Cozmo Travel launches B2B trade portal for travel industry operators in the UAE

Cozmo Travel, a member of the Air Arabia Group and a leading travel management company in the region, has announced the launch of B2B trade portal www.travtrolley.com for local travel and tourism industry operators in the UAE. Cozmo Travel also has tied-up with Taiwan Tourism Board to launch a new destination within UAE this year.

This was announced at a Press conference organised in Dubai by senior officials from Cozmo Travel and Taiwan Tourism Board.

www.travtrolley.com is a new online booking system, which offers single login and account to manage the complete tour package including airlines, hotels and car rentals worldwide. The user-friendly interface was developed to empower both travel agencies and corporates in the UAE and the GCC region.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr Jamal Abdul Nazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel, said, “We are proud to launch the B2B trade portal for the travel sector operators in the UAE. This is another milestone achievement for Cozmo Travel that allows us to spearhead the industry by incorporating online innovations to serve our customers well. We have also signed a contract with Taiwan Tourism Board with a range of joint promotions to increase tourism and visibility for Taiwan through Cozmo Travel network.”

“Our new online platform will be a pioneering initiative in the UAE’s travel and tourism industry. We also plan to expand this initiative to other GCC countries. The B2B portal provides both inbound and outbound holiday packages across the globe based on various seasons and interests,” he added.



Mr Vishal Mehra – VP Sales, Taiwan Tourism Board, said, “We are pleased to tie-up with Cozmo Travel in the UAE. This partnership is aimed at increasing the number of visitors to Taiwan from the Middle East, a trend that is already on an upward index. We have recognised the fact that Taiwan has a huge potential for tourism offerings to the UAE in particular, and the GCC at large, owing to the multi-cultural population in the region. The partnership with Cozmo Travel will help us further boost interest and ease the travel to the beautiful Chinese island.”

Ms Deepa Rajesh, Head of Sales at Cozmo Travel, said, “We are happy to launch the B2B portal, which is a one-of-a-kind initiative in the UAE’s travel industry. We introduced this considering the evolution of new business models in the travel industry to provide travellers more choices and assist them in making more informed decisions in the digital age. We firmly believe that technology and digital sector is the way forward and with dedication and hard work we want to be one of the best service providers in the travel and tourism industry.”

“This portal is at the forefront both technologically and in terms of services offered. We are offering hundreds of airline fares and thousands of hotel rates at the users’ fingertips with special deals on 25 plus airlines and access to multiple GDS inventories as well as various LCCs for most competitive airline fares. The rates are equal or lower than the major online travel portals. The portal is also to have on-hold airline reservations and 24/7 B2B support via call centre,” she added.

Mr Vijay GB, Head of Information Technology at Cozmo Travel, said, “Launch of www.travtrolley.com is in line with the continuing evolution of information technology putting a considerable impact on the travel agency service industry. The portal, with an inbuilt transparent and easy accounting process system, allows tracking the whole travel package including airline and hotel reservation procedures, travel insurance, activities, global sightseeing – all available on a single portal. The web portal also features “your own personalised online travel office” with booking engine.”

Cozmo Travels has been conducting roadshows for the past two weeks in Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Ain and Fujairah covering all B2B agents across the UAE. The events witnessed more than 500 participants making it a huge success.

Innovation Arabia 10 develops roadmap for building societies based on knowledge, innovation and sustainability

Successful edition features 319 research papers and 23 presentations from 49 countries
Mansoor Al Awar: “Innovation Arabia 10 has succeeded in laying the foundation for developing sustainable economies in the Arab World”

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has concluded the 10^th edition of the Innovation Arabia congress under the theme ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Engines of Sustainability’ which was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of the university. The event made significant progress in developing a clear roadmap for taking advantage of the previous successes of the Arab World. It harnessed existing potentials and paved the way for unleashing and accelerating knowledge transformation, strengthening the culture of entrepreneurship, upholding environmental protection, and advancing education and health in line with the requirements of the digital age. The conference was attended by high-level international decision-makers, policy-makers, senior government officials, experts and leaders from the educational, environmental, health and economic fields.

The final day saw the University’s women leaders been honored by Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMSU, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Dr. Awar emphasized the significant and effective roles that women play in achieving continuous success at the local, regional and international levels. He expressed appreciation for the efforts and contributions made by women leaders in HBMSU which he said have been integral to the University’s ongoing path to excellence as the University of Choice in the whole Arab World and its string of international achievements in the fields of smart and distance learning.

Innovation Arabia 10 provided a strategic platform for establishing strong foundations for stimulating creative energies and optimally employing research potentials to facilitate the transformation of Arab economies to rely heavily on knowledge and innovation. It also supported the achievement of the region’s sustainable economic and social development goals. Research papers met expectations, with the unique conference witnessing the broad participation of masters and doctoral learners from 49 countries to find out the results of 319 research papers and 23 poster presentations.

The 142 research papers presented during the Quality and Business Management Conference themed ‘Unleashing Innovation, Empowering Entrepreneurship’ focused on procedures for developing corporate governance policies and frameworks designed to empower entrepreneurship and nurture innovation according to four main themes: ‘Business, Management and Entrepreneurship,’ ‘Quality Management and Sustainability,’ ‘Islamic Banking, Finance,’ and ‘Public Management and Government Service Excellence.’

The Smart Learning Conference held under the theme ‘Build Knowledge Based Communities’ successfully drew the support of prominent researchers in spurring change, innovation and excellence in smart education through 79 research papers that dealt with modern concepts on ‘Unleashing Leaders through the Creation of Knowledge Communities,’ ‘A New Wave of Schools as Knowledge-Building Communities,’ and ‘Smart Learning through Sustaining Knowledge Building.’

The Health and Environment Conference centering on ‘Changing Minds, Protecting the Environment,’ on the other hand, gathered high-level participants involved in health and the environment who reviewed leading experiments and new knowledge for addressing health and environmental challenges to achieve a better quality of life in the Arab World through 98 research papers.

The annual congress also honored winning research papers during the simultaneous conferences. Dr. David Cropley from the University of South Australia won for Best Research Paper on the sidelines of the Quality and Business Management Conference for his work on ‘Individual Creativity: Four Building Blocks of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Amal Hussein from HBMSU received the same award during the Health and Environment Conference for her distinguished research paper on ‘Impact of Traffic Congestion on Drivers Commuting Between Sharjah and Dubai Emirates.’ The paper entitled ‘The Impact of Interface Characteristics on the Intention to Use Mobile Digital Library Technology’ co-prepared by Sumayyah Al Faresi from the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training in Kuwait and Kate Hone from Brunel University in the UK was chosen as the Best Research Paper during the Smart Learning Conference.

Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMSU, said: “Once again, Innovation Arabia has succeeded in laying the foundation for developing innovative solutions for driving the development of sustainable economies in the Arab World. It provided an appropriate environment for stimulating innovation and directing creativity to facilitate the transformation to knowledge-based economies capable of keeping pace with the rapid changes characterizing the 21^st century.”

“The success of the Congress is in line with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMSU. We are proud of the achievements of Innovation Arabia, particularly in terms of developing creative ideas for supporting the overall goal of education in the post-2015 development plan, namely ‘Ensure equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030.’ This objective complements the global educational targets set by the UNESCO and intersects with our aspirations to bring about a knowledge revolution via the region’s improved ability to bring about sustainable development,” he added.

Al Awar concluded: “At Innovation Arabia, we focused on the theme of ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Engines of Sustainability’ in order to highlight the increasing need to achieve sustainability via global models that combine innovation, entrepreneurship and economic sectors affecting the present and future of the Arab World – particularly education, health, the environment, and entrepreneurship. We are confident that Innovation Arabia will continue to make us proud and cement its pivotal role as the first and leading platform in the Middle East that anticipates the future of education, business, the environment, healthcare and Islamic banking and finance, in line with the objectives of UAE Vision 2021 and the targets of Dubai Plan 2021.”

The second and third days of the Quality and Business Management Conference included extensive discussions headed by Dr. Tarek Abdel Fattah, Assistant Professor of HBMSU’s School of Business and Quality Management. Among the senior speakers were by Dr. Timothy Mascon, Senior Vice President and Chief Officer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) of AACSB International, who discussed ‘United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The Critical Interface between Business Schools and Business,’ and Dr. Ahmed Al-Nuseirat, who provided a comprehensive vision of ‘The Fourth Generation of Government Excellence in Dubai – A New Approach.’

The conference agenda concluded with a discussion of the main components for achieving success and excellence in the business community, highlighting the ability to anticipate the future based on economic, technological, social, demographic and environmental factors. Training workshops were conducted over the course of three days under the theme ‘Planning by Scenarios – Shaping the Future.’

The outstandingly organized Smart Learning Conference was moderated by Dr. Khadeegha Al Zouebi, Assistant Professor of HBMSU’s School of e-Education. It featured two keynote speakers: Gard Titlestad, Secretary-General of the International Council for Distance Education, who spoke about ‘Learning – Now is the Future,’ and Steven Duggan, Board Member of the UNESCO Institute for Education Information Technology, who presented innovative strategies for ‘Bridging the Next Digital Divide’. The training workshop on ‘Empowering Technology Tools for Education’ was commended for providing an important opportunity to learn more about advanced technologies for improving the learning process by focusing on the skills required for achieving success in the Age of Knowledge.

Dr. Moetaz El Sergany, Environmental Studies Department Chair of HBMSU’s School of Health and Environmental Studies, led the second and third days of the Health and Environment Conference. Professor Hillary Godwin discussed the topic of ‘How can we design and effectively implement programs and policies that benefit both people and the environment?.’ Eng. Aisha Al Abdooli, on the other hand, talked about ‘Glimpse at the Innovation Journey in Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’.

The Congress included a program for improving corporate performance through innovation in designing corporate social responsibility and sustainability programs. It was presented via a workshop on ‘Innovation in Social Responsibility and Sustainability’ which highlighted distinctive corporate experiments in the application of social responsibility and innovation.

Emirates Hospitals Group partners with DHA to provide restorative neurorehabilitation for UAE patients at its Slovakia facility

Emirates Hospitals Group, a leading healthcare services provider in the UAE, has signed an agreement with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) to help adult and paediatric patients with neurological disorders avail advanced restorative therapy at ADELI Medical Centre, an international clinic for intensive neurorehabilitation in Pieštany, Slovakia. ADELI Medical Centre is part of the Emirates Hospitals Group network. The MoU was signed by His Excellency Humaid Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board and Director General of the DHA and Mr. Pramod Balakrishnan, CEO of Emirates Hospitals Group, recently.



With this agreement, Emirates Hospitals Group will facilitate DHA’s initiatives to rehabilitate patients from infants, toddlers and children to adults suffering from neurological deficits like cerebral palsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury and congenital neurological disorders in the UAE. As part of its policy to ensure the best specialised care for deserved patients with neurological disorders, the DHA has approved ADELI Medical Center as one of the key centres for modern neurological rehabilitative therapy for adult and paediatric patients.

DHA has begun sending patients to ADELI Medical Centre. The agreement with Emirates Hospitals Group will facilitate more number of patients to the international centre, depending on the nature of each case. Individual rehabilitation program will be provided to each patient after a thorough analysis of the neurological deficits and their cause, taking into the account the damage caused to the brain, spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system. Commenting on this initiative, HE Humaid Al Qatami said that the DHA strives to strengthen its partnership with the private sector to provide high-quality healthcare services at competitive prices for the public. “Partnerships such as this promotes the development of the healthcare sector in Dubai and enhances corporation between the private and public sector,” he said.

 “The private sector is a strategic partner that can aid the DHA in achieving its goal of elevating the quality of medical services provided by the authority. The DHA appreciates the valuable contribution and efforts of the private healthcare sector in achieving this goal.” Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Pramod Balakrishnan, CEO of Emirates Hospitals Group, said, “We are very pleased to partner with the DHA to avail ADELI’s modern rehabilitation therapy to the UAE patients suffering from genetic, chronic and accidental neurological disorders. This is part of our strategy to add new modalities to our services. We are working now to bring ADELI to the UAE by the end of this year with specific treatment options and technologies, aimed at strengthening the local rehab quality.
At Emirates Hospitals Group, we are diversifying our growth into various domains of health care to ensure we cater effectively to the multi-cultural populace of the country.”

 “Unlike other centres, our aim is to use a patient application system to support them with relevant information on doctors, progress of the treatment to improve patient satisfaction. Emirates Hospitals Group will offer follow-up sessions at its rehab facilities in the UAE to support those cases for longer period as part of comprehensive management of the disease. We have also home care services to be offered when needed to make sure the patients receive an adequate level of care,” he added.
“The agreement with DHA will give Emirates Hospital Group an edge as a leader in the healthcare sector to provide a comprehensive disease management system with rehab centres in the UAE and in Slovakia to deal with various neuro cases including patients in ICUs or ventilation. Rehab facilities under Emirates Hospitals Group in the UAE intend to manage such cases that require long time to provide treatment with expertise, innovative technologies and follow-up after intensive period,” Mr. Pramod further said. ADELI Medical Center is equipped with all the facilities, technologies, expertise and top medical professionals for modern neurorehabilitation.

The biggest benefit for every patient at the ADELI is its highly intensive, customised rehabilitation therapy program with extensive care. The therapeutic community of specialised physicians, therapists, and the staff of various other areas of medicine work in close collaboration with the relatives, or caregivers, for the benefit of the

Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge 2017 to be Launched at Yas Marina Circuit

Twenty-six teams from fifteen countries to showcase advanced robotics technologies at first-of-its-kind contest in the region
Under the prestigious patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Abu Dhabi will be hosting the first edition of the Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC) from March 16 to 18, 2017 at the Yas Island Marina Circuit. The event is organized by Khalifa University and is sponsored by the Information and Communication Technology Fund (ICTF) as a Strategic Sponsor, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as a Platinum Sponsor, and Norinco as a Gold Sponsor.

The debut contest is the first of its kind in the region, and the biggest of its kind worldwide. It provides a strategic platform for highlighting the latest developments in the field of robotics and will feature 26 teams from 15 countries. The innovative competition will see unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) work with, and against each other, in a series of challenges.

The biennial competition aims to extensively promote the capabilities and uses of robots and reveal their advanced technological capabilities in the areas of navigation, cooperation, perception, and maneuvers using integrated ecosystems. It will host elite designers, innovators, and programmers from different universities and robotics organization around the globe. Winners will be awarded total prize winnings and team sponsorship worth USD 5 million – one of the biggest prizes in the world for such an event.

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Khalifa University’s Executive Vice President, said: “This challenge is an excellent opportunity for the participating teams to present new and innovative technologies in the robotics field that build on ground-breaking developments over the past decade. It provides an ideal platform to attract the world’s brightest minds in robotics and stimulate further developments that will lead to more new innovations and discoveries in this field. Through MBZIRC, we hope to solidify the leading position of Abu Dhabi and the UAE as global hub for creativity and innovation. We are very proud of this contest which embodies our commitment to advancing research and development in the engineering and technology fields.”

MBZIRC comprises three challenges plus a triathlon-type Grand Challenge incorporating the previous challenges. A total of 26 teams have been chosen out of a field of 134 candidates representing a number of academic and industrial organizations. Among the academic institutions joining the upcoming challenge are the University of Seville, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Virginia Tech University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Paris – Saclay University, University of New South Wales, University of Applied Sciences Aachen, and King Abdullah University of Sciences and Technology.

Qatar University Accounting Program Earns Endorsement by IMA (Institute of Management Accountants)

DOHA, Qatar University is proud to announce that the school’s accounting program has earned endorsement by IMA^® (Institute of Management Accountants), one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession.
IMA’s Endorsement of Higher Education initiative recognizes programs that meet high educational standards, preparing students to enter into the profession of management accounting.

“Endorsement by IMA is a symbol showing that our college equips Qatari and non-Qatari students with the necessary professional skills for the job market and career progression in business,” said Dr. Khalid Shams Al-Abdulqader, Dean of the College of Business & Economics, Qatar University. “Our programs provide high-quality academic and applied education that is relevant to Qatar and GCC in alignment with our vision to be regionally and internationally recognized.”

To qualify for endorsement by IMA, schools must meet the following criteria: (1) the program must substantially cover the CMA exam content; (2) the program must have adequate faculty resources to deliver this content; (3) the program must be accredited by a recognized accreditation organization (e.g., AACSB, ACBSP, EQUIS, etc.); and (4) a faculty member must be designated as an IMA Campus Advocate. The program offers two tiers of endorsement: full endorsement, for those university programs that meet all endorsement criteria; and provisional endorsement, for programs with some minor to moderate shortcomings in meeting all the criteria for full endorsement.

“IMA is pleased to welcome Qatar University to the growing list of schools that support the CMA exam program and have achieved a consistent standard of excellence,” said Dr. Raef Lawson, CMA, CPA, CFP, CFA, IMA vice president of research and professor-in-residence. “High-quality, up-to-date educational programs that support the current needs of businesses will help future professional management accountants accomplish their career objectives and meet the competency expectations of employers.”

IMA’s globally-recognized CMA program is a relevant assessment of advanced accounting and financial management knowledge in four areas: financial planning, analysis, control and decision support – each of which is increasingly critical in meeting the changing needs of business, and therefore, essential learning for students of accounting and finance.

Al Jazira’s win over Al Ain gets extra special as differently-abled persons join in their victory

Patients of Emirates Rehabilitation and Homecare Centre (EHRH) were invited by the popular Al Jazira Club to relish an evening of pure football in style. Four football-crazy differently-abled patients of the Dubai-based rehab centre were specially invited to watch their favourite team, Al Jazira in action against Al Ain in the Arabian Gulf League match held at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi yesterday.



The patients and their families cheered on ecstatically from the VIP box as Al Jazira scored 2 over Al Ain, while an entire team of medical experts from EHRH readily stood by to take care of the patients.
EHRH is the first-of-its-kind healthcare provider dedicated to long-term recovery, elderly care and home health services in the UAE.

“The Al Jazira Club gave careful attention to ensure the convenience of the patients. It was a truly special evening for each of them, being ardent fans of football, to watch the number one team in the UAE score 2 goals. We are very grateful to the Al Jazira Club for inviting our patients and making this little dream come true for them,” said Dr Walid Achi, CEO of Emirates Rehab and Homecare Services.

‘Building the Future of Education’ on spotlight at GESS Dubai 2017

Leading global education experts will share insights on how to build the future of education at the forthcoming GESS Dubai, to be held on March 14-16 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Organised by F&E Education, with the support of the UAE Ministry of Education, GESS Dubai has gathered the world’s foremost authorities and specialists on education transformation, learning, and curriculum development as keynote speakers of the plenary sessions taking place at the Global Education Forum (GEF) happening alongside the region’s premier education exhibition and conference.

Expected to attend the plenary sessions include leaders and key decision makers from the education sector throughout the Gulf region.

Among those who have confirmed participation are Ella Björnsdóttir, Senior Global Consultant-Keynote Speaker, FranklinCovey Education Worldwide; Graham Brown Martin, founder of Learning Without Frontiers; Ilona Boniwell, positivity expert and CEO at Positran; and Dr Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Assistant Professor at the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Faculty of Education, UAE University.

In its 10^th year, GESS Dubai and GEF have adopted the theme “Educate…Inspire…Build the Future” to reflect its long-standing commitment to be a platform for change and growth for the education sector in the Middle East.

Brown will speak on The Future of Learning and how education systems, supported by technological platforms can empower students to create a future society that is sustainable, happier and embraces diversity. “The children who are either entering the school system today or are already in the system will, in their lifetime, witness the greatest challenges that our species as ever faced. Climate change, population, antibiotic resistance, diversity, an ageing population and ideological conflict are just a few of the significant challenges of the 21st century. Our children will need to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to reimagine society. There has been much talk in education circles about “21st century skills” and yet without placing these skills within context they are meaningless,” he added.

Boniwell, another keynote speaker, will talk about Building children’s resilience and emotional wellbeing, using insights from positive education that brings together the findings of positive psychology and education to equip students with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to become more resilient and productive.

Meanwhile, Dr Al Suwaidi keynotes three presentations, including Schools without Thinking, which looks at mistakes schools make in teaching their students how to think; as well as the Extinction of the Teacher, which hopes to inspire teachers to keep in step with the evolving education landscape, to make them more relevant and their profession more responsive to the needs of schools and students in today’s rapidly changing world.

“These experts have been invited to share their expertise on how the teaching and learning experience can be positively transformed to ensure they are responsive to the needs of teachers and students, as well as to make education relevant to the needs of the Arab world as a whole,” said Matt Thompson, Project Director, F&E Education, organisers of GESS Dubai.

Aside from the plenary talks, education professionals visiting GESS Dubai will also learn from other experts featured in over 200 sessions, workshops and presentations that will dissect some of the most pressing challenges confronting the education sector in the region, as well as the latest trends on pedagogy and teaching methodologies, curriculum advances, and other important issues shaping discussions on quality education, learning improvements, future learning, health and wellness, among others.

GESS Dubai’s exhibition component, meanwhile, will continue to showcase the very latest products, services and solutions covering a broad spectrum of business categories – from books and uniforms, to gadgets and technologies as well as furniture that can significantly impact the delivery of instruction, improve student learning and performance, enhance teacher effectives.

“These exchanges not only contribute to business growth, but ultimately have an impact on raising education standards and developing the education market in this part of the world,” added Thompson.
This year, GESS Dubai will have over 550 suppliers representing 39 countries, with several country pavilions grouping exhibiting suppliers from the U.K., Germany, U.S.A., Korea and China.
GESS Dubai is also thrilled to provide attendees a brand new and exclusive training concept to the event this year. The GESS Leadership Lab, powered by NoTosh, has never before been seen in the Middle East, Africa and Asia and will provide a creative training space where active participants can tackle their own leadership challenges with NoTosh’s innovative tool kits.