Dr. Mutasim Nour, Director of MSc Energy, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot- Watt University Dubai 

The usage of green energy has soared in the Middle East in recent years, highlighting the region’s futuristic and sustainable approach to socio-economic growth. According to a report by Rystad Energy, by 2050 renewable energy sources, including hydro, solar, and wind are expected to constitute a staggering 70 percent of the region’s power generation mix – a massive jump from the five percent recorded at the end of 2023.  The UAE stands out in particular, ranking 10th globally in per capita solar capacity in 2023, with an impressive 708 watts per capita as per the World Future Energy Summit 2025 report. From a modest 12 MW in 2012 to an ambitious 6.1 GW in 2023, the UAE’s solar capacity has grown rapidly.  Saudi Arabia is also making significant progress in this domain, with over 17 major renewable projects producing 41.2 million MWh annually that are aimed at fulfilling nearly 66 percent of residential energy needs.

These diversification efforts are accelerators of economic development as well as environmental well-being. However, green energy relies on variables that often fluctuate such as temperature, season, and wind intensity. This makes balancing supply and demand a complicated task requiring innovative solutions. The most promising one has been found in Smart Grids, which are an upgraded version of the traditional power network. These grids use digital technologies to monitor, predict, and respond to energy demand in real time, and enable two-way interactions where consumers can also produce energy (through solar panels, for example) and feed it back into the system. Their components include an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), grid automation and control, energy storage, and demand response programs that help them deliver superior results.

Smart grids are more flexible, efficient, and reliable compared to traditional grids and have helped significantly strengthen the renewable energy infrastructure in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, for instance, has been developing AI-powered smart grids to integrate renewable energy and modernise infrastructure as part of its Vision 2030 initiative.  It has already automated 32% of its electricity distribution network and installed more than 11 million smart meters to further meet its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.

The UAE has also emerged as a pioneer in renewable energy innovation. Under the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, the nation aims to triple its renewable energy contributions by 2030 and achieve a 50 percent clean energy mix by 2050, aided by a substantial investment of AED150-200 billion.   The Department of Energy in Abu Dhabi also recently announced the first legally binding clean and renewable energy target in the Middle East called the Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035. This regulatory framework dictates that 60 per cent of the emirate’s electricity will be generated from clean and renewable sources by 2035, and there will be up to 75 per cent reduction in carbon emissions per MWh produced by the electricity sector. Energy storage solutions to achieve this goal, due to which the Department of Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the State Grid Corporation of China to build a strong and highly efficient smart energy and power system.

 In Dubai, progress in green energy is being led by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), which has executed a $1.9 billion smart-grid initiative to deliver high standards of reliability and energy management. The smart grid initiative has helped DEWA achieve some remarkable outcomes: in 2023, line losses in electricity transmission and distribution networks were reduced to 2 percent, compared to 6-7 percent in Europe and the US. Additionally, water network losses dropped to 4.6 percent, significantly lower than approximately 15 percent reported in North America.

Even as smart grids transform the energy landscape, there are challenges that hinder the ability to effectively scale them up. These include:

• Technical interoperability: Smart Grids run on a complex mix of sensors, meters, and communication devices that are often made by different manufacturers. Ensuring that all data between these components is compatible and integrated correctly is often a difficult feat.    
• Cybersecurity: The reliance on digital communications and internet-based technologies in Smart Grids bring a new set of challenges with them. There is increased vulnerability to cyber-attacks that can lead to power outages, data breaches, and even structural damage to grid infrastructure.
• Regulatory barriers: Current regulations and policies often need to be adapted for the dynamism of smart grids. A clear and streamlined framework makes adoption easier and attracts investments into this technology.
•  Consumer awareness: Consumers can be skeptical of the advantages a smart grid presents, especially due to data privacy concerns and doubts regarding wireless communication. Initiatives like community education and incentivisation can go a long way in increasing consumer acceptance and support.

Smart grids also depend on a high initial investment and regular infrastructure upgrades to function properly. To address these challenges, governments across the world must formulate a comprehensive strategy that outlines the investment, infrastructure, and education required for smart grid networks in their region. A streamlined approach and clear objectives can revolutionise green energy integration and help mitigate climate change. With smart grids, consumers are empowered to become a part of the energy ecosystem and foster a culture of conservation and sustainability.

Professor Fiona Robson,

Head of the School of Social Sciences & Edinburgh Business School

HR is no longer just about recruitment and retention – there is a growing trend towards taking a more creative and innovative approach. This can involve looking at talent through different lenses rather than seeing it as a hierarchical talent management process focusing on vertical promotions within the organization.

In an age where HR rightly have a seat at the strategic table for decision making, they have the opportunity to ensure that appropriate levels of funding and expertise are used to develop a forward-looking talent strategy that goes beyond the norm. Artificial intelligence (AI) brings a plethora of opportunities for organisations to be braver in how they identify potential talent. Using AI to identify talent can be a useful starting point but when it comes to areas such as innovation and identifying an entrepreneurial mindset, it may be more difficult to pinpoint the traits which could indicate potential to innovate.

Where HR teams start to consider and plot non-traditional pathways they may be able to recruit and retain employees with diverse skillsets. Taking an entrepreneurial path opens up the talent pool as it isn’t as focused on people looking at the next hierarchical step up within the organisation. This is important as there are usually resource constraints about how many vacancies are available to fill at the highest pay grades in the organisation. These new pathways should provide opportunities for women to shine in different types of projects and recognise the strategic importance of creative thinking and innovation.

Providing testing opportunities

Depending on the level of finance available there are some additional resources that could be provided. Innovation sprints or challenges can be a great way to test out ideas and receive feedback from different groups of stakeholders. They may facilitate prototyping and identify issues that were not previously considered. Internal technology venture labs can also provide a safe environment to test out ideas and proof of concept. Collaborating with Universities who are experienced in running labs and sprints can be very beneficial, they may also have access to funding to support the development of new products and services. However, in order to be truly successful, they need to ensure that there is a sustainable follow up process before the momentum deflates.

Inclusive Procurement and Equitable IP Policies

Organisations can seek to lead the way and exhibit good practice by reviewing their procurement policies where practicable to ensure that they are inclusive. Examples may include having provision for flexible payment terms which would make it easier for those at the beginning of their entrepreneurship journey. Access to specialist support which could help women to set up their businesses in a more timely way could also break down some of the perceived barriers. Often the processes around procurement can be rather cumbersome so the provision of training which shows exactly how to navigate it could be helpful. Forward looking organisations might seek to approve a process whereby women entrepreneurs are given priority with their applications.

For many women, even thinking about intellectual property (IP) and patents can seem overwhelming if they have never had exposure to this world before. The introduction of simplified processes could act as a springboard to attract more women, particularly if the timeline can be expedited so that there is a shorter gap between the initial idea and when it is approved. Having access to real case studies showing how this happens would also be reassuring. In large organisations, the HR team may be able to encourage the legal team to provide some initial advice so that prospective entrepreneurs get a realistic insight into whether their proposal has merit or not.

Commercial Advantage Through Policy

HR can make a name for itself by encouraging innovation through widening participation and breaking down barriers to encourage, support and recognise innovation. For some HR professionals this may be quite a shift for them so they may also require some reskilling and retraining.

It would be good practice for organisations to regularly review their HR policies to ensure that they reflect the changing eco-system and that there are appropriate diversity clauses within the library of policies, procedures and practices. As part of this, ensuring that there is awareness of bias and how this can sneak into processes unconsciously and inadvertently disadvantage women. The establishment of women’s networks would be a proactive approach and could help them at all of the different stages of developing and executing their entrepreneurial ideas.

Providing funding opportunities may be one of the most impactful decisions that an organisation can make. Obviously this would need to have transparent parameters around it but it could be the difference between an idea being turned into practice or not. If the funding allocation is governed by stakeholders with appropriate expertise in different areas i.e. finance, law, governance and people, this would reduce the organisational risk of investing in small new businesses. Where there isn’t a potential conflict of interest, organisations could also make a significant impact by facilitating market entry and opening doors within networks and supply chains.

Professor Fiona Robson, Head of the School of Social Sciences and Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University Dubai

Universities have a responsibility to prepare students for their future career in terms of both skills and knowledge. In an increasingly technological world, managers of the future need to understand the capabilities of HR tech as well as being able to use it.

Exposing students to HR tech platforms can help to prepare them for their future career in HR in terms of skills but also understanding what is going on in the HR space – understanding the priorities and why use of technology is growing. Being familiar and comfortable with HR tech might help them to stand out in the graduate marketplace and from an employer’s perspective could help them hit the ground running. Being able to analyse data to inform organisational decisions is critical and HR tech gives them the ability to get good data and then learn how to use it to make appropriate data-driven decisions.

Real play rather than role play is particularly helpful for students as the learning is more meaningful, and they can visualise what would happen in the workplace. Therefore, using software which is being used in real organisations will add great value to their learning experience and what their future role might involve. Where University academics have strong relationships with industry, they may be able to use real data so that the students get a realistic experience and understand the complexity of what organisations have to contend with.

Where the HR tech has the capability to provide commentary based on the student performance in using it, this is a further source of information of formative feedback which helps students with their academic and personal development. Developing students’ confidence in using tech should not be underestimated as if they have the knowledge but are afraid to use it, their impact will be limited. Ideally, organisations are looking for graduates who are comfortable in learning to use new programmes and understand some of the teething troubles that can emerge when introducing new tech.

Involving HR professionals within the classroom adds significant value to students and helps them to understand the diverse nature of working in an HR team. Therefore where learning to use the HR tech platform can be married with having an HR professional to talk  them through how it can be used and the impact of using it, this would further strengthen their learning and experience. There can also be benefits for HR professionals, as they can gain perspectives from students that may differ from those they encounter in the workplace—particularly if they are interested in potential generational differences. Sharing their own knowledge and skills and presenting to University students can also be very beneficial to the personal and professional development of the HR professional.

Organisations are ideally looking for graduates who are confident in using technology and open to trying new systems and ideas, and therefore, if they have been exposed to different types of tech, this could give them an advantage. They can also learn about some of the wider things about technology implementation – for example, issues around ethics as well as the data protection and legal implications of having access to sensitive and confidential information.

Opening Doors with Internships

Internship programmes provide great insights into the industry and allow students to see the links between theory and practice. It also enables them to see all of the different internal and external factors which can have an impact on organisations, and this can be very eye-opening for them. Understanding the roles of different stakeholders is usually one of the key learning points from internships.

In the classroom, we can teach students the theory about organisational culture and individual and team dynamics; however, an internship is where they can see what this actually looks like. Being able to observe how different departments collaborate may help them to make sense of some of the topics they have studied as part of their degree programme.

We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of learning to build relationships in the workplace and to recognise and respond to issues like organisational politics. For some students, exposure to an internship can help cement their career aspirations in identifying which areas of business they find most interesting, and for some students they will be attracted to roles that they may previously not have been aware of.

As most businesses now have an international aspect, it is also valuable for interns to learn about the different angles of internationalisation and what this means for people in their day-to-day activities. Typically they may recognise it is common for organisations to have international customers but may not have considered international supply chains and the complexities of having employees in different countries which operate under different jurisdictions. It may also reiterate the importance of developing the cross cultural skills that they are taught by their lecturers.

If students’ internships are successful and they are identified as being potential talent of the future, the organisation may begin a longer-term relationship with them. For example, they may allow them to focus their dissertation within the organisation or offering them a job once they graduate.