BLOG: The NEP Experience

February 24–26, 2025 | Al Qidfa, Fujairah

The immersive experience of NEP 4.0 traded the classroom for the coastal village of Al Qidfa, Fujairah, where the cohort engaged in a full-scale Design Thinking immersion. Enabled by a valued partnership with the Emirates Council for Rural Development (ECRD), over three days, the cohort tackled real community challenges using human-centered problem-solving, blending analytical rigor with empathy and creativity.  As part of their journey to Al Qidfa for NEP 4.0 Module 5, the experts traveled aboard Etihad Rail—offering a first-hand glimpse into the UAE’s future of connected, sustainable transport. NEP Expert Sarah Luqman shared a now-viral video capturing the experience, describing it as “nothing short of exceptional.” Her reflections highlighted how national infrastructure continues to fuel innovation and bring remote communities closer than ever. 

Anchored in the Analytical Mindset, the experience focused on redefining problems through direct community engagement and structured creativity—bridging the gap between insight and implementation. The module began by sharpening cognitive tools. In an intensive workshop titled “Learn Faster, Think Critically, Remember More,” Karim Al Abbas, Director at Enlighten Education (UK), guided experts through techniques to enhance metacognition, learning, and memory—laying the foundation for analytical and innovative thinking in complex environments.

But it was the immersive fieldwork that truly defined the experience. Under the direction of Prof. Niels Billou, Senior Faculty Lecturer at McGill University, and Jaber Al Dhanhani, Local Facilitator from Emirates Villages, experts conducted in-depth interviews, observations, and cultural immersion activities throughout Al Qidfa. From agricultural visits to artisan workshops, each encounter informed a deeper understanding of the community’s rhythms, challenges, and aspirations. Evenings included collaborative activities such as a cooking challenge—an opportunity not only for team-building, but for engaging with the village’s traditions in a hands-on, meaningful way.

These insights culminated in low-fidelity prototypes and design concepts, developed in teams and presented to Program Committee members and representatives from the Emirates Council for Rural Development (ECRD). The proposals reflected a blend of analytical rigor and community-rooted empathy—demonstrating how the design thinking process can be mobilized for public value.

Module 5 reminded everyone that innovation does not always begin in a lab or a strategy session—it starts with empathy. In Al Qidfa, NEP 4.0 redefined problem-solving: not just as an intellectual exercise, but as a human endeavour rooted in real voices, real needs, and real potential.

Stay tuned as the journey continues.