Zayed University held virtually a webinar session organized by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Zayed University and the College of Archeology and Cultural Heritage at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Egypt to discuss ways of cooperation between the two universities in the fields of culture and heritage.

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, President of Zayed University, praised this initiative, and expressed her support for this collaboration, saying: "This collaboration will bring great benefits to students, and will open new horizons for them in the fields of cultural heritage to lead the archeology sector in the future."

She added, “We are proud to work side by side with the Arab Academy to develop a joint online postgraduate program in Heritage, Development and Entrepreneurship, and we plan to launch it as a joint online degree, so that regional students can also enroll. This opportunity will enriches the academic experience of the student, as AASTMT  has a long-standing history rooted in various fields, especially in the field of archeology and cultural heritage, and we are eager to start implementing this joint project, to support Zayed University's directions in empowering the students in the heritage and culture industry.”

The session was moderated by Ximena Cordova Assistant Professor & Chair of Social Sciences who spoke about the importance of focusing on the heritage field in the country, saying: “MA Heritage Management, Development & Entrepreneurship aims to provide a solid grounding in management practices in the heritage industry, with a special focus on the convergence between culture and development. It will be unique, and will reflect the best international practices whilst focusing on our region.  The opening of high-profile new museums and bidding for local sites to be inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites is testament to vibrance of this sector of the economy in the UAE.  This is a very exciting collaboration between both institutions”.

The dialogue that took place in the session focused on the influence of the past in shaping the future, and the importance of raising awareness among students and the rising generation of the role of archeology and cultural heritage in understanding the human process as a whole from all aspects such as social, economic and cultural.

In this respect Dr. Monica Hanna, Acting Dean of the College of Archeology and Cultural Heritage at AASTMT, said: “The inter-Arabic collaboration in the field of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage is paramount for the sustainability of such important cultural properties in the region. It provides a platform for development, entrepreneurship where the past plays a pivotal role in shaping the future.”