DUBAI - Dubai is a city that's constantly in the making. Not just because of the ever-present construction sites, but also due to the effort the city is doing to position itself as a global player in a number of fields, from renewable energies to smart transportation.
Money is certainly not an issue, but as the world becomes less dependent on oil and competition between cities fiercer, diversifying its core business and developing new capabilities might sound like a smart move.
The announcement of a partnership with Boston's MIT and Parson School of Design, to create the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) made yesterday during the opening ceremony of Dubai Design Week, could easily fall into this strategy.
"The establishment of DIDI is a natural next step following the launch of d3, which is now a regional hub for innovation and a preferred destination for the world’s leading fashion designers and artists," said DIDI's chairman of the board Fadel Al Ali.
What better way to attract young, talented, undergraduates from the Middle East and beyond, than offering them first-rate, world-class education? The job market is also pushing in this direction.
According to data from the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC), a 20% annual increase in designer headcount at junior levels is expected over the next three years: some 30,000 design graduates will be required in the MENA region by 2019, with a 9-fold increase.
Some of them, arguably the most talented, could find in DIDI a springboard to climb the professional ladder. The institute is expected to pop out 500 graduates each year. The first intake of students is planned for Fall 2018. For the rest, details are scarce.
The curriculum is still being developed and requirements to access the institution are yet to be released, although, as DDFC's chairperson Amina Al Rustamani made clear during the introductory press conference, it will be open to students from all over the world.
“Developing talented youth and creativity are essential to achieving the goals outlined by His Highness to establish a sustainable economy, and innovation is key to his vision for Dubai to become the smartest city in the world, with creative industries, manufacturing and production sectors capable of competing with some of the most advanced counties across the globe,” Al Rustamani said.
It's an easy bet to make if the gender of the vast majority of Design Week's attendees is any indication, that most of the school's students will be women.
Many clever female designers from the Middle East, in Dubai's more tolerant environment could find the chance to better express their talent than in their often restrictive countries of origin.
The total financial investment for the DIDI project is estimated to be AED 270 million ($73 million). The campus, designed by Foster + Partners, will be spread over 100,000 square feet and will have the capacity to accommodate 550 students.
