The College of Law at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) in collaboration with Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (formerly Hague Institute for Internationalization of Law) and the Ministry of Justice organized on Tuesday 13^th Feb 2018 a workshop titled ‘Enhancing Innovation Environment at Universities’.

The workshop aimed to highlight the importance of promoting Innovation at universities, stemmed from the fact that the prime role of universities is to educate and prepare youth generations to enter the job market and serve their society.

Mr. Abdulla Al Muhairi, Advisor to the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Justice and the Chief Innovation Officer at the ministry, showcased the ministry’s strategic plan, and how to achieve leadership in justice and provide legal and judicial services in an innovative manner. Mr. Al Muhairi addressed three innovative projects that are run by the ministry as part of its smart initiatives set in the strategic plan. The projects include establishing the Judicial Innovation Center, aiming to enhancing the UAE’s leadership in the Rule of Law Index at both regional and international levels, and the second is ‘The Legal Monitor Project’ to assist in developing laws and legislations, and enacting them internationally. The third, ‘The innovation Project’, is developed based on the UAE’s judicial needs through building e-database of legislations in collaboration with UAE universities.  

Roger Al Khoury, Senior Justice Sector Advisor, and the Representative of Hague Institute for Innovation of Law in the Arab region, stressed on the significance of promoting innovation in the universities of the region, through developing and promoting individuals to participate in preparing studying materials and teaching methods of law courses, offering continuous education opportunities, and focusing on autonomous development to ensure employing innovation, creativity in producing and delivering services. He discussed to what extend laws can keep in line with the changes witnessed in the artificial intelligence era, and highlighted the need for improving law education and providing the requirements of innovation .