Workshops


Theme:

A series of mini-workshop ideas to help define how to solve real-world complex problems through an interdisciplinary approach.

Participants work in groups on one of the following challenges that would showcase the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches.

Objectives:

  • Predict and design for the evolving skill sets students will need in 5–10 years.

  • Identify the key skills and knowledge areas needed to tackle major global challenges.

  • Identify a blend of diverse fields needed to enhance problem-solving abilities for the challenge.

Activities:

Participants select a real-world problem (see below) and work backward to outline the interdisciplinary competencies required to solve it.

Teams mix and match disciplines (e.g., AI + Healthcare, Business + Sustainability) to create a unique course or program structure that equips students with practical, cross-disciplinary skills.

Challenge Ideas:

Idea#1: AI-Driven Healthcare Accessibility in Remote Areas

Challenge: Create scalable solutions for providing quality healthcare to remote communities through AI and telemedicine while respecting cultural contexts.

Idea#2: Sustainability Global Challenge: Climate-Adaptive Agricultural Systems

Challenge: Design AI-powered agricultural systems that can adapt to changing climate conditions while optimizing water usage, minimizing environmental impact, and ensuring food security across diverse global regions.

Idea#3: Business Challenge: AI-Enhanced Supply Chain Resilience for Food Security

Challenge: Create an AI-driven system to enhance food supply chain resilience that balances international imports, regional cooperation, and local production to ensure food security despite climate disruptions and market volatility.

Idea#4: Social Innovation Challenge: AI-Facilitated Cultural Integration in Diverse Communities

Challenge: Design a comprehensive AI-facilitated program to enhance social cohesion and mutual understanding in the UAE's exceptionally diverse population, fostering cultural exchange while preserving heritage and addressing issues of isolation.

Outcome:

For each Challenge, Participants will provide innovative design for a solution that foster interdisciplinary learning to address the problem effectively. Towards this, participants will:

Outline the key skills and knowledge areas that students will need in the next 5 to 10 years to address the challenge.

Design a structure for a hypothetical interdisciplinary program that integrates these skills and identified disciplines to equip students with the necessary abilities to address the challenge.

Awards:

There will be awards for the best solution for each challenge idea.