Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: Dubai is set to host the second edition of the MEA Future Leaders Challenge (FLC) from January 23 to 26 at the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management (EAHM).
The FLC Live Finals will bring together approximately 130 participants from 24 hospitality and tourism schools across the Middle East and Africa region. In collaboration with GameChangers Community and Hilton MEA, the event aims to engage students in addressing significant industry challenges, enhance talent development, and foster collaboration among regional industry leaders.
Held under the patronage of Hotelier Middle East, the FLC serves as a platform to unite industry leaders, students, and universities, promoting transformative collaborations and initiatives to enhance education quality, talent development, and human capital focus. Hubert Ummels, one of the founding partners of FLC, emphasises the platform’s role in driving collaborative efforts to shape the future of education and talent in the hospitality sector.
Participants from colleges and universities across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Mauritius, and Seychelles will collaborate in pre-assigned groups to develop and present solutions for industry challenges identified by the FLC Advisory Board.
The event offers a unique opportunity for human resources executives from leading industry players and school directors to align curricula with industry needs and connect with regional talent, ensuring the relevance of education to industry requirements.
Jeroen Greven, a founding partner of FLC and managing director at EAHM, emphasises the programme’s role in nurturing talent and shaping the future architects of the hospitality landscape.
The FLC competition, initiated in April 2023, involved elimination rounds to determine the schools advancing to the semi-finals and finals. From September to December 2023, selected students participated in an online educational course guided by industry experts to prepare for strategic presentations on assigned topics during the live finale event in Dubai.
The competition aims to address critical industry challenges, and the winning team, evaluated by expert HR executives in the semi-finals and the FLC Advisory Board in the finals, will be declared the FLC winner.