a “flipped classroom” approach. The last phase, lasting 10 weeks, focuses on application development. This comprehensive approach aims to advance the skills of exceptional students from the Swift Accelerator program by enabling them to create innovative and user-friendly applications while integrating advanced features such as maps, APIs, AI, and camera functionalities.
Beyond Training: Futures in Technology
Al Qargawi further reiterated that the Fund’s role extends beyond merely providing training to students; it strives to elevate them to greater horizons. By training participants in team dynamics and encouraging specialization in technical fields, the “Swift Pro Accelerator” stands out as one of the premier initiatives fostering creativity and innovation within the National Fund.