Ahmed Abdelwahab writes: "Aisha Miran: A Pioneering Model for Empowering Arab Women in Leadership."

I recently came across an article on Forbes Middle East about the top 20 most influential Arab women in leadership positions within government institutions (excluding ministerial and parliamentary roles). The UAE topped the list with 11 prominent names، among them Her Excellency Aisha Miran، Director-General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai، who ranked 10th.
This news brought me great joy، as، through my work in the private education sector in Dubai، I am well aware of her significant efforts in developing the educational process. I have also had the honor of meeting her at various conferences and school visits، where I witnessed firsthand her leadership skills and human qualities in her interactions with students and teachers.
Since part of my mission is to share professional experiences between the UAE، Egypt، and other Arab countries، I am writing this article to spread valuable insights and highlight inspiring leadership examples in the Arab world.

A Leadership Journey Full of Achievements

Aisha Miran is one of the prominent young female leaders in the UAE، responsible for private education in Dubai، which encompasses 230 private schools and serves approximately 387،500 students. Her appointment to this position was no coincidence; it came as a result of exceptional academic achievements and over 22 years of relentless practical experience.
Miran holds an MBA from the American University of Sharjah and an Executive Diploma in Public Administration from the National University of Singapore. She is also a graduate of the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development. Through her work at the Executive Council of Dubai، she has played a pivotal role in developing strategic initiatives that have strengthened Dubai’s global standing. Here، I whisper to every dedicated individual: Exceptional leaders do not emerge by chance; rather، they are shaped through education، hard work، and the refinement of their talents. This necessitates cultivating leadership skills from the earliest stages of education.
 

Leadership in Education

In 2024، Her Excellency Aisha Miran took the helm of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai، the body responsible for private education in the emirate. Miran believes that what distinguishes this sector is its diversity، flexibility، and high quality، all of which she seeks to enhance through the implementation of the Dubai Education Strategy 2033.
This strategy focuses on enabling all students to access high-quality education and bringing about a transformative shift in the educational system through 28 major initiatives 
covering all educational stages. It also promotes lifelong learning and supports effective partnerships with parents، in line with the UAE's vision of building a knowledge- and innovation-driven economy.

Building Partnerships to Empower Students and Enhance Education Quality
Her Excellency Aisha Miran shares the UAE’s vision that education is the key driver for building a sustainable future. During her participation in the “Youth for Sustainability” forum at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center، she emphasized the importance of empowering young people، reaffirming Dubai's commitment to innovation and sustainable development to ensure equal opportunities for all students.
In this context، Miran has worked diligently to establish strategic partnerships with both local and international educational institutions to create a supportive environment for students. This has been reflected in initiatives such as offering exceptional services to students in the Hamdan bin Mohammed Scholarship Program and attracting prestigious educational institutions to enhance Dubai’s position as a global educational hub.
Focus on Students: Psychological، Physical، and Academic Support
A close look at the activities of Her Excellency Aisha Miran and her team reveals that human connection with students is one of the key areas of focus. She strives to build successful relationships on both academic and personal levels، while providing a supportive environment for students with disabilities. The integration of technology into education and the promotion of individualized learning are also core elements of the Authority’s strategies.
Believing in the importance of students’ overall well-being، Miran and her team pay special attention to their mental and physical health through programs like the “Dubai Fitness Challenge،” which encourages physical fitness and mental balance in schools، alongside mental health awareness through workshops and continuous awareness programs.

Promoting Arab and Islamic Culture in a Multicultural Environment
Aisha Miran places great importance on supporting cultural diversity in a multicultural educational environment like Dubai، where a climate of tolerance and openness to different cultures prevails. However، globalization presents challenges related to preserving national identity and promoting Arab and Islamic culture. This has made encouraging students to use the Arabic language a central part of the Authority’s strategies.
I still remember her inspiring words to our students during her visit to our school: 
"Be proud of our Arabic language، our cultures، and our heritage."
In line with this approach، the KHDA، under Miran's leadership، has worked to build strategic cultural partnerships، the most notable of which is the collaboration with the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department، which has enabled more than 4،000 students in Dubai to participate in cultural and interactive activities aimed at strengthening their connection to their language and national identity. Among these initiatives are the "Generations" program، "Al-Freej Nursery" to enhance cultural awareness and reinforce national identity، and competitions in Quran recitation، poetry، and writing inspired by the “Zayed and Rashid” campaign to promote national identity through literature and poetry.
This approach reflects Miran's deep commitment to protecting the Arabic language and strengthening cultural identity، while promoting values of tolerance and openness to the world، ensuring a balance between modern progress and cultural roots.
Dialogue and Collaboration with the Educational Community
Her Excellency Aisha Miran led the "#Knowledge_Hears" campaign، a pioneering initiative aimed at enhancing communication between the Knowledge and Human Development Authority and the educational community، drawing on diverse “real-world” experiences to develop the education sector in Dubai. The campaign saw over 50 dialogue sessions، bringing together 700 experts and educators، alongside 290 educational institutions. This provided a genuine opportunity to gather opinions from education stakeholders and listen to their suggestions and challenges، contributing to the development of more responsive educational policies to meet the actual needs of the school community.
Supporting Teachers and School Principals
Her Excellency Miran and her team continuously monitor the challenges affecting teachers' performance in schools through surveys and inspection visits، aiming to identify the key challenges they face. She believes that empowering students starts with outstanding teachers.
In this regard، I still remember her inspiring speech at the Arabic Language and Islamic Education Conference at Dubai College، where she spoke about the profound impact teachers have had on her life، mentioning that she still recalls her childhood teacher and her role in shaping her awareness and love for knowledge. She added that teachers are the backbone of the educational process and the key to student development. This stance reflects Miran’s deep appreciation for the role of teachers in building future generations.
A Successful Model for Empowering Arab Women
Her Excellency Aisha Miran’s journey represents an inspiring model for empowering women in leadership. She embodies the UAE’s commitment to providing equal opportunities for women across all fields، giving women in the Arab region a strong motivation to succeed in leadership and education. The continued efforts of Miran and her team will contribute to enhancing Dubai’s status as a global educational center، reaffirming that education is the most powerful tool for empowering future generations.

A Thank You Message to Every Woman

The success of Aisha Miran and all Arab women leaders is a message of gratitude to every woman in her position، for the determination and persistence she demonstrates day after day in building her community، family، and world. You are a source of strength، innovation، and creativity، a bridge of hope for the future.