The United Arab Emirates (UAE): UAE's Trailblazing Role in the Global Sharing Economy

In a world where population size often dictates economic clout, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is second to China in the global sharing economy. The UAE population of 10.17 million remarkably positions itself as a dynamo next to China—a country boasting 1.46 billion souls. The ranking isn't just a whimsical statistic. The Gitnux 2023 Sharing Economy report testifies to the UAE's staggering performance. But to comprehend this surprising feat, we must embark on a journey through the transformative realm of the sharing economy.

The term 'sharing economy' has evolved from a buzzword to a societal staple. In essence, it's about individuals swapping goods and services for cash. However, its implications ripple far beyond this simplicity. It has redesigned our pathways to places and people, emphasizing sustainability. The Gitnux report not only spotlights the sharing feats of nations but also suggests that we're on the cusp of a significant global shift. And leading the future of the worldwide sharing economy is the UAE.

The Evolving Landscape of Ownership

Recall the businesses making headlines over the past decade. Uber, a name synonymous with taxis, surprisingly doesn't own a single car. Facebook, our daily dose of digital content, doesn't create its lion's share. Then there's Alibaba, the retail leviathan, working without an inventory. And who can overlook Airbnb? It has transformed travel experiences without owning real estate.

All these might sound paradoxical initially, but they encapsulate the seismic shift in how we perceive business ownership. Our societal fabric has been rewoven so tightly with these concepts that earlier unimaginable practices—like staying at a stranger's house during travels—have become second nature today.

Education Meets Sharing: The Dawn of Shared Learning

Now, let's picture Aisha, a young student in Abu Dhabi. She's passionate about astrophysics, a subject unfortunately not offered at her school. A few years ago, she would have to wait for her school to provide the course. But in a shared economy, Aisha logs into a platform, coordinates with her school advisor, and—like magic—enrolls in an asynchronous astrophysics course in another institution.

The opportunity to share courses across schools isn't a fragment of some utopian fiction. Platforms like Acadeum have brought this vision to life. With its inception in 2016, Acadeum is now a nexus for 1.5 million students. It has bridged educational gaps for over 40,000 pupils across 500 diverse institutions. Today, we're sharing courses through such platforms, but imagine a tomorrow where we might witness global educational behemoths devoid of brick-and-mortar classrooms. The riddle might sound baffling, but isn't that what we thought about Uber without cars or Airbnb without homes?

At this exciting juncture, the promise of the sharing economy on education is undeniable. Evolving from hailing a ride to mastering a new subject has the power to reshape our world. Pioneers like the UAE are leading visions to enhance education by providing inclusive digital education solutions for students globally to access learning anytime and anywhere. The future horizons for the sharing economy for education are more expansive today. Combining the UAE's vision for education and Acadeum’s ability to facilitate course sharing creates dynamic, digital, innovative learning connections across the UAE and beyond.

Sources:

• The Battle For the Customer Interface - TechCrunch
• Must-Know Sharing Economy Statistics - Gitnux
• United Arab Emirates Population Statistics - GMI
• United Arab Emirates - The World Factbook
• Emirates News Agency - WAM 1395303196353

About the collaborating authors:

Noor Akbari, Matthew Christensen & Jenni Kincaid 

Noor Akbari is the Co-founder and CEO of Rosalyn AI, a trailblazing AI proctoring platform aimed at democratizing education and safeguarding academic integrity in online assessments.

Matthew is a senior innovation fellow at the SHIP Foundation, an education entrepreneur and legal technologist focused on emerging and frontier markets. Matthew co-founded an education technology startup in Thailand that mentors young entrepreneurs in environmental sustainability and advises law firms on their A.I. integration strategies. He recently completed a year-long research project in East Africa focused on leveraging emerging technologies to address digital skills gaps and increase youth employment with a grant awarded by the SHIP Foundation. 

Jenni is the founder of the SHIP Foundation and a global education leader with over 20 years of experience across education, government, and industry sectors. She has spent ten years living in the Middle East and working on large-scale education projects worldwide. Jenni is a certified teacher, principal, and superintendent in the United States and is a qualified education assessor and internal and external verifier in the United Kingdom. She holds a Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University, Peabody College of Education and Human Development in Nashville, Tennessee.