Second Leadership through Global Change Summit Held in Abu Dhabi

Held at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) on January 15 and 16, 2024, the second annual Leadership through Global Change Summit united cross-sectoral leaders from the Emirates and across the globe to engage in in-depth discussions about the evolving global economy.

The Leadership through Global Change Summit convenes government agencies, private companies, non-governmental organizations, and more to help ensure that educational institutions are preparing individuals to lead collaboratively and with agility through dramatic global transformations, from navigating the impact of a global pandemic to climate change to technological innovations.

The spirit of the summit is in line with NYU President Linda G. Mills’ vision for a dynamic future built on innovation and collaboration. “[Universities] live at the frontier, at the edge of the unknown … At NYU, we provide more than an education, because our tradition is the future,” said Mills during her inauguration in November 2023.

“We hold this yearly summit to address the current zeitgeist, to show how leaders are responding to the rapid change we are experiencing across the globe,” says Noel Anderson, executive director of leadership and innovation at NYU Steinhardt. “NYU Abu Dhabi is located, geographically and intellectually, where much of this transformation is taking place, so it is a perfect place to convene a community of leaders and innovators.”

This unique, two-day, immersive experience of the summit included enriching sessions and hands-on workshops on topics such as the impact of space science on the future of microgravity research and biology; the impact of artificial intelligence on the future of work and the workforce; and a roundtable discussion with tech founders and aspiring entrepreneurs at NYU Abu Dhabi.

Panelists for the Leadership through Global Change Summit included Dr. Jesse Jackson, head of consumer and community banking talent acquisition for JP Morgan Chase; NASA astronaut Dr. Bernard Harris, Jr.; H.E. Omran Sharaf, UAE assistant minister of foreign affairs for advanced science and technology; Dr. May Yap, senior vice president and chief information officer at Jabil; and several faculty and administrators from NYUAD.