upGrad to host high-impact forum for UAE educators to accelerate AI adoption

upGrad, a global skilling major and a strategic partner of Seed Group, a company of The Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, is set to host its first-ever event in Dubai titled ‘Empowering Educators – Leading Change with Professional Development’. Taking place on 23 May 2025, from 11:30 AM to 2:45 PM (GST) in Fairmont Dubai, this forum will offer actionable insights into building effective professional development strategies that respond to the progressing needs of schools and teachers in the UAE.

The panel will feature an esteemed line-up of speakers, namely:

• Sylvie Wald, Director at the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK);
• Dr Suzanne Otte, Associate Dean of Educational Leadership at Edgewood College;
• Zoubiya Ahmed, Non-Executive Director at the Association of Education Advisers (AoEA);
• Zaineb Mahdi, Assistant Headteacher at GEMS Wellington International School; and
•  Tyrone Ruth, Research Analyst from a leading UAE government entity.

The panel will outline their expertise in policy and practice, which directly aligns with the UAE’s new mandate to incorporate AI as a main subject in schools. The session will be moderated by Leisa Grace Wilson, Editorial Director of Teach Middle East Magazine. Top educators and school leaders from more than 80 schools across Dubai and Abu Dhabi will attend the educational summit.

Designed for school leaders, education consultants, and policy influencers, the event will cover fundamental themes such as digital upskilling, AI-readiness, connecting professional development and school improvement plans, cost-effective strategies, data-informed decision-making, and leadership development. As schools in the UAE prepare to incorporate AI in their curriculum, the goal is to deliver valuable tools and frameworks. These will help educators implement impactful professional development that leads to measurable improvement.

The event is a significant moment in upGrad’s strategic UAE expansion, following its alliance with Seed Group in April 2025. The partnership is designed to accelerate digital capability development across the education and workforce sectors.

“When we talk about digital adoption, it doesn’t stop at corporates only. As AI becomes central to how we teach and learn, it’s imperative that educators lead this transformation and not simply follow it. At upGrad, we recognise the urgency of acquiring new-age skills, but that requires serious commitment to educating our talent — and building an army of digitally fluent, skill-first educators. This forum is a step in that direction, curated to spark meaningful conversations and bring actionable frameworks to the forefront. Seed Group’s partnership has been a powerful enabler, and together, we are committed to co-creating an ecosystem where talent and technology would evolve to co-exist, accelerating long-term growth for both people and economies,” said Myleeta AgaWilliams, CEO of International Consumer Business at upGrad.

Hisham Al Gurg, CEO of Seed Group and the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, remarked, “We are pleased to see upGrad making rapid progress since forming our alliance. Their solutions are in line with our vision of equipping the UAE workforce and educators with future-ready skills. We believe initiatives like these will be instrumental in supporting national priorities, especially as AI becomes a foundational part of our education system.”

This educational forum will provide educators and corporate professionals with essential resources to meet advanced upskilling needs, especially in light of the recent policy mandating AI in schools. Ultimately, UpGrad’s initiatives will contribute to advancing the UAE’s education system.

Join the event to expand your professional toolkit and engage with leading voices shaping the future of education. Visit this link: https://upgrad1.typeform.com/dubaiedgewood

About upGrad

Started in 2015, upGrad is one of Asia’s largest integrated Learning, Skilling, and Forever Learning majors that facilitates a range of new-age online and hybrid skilling degree programs, certifications, and bootcamps under its Consumer (B2C) portfolio through its revolutionary technology platform. As a technological facilitator of higher education, upGrad enables top Indian and global universities to deliver their Diploma, Master’s, and Executive Doctorate programs to students worldwide. Additionally, select programs are tailored for Enterprise clients under the corporate skilling division, along with other recruitment and staffing services. For more information, visit www.upgrad.com.