Global Grad Show, an initiative by the Art Dubai Group, held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, a member of Dubai Council, is preparing for its largest edition to date, having received applications from graduates from 464 universities, a 70% increase from last year, from 70 countries around the world.
Now in its seventh edition, Global Grad Show is a programme for international academic talent, bringing their innovations to global audiences and supporting their development towards real-world implementation.
The world’s largest and most diverse initiative of its kind shall announce 150 game-changing projects on November 8, 2021. Originally focused on design projects for social impact, today it encompasses over 100 disciplines in the fields of science, technology and creative studies, from Ergonomics to Geomatics and Nano-engineering.
Since 2020, the programme also includes MENA Grad Show, a physical exhibition dedicated to university talent in universities from the region, also focusing on social impact innovations. Applications to the 2021 edition grew by 50%, totaling 300, with the UAE being the biggest contributor with 150+ entries. Students from 41 universities across 10 countries submitted projects, which underline growing concerns about areas such as responsible consumption, equality and mental health.
This year’s Global Grad Show demonstrates shared global concerns, including a major focus on health tech,in particular mental health concerns, developing more sustainable food practices, smarter homes, solutions to improve physical wellbeing and enabling and empowering new communities to thrive.
Global Grad Show has cultivated a diverse, ever-expanding pool of applications since 2015, bringing together innovations from institutions like Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge and Oxford with entries from developing economies such as Bhutan, Jamaica, Ethiopia and Brunei. To date, the programme has received over 7,000 entries, with intensified growth over the past two years.
Global Grad Show puts in perspective how solutions from different backgrounds can together address universal concerns. For example, coral reefs degradation can be addressed with the work in robotics at Zhejiang University in China, complemented by the engineering approach from University of Glasgow and product design from University of Karachi. Properly combined, an underwater 3D-printer, an independent micro-plastic filter and a community-led effort to recycle fishing nets can be more powerful and self-perpetuating.
Commenting ahead of this year’s Global Grad Show, Tadeu Baldani, Director of Global Grad Show, said: “What we see at Global Grad Show is that talent is uniformly distributed around the world. We have the privilege of engaging with thousands of young minds every year, and we know that their drive, intellect and creativity are an incredible combination for creating good. At Global Grad Show we nurture their vision, so they are closer to bringing their solutions to life.
“Thanks to the long-term support of partners like Dubai Culture, ARM Holding, Dubai Design District (d3) and the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, a member of Dubai Council, the programme has increased its capacity to source and support projects to reach audiences and users.
“Despite the challenges higher education faced during the pandemic, the growth in interest and depth of applications is a testament to the resilience and strength of academic research – which is especially reassuring in times like these. We are very pleased to be able to share 150 of these ideas with the world this November.”
Global Grad Show’s commitment to supporting academic innovators goes beyond the yearly showcases. Since 2019, its entrepreneurship programme has welcomed over 300 participants, and over 1,000 have signed up to this year’s cohort. Over a four-month period, university graduates are supported with business training, mentorship and funding opportunities, followed by continuous assessment. To date, 15 teams have completed the entire programme. The expectation is to triple this number by 2022 and guide more business-ready startups into the impact investment ecosystem.
Global Grad Show partner ARM Holding, the first to pledge a fund specific to Global Grad Show startups, has recently renewed its commitment. In 2019, the company announced a $2.72 million USD (AED 10 million) fund over 10 years to support participants to advance their projects.
The yearly international showcase will be unveiled on www.globalgradshow.com on November 8, 2021. In addition, MENA Grad Show physical exhibition will open on the same date, as part of Dubai Design Week, supported by Dubai Design District (d3).
