Future Beat newsletter

Hello there. It's that exciting time of year for the younger generation, whose hard work has hopefully paid off with stellar exam results leading to a bright?future.

But amid the joy (and despair in some cases), the assessment system has come under the spotlight, with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's think tank calling for it to be scrapped in the UK.

It argues that pupils are getting an "analogue education in a digital age" and warns that British students are at risk of being left behind in a world increasingly shaped by automation and artificial intelligence.

Granted, the youth of today are going to need skills quite different to those that I required when entering the workforce 20 years ago, when apps didn't exist, TikTok was merely the sound a clock made and the only Apple in my possession was a Granny Smith.

The digital education movement is well and truly under way here in the UAE, with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence?welcoming its latest batch of students?from more than 25 countries. It is this vision that will ensure the necessary innovators and thinkers are in place to take this country forwards and thrive during the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Elsewhere, we have an update on the?Dubai Metaverse Assembly, we look at pod homes, Dubai's solar power progress and Abu Dhabi's blockchain strategy.

Have a good week.

Ian Oxborrow, Business Audience Growth Editor

The Big Story

Tony Blair calls for digital overhaul of 'analogue' GCSEs and A-levels

In brief?| A new report,?Ending the Big Squeeze on Skills: How to Futureproof Education in England,?has had some harsh words for the system that is meant to be preparing people for the workplace. The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change says GCSEs and A-levels should be replaced by qualifications that encourage more of the 4Cs — critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaborative problem-solving.

Quoted?| “Without the radical reform required to produce a new generation of forward thinkers, we won’t build the high-wage, high-skilled economy we need."

- James Scales, TBI skills policy lead and co-author of the report

Why it matters?| Times, and skills, are changing. Most people will have seen a workplace colleague of an older generation struggle with new technology, and that situation will be exacerbated should our?future?workforce not be prepared for the era of Web3 and the new jobs that will come with it. What the youth of today learn now will have a big effect on what we all achieve in years to come.

A virtual world?| The first Dubai Metaverse Assembly is coming up, and?demand for a place at the event is "immense", according to Hamad AlShirawi, Dubai?Future?Foundation's director of projects. The event is expected to draw more than 300 experts, policymakers and officials, as well as 40 organisations involved in the metaverse.

Mega project?| Progress is being made on?the fourth and fifth phases?of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, the largest single-site solar park in the world.

The site uses “the latest solar photovoltaic bifacial technologies, which allow solar radiation to reach the front and back of the panels, with single-axis tracking to increase generation”, Dewa said. It plans to use fully automated robots to clean the solar panels, increasing their efficiency.

Improving competitiveness?| Abu Dhabi?has revealed plans?to launch a strategy for blockchain and virtual assets that aligns with the emirate’s overall economic strategy.

Predicting the?future?| Signal or noise??Forget staying in a hotel or country cottage - how about?a break at a floating sea pod? These have been launched in Panama and stand 3m above sea level, can accommodate two people and are on sale with prices ranging from $295,000 to $1.5 million. They look like something from the Jetsons, and come with 360-degree unobstructed ocean views. Thankfully, sustainability is at the core of the project.

This is a signal.?Deliveries are carried out by drones, self-driving boats remove rubbish and the pods have been designed to become marine habitats for fish and other creatures. This looks like?future?living done well.

In Case You Missed It

The UAE's Hope probe?has provided data for researchers?at New York University Abu Dhabi to measure the surface temperature of Mars. Does the climate fit into Elon Musk's plan to colonise the Red Planet? The research showed it’s between -133°C and 7°C - somewhat on the chilly side then. Take a scarf and gloves, Elon.

While we're on the subject of space, Nasa's Artemis Moon mission launches on Monday, with success potentially paving the way for humans to return to the lunar surface.?Here's how to watch the event?and then track Artemis 1 on its journey.

Meanwhile, on our planet, there's been the rather predictable outcome of Apple telling its staff to return to the office. A group of disgruntled employees?has set up a petition against the move?as they seek more flexible arrangements. The coronavirus pandemic has truly altered the daily structure of work, and Apple won't be the last company to have to deal with the in-office / hybrid debate.