Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Aiming to shape the UAE’s future leaders in AI, robotics, and autonomous systems, EDGE Youth Council ran a three-week programme that immersed university students in real-world tech development.
The council’s EDGE RUWAD Innovation Summer Camp was organised within the Federal Youth Authority’s broader ‘Summer of Emirates 2025’ initiative.
“It was more than a camp; we looked at it as a national accelerator for our youth potential,” said Sana Al Daoumi, Group Senior Vice President of Human Capital at EDGE Group, in an interview with Aletihad.
The programme featured an intensive learning journey that combined technical expertise with soft skills development.
Participants gained hands-on experience in AI, robotics, and autonomous systems.
Beyond the technical aspect, however, there was a clear focus on honing the students’ creativity, leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, Al Daoumi said.
Through this dual approach, the students not only learnt how emerging technologies work but how they could make an impact in real-world situations.
“The RUWAD camp has given the participants the opportunity to gain these skills and learn as they work together as a team … They have applied the technical knowledge to real-world challenges with creativity, empathy, and impact,” Al Daoumi said.
Throughout the camp, students were engaged in expert-led workshops, project-based learning, as well as collaboration across disciplines.
EDGE engineers and subject matter experts (SMEs) played a pivotal role in “bridging the gap between theory and real-world application”, Al Daoumi said.
“The mentorship they offered brought personalised guidance … allowing the students to deepen their technical knowledge and gain career advice.”
The participants’ capstone projects involved working on high-stakes, real-world challenges. These included drone-powered disaster relief, AI-driven urban mobility, and sustainable energy systems. The topics were selected in consultation with industry partners to reflect current national and global priorities.
The camp started on July 21 and concludes today, August 8. Graduation is set for August 21 and will be held at EDGE’s headquarters.
Youth Leadership
Another element that made the RUWAD summer camp unique was the involvement of youth leaders at every level.
The EDGE Youth Council did not just participate; they created the entire framework, Al Daoumi said.
“They initiated the RUWAD camp from ideation to execution … from designing the workshop and coming up with the name, to engaging SMEs and managing logistics like drones and robotic kits. RUWAD is their initiative, and they have driven its success from start to finish.”
Following the camp’s success, the EDGE Group plans to expand the initiative across the UAE.
“Next year, we want to expand it to other emirates and reach high school students to help them understand different technologies and discover the engineering fields they’re passionate about,” Al Daoumi said.
In line with the UAE’s vision for a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation, RUWAD sought to support the nation’s mission of “cultivating a high-tech, resilient, and future-ready workforce”, she said.
