An Emirati student who helped give nearly 400,000 Dubai pupils a stronger voice in education is now taking that experience to a global stage.
Moza Ahmed, chairperson of Dubai’s first Students Council, has been selected for the inaugural Global Youth Council Fellowship, where she will represent the UAE among a cohort of young people from around the world.
The Grade 12 student at the American School of Creative Science in Nad Al Sheba was elected the first chairperson of the Dubai Students Council, launched by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) under the City of Students initiative within Dubai’s Education 33 (E33) strategy. For Moza, the international fellowship comes after a year spent bringing together student voices from across Dubai’s private education sector.
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From Dubai’s first Students Council to a global platform
The Dubai Students Council brought together 16 students from 16 private schools, representing six curricula and nine nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Members were selected from nominations submitted by 90 private schools, collectively representing nearly 400,000 students.
The council was designed to create a direct channel between students and KHDA, allowing young people to share their views and contribute to programmes, policies and initiatives affecting their education.
During its first academic year, members held 16 internal meetings, launched interactive platforms to gather student feedback and developed a monthly newsletter to communicate with the wider student community.
For Moza, the experience changed how she viewed student leadership.
“Representing nearly 400,000 students showed me the incredible diversity of voices, perspectives, and aspirations that make up Dubai’s student community. It taught me that meaningful participation is not only about listening to young people, but also about trusting them and giving them genuine responsibility,” she said.
Leading the council also exposed her to perspectives beyond her own school community and strengthened her ability to engage in dialogue and advocate on issues affecting students across Dubai.
“Being elected chairperson of Dubai’s first Students Council was about much more than developing leadership skills. It allowed me to experience first-hand what ‘Dubai-It’ means in practice and how ambitious ideas can be transformed into action,” she said.
‘The journey continues beyond Dubai’
Moza will now join the founding cohort of the Global Youth Council, an international youth leadership initiative for 16- to 18-year-olds established by T4 Education.
The year-long fellowship brings together young people from different countries and cultural backgrounds, with a focus on leadership, vision, community engagement, communication and collaboration. It includes virtual engagement, mentoring, collaborative projects and an international summit.
As part of the inaugural cohort, Moza will help shape the council during its formative stage and contribute to its future direction.
“The Dubai Students Council gave me a voice, but more importantly, it taught me what that voice can represent. Today, that journey continues beyond Dubai through my participation in the inaugural Global Youth Council Fellowship, where I will carry the spirit of ‘Dubai-It’ to an international platform,” she said.
For Moza, the fellowship is also an opportunity to exchange experiences with young people from other countries while sharing Dubai’s approach to youth participation.
“This is an opportunity to share the values that have shaped my experience of youth participation in Dubai, including innovation, leadership, and turning ideas into action. It is also a chance to learn from young people around the world while sharing Dubai’s experience with them,” she said.
Sarah Hollis, Principal of the American School of Creative Science in Nad Al Sheba, said Moza would take the confidence and responsibility gained through her student leadership journey to an international audience.
“We are proud to see her take the confidence, responsibility, and experience she has gained through this journey to an international platform. She will be an outstanding ambassador for Emirati students and for Dubai’s commitment to empowering young people and involving them in shaping the present as well as the future,” she said.
Moza was selected following a competitive admissions process. Organisers said she demonstrated intellectual curiosity, conviction and the potential to contribute meaningfully to the world around her.
The fellowship will give her the opportunity to continue that work beyond Dubai, while contributing to an international network of young people focused on leadership and youth participation.
Source: Khaleej Times
