The inaugural SHE Summit in the UAE, inspired by the SheInspires  movement in the UK, was hosted by The University Of Bolton campus in RAK  in April 2022. 

Women leaders have never been so needed as they are in today’s world.  So the initiatives springing from She Inspires in 2022 are both unsurprising and critically necessary. With over seven years of She Inspires awards to look back on, there are so many things that have been learned.  Not least is the extraordinary difference that women of exceptional merit have made in their own communities.  Sometimes locally, often nationally and with increasing reach across international boundaries.

“The glass ceiling is steadily disappearing and not because of some notional nod towards equality but because of sheer and obvious merit.” Says Gulnaz  Brennan,  Founder of SheInspires Network. 

SHE Summit, at the packed RAK auditorium was about  fostering the female students with positive female role models.  Gulnaz, along with an inspirational panel of exceptional women,  Dr. Sweta, Neurologist from RAK Hospital & Founder of Success Signature program, Hiba Aijaz, Engineer & Project Manager from Miglia,   Aqsa Khan, Mechanical Engineer from Hilton Hotel RAKs, the only female Engineer in the group and Georgina Kelly, Founder of Business Network in RAK, inspired staff, students and parents! 

 The importance of educating young girls and women is vital to everything that She Inspires believes.  As a result, the launch of the She Scholarship is a wonderful new venture announced at the inaugural summit. The scholarship will enable the winning girl in the UAE to gain an education at the RAK campus in her chosen degree programme, in a unique opportunity that will enable a spotlight to be shone on the She Leads ethos. 

The leadership of women comes with a little extra element.  A penchant for style?  Perhaps.   A powerful will to succeed?  Always.  And a determination that everyone matters, and no one need be left behind?  Without question.

From Bolton to Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), SheInspire’s link to The University of Bolton is already excelling in its achievements.  A visit to The University Of Bolton campus in RAK will astonish for its academic prowess and its unique learning structures.  From playschools through to Postgraduate degree colleges, the 42,000 square foot facility shows the depth and breadth if its ambition.

Enormous thanks are due to Raj Nambiar, Campus Director at the University of Bolton in Ras Al Khaimah. 

Celebrating inspiring women leaders in the UAE is an innovative and noble venture, and one which we know our global family will take to their hearts. 

With the launch of the She Summit  at the campus in RAK, we can announce that a UAE chapter of She Inspire Awards will be established to celebrate inspiring women at this, the pre-eminent education establishment in the UAE.

We are working toward Global Women Festival in August 2023. If you’d like to be part of it, please get in touch gulnaz@sheinspiresfoundation.org.uk