30 Below wants to help young high achievers grow

UAE adventure initiative aims to foster leaders of tomorrow.

Moyasar Al Tatari , student of medicine at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences UAE University in Al Ain. Pawan Singh / The National

DUBAI // Diving for pearls and conquering mountains are some of the challenges the next generation of UAE pacesetters face as part of a leadership initiative called 30 Below.

Developed by Australian Josh Hannan, whose Emirati wife, Elham Al Qasimi, became the first UAE national to ski unsupported to the North Pole in 2010, 30 Below is focused on helping young high achievers.

“We want to find the next generation of CEOs who can lead not just industry but society in the UAE into the future,” said Mr Hannan, 30, a resident of Dubai.

“The biggest part of the programme is getting those selected to work as a team and get a plan ready. It doesn’t always go 100 per cent as they hope.

“There is a sense of entitlement with some young people here, so it gets them out of that way of thinking. They have to make unanimous decisions to make the next step in any task they take on.”

Mr Hannan said that straight A grades were not a prerequisite for involvement but those who are well-rounded, able to interact, inspire and lead others were more likely to succeed.

30 Below tapped into the UAE’s history and encouraged Emiratis on the course to reconnect with their heritage.

For instance, they were taken on historic routes through mountains, tried pearl diving, and building a traditional Areesh house made out of palm fronds.

With little information available, students must speak with their elders to discover the correct techniques.

The courses focused on group dynamics, conflict resolution, critical thinking and problem-solving. Responsibility and engagement, goal attainment, communication skills and personal growth are also valuable lessons.

On another course, participants were asked to hack into a drone’s operating system to improve its capabilities.

Once completed, all teams used the drones to find a desert oasis. It took them two days.

Moyasar Al Tatari, a 19-year-old medical student at UAE University in Al Ain, was selected for a course after submitting an essay inspired by one of her favourite books, Frank Donoghue’s The Last Professors.

She joined other students to take on the Stairway to Heaven walk at Wadi Ghalilah in Ras Al Khaimah, a daunting 17-kilometre mountain trek.

“It pushed us to our limits,” she said.

The group left at 3am and did not return until about 6pm. They had to find their own way and stay safe on the route. Although they got lost, they were able to return without incident.

Ms Al Tatari later took part in pearl-diving in Jebel Ali, where she was given the task of leading a group of younger people to test the skills she had learnt.

“I have always wanted to study medicine, and the leadership skills I have learnt and the certificates I have achieved for my resume have helped me achieve that,” she said.