The United Arab Emirates University, the flagship institution with an independent pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, has revealed the pavilion façade design built on the theme of the ‘University of the Future’ (UoF), a new model of education which is focused on preparing the next generation in solving employability challenges, by transforming the youth from ‘job seekers’ to ‘job creators’ with the Pathfinders Program and the Institute of the Future (IoF) among its central initiatives.

The façade shows a visually distinctive image on the upper panel showcasing three adventurous pathfinders walking in the Arab desert towards the unexplored opportunities, creativity and intellectual education, in a deeper sense, to ‘Discover, Become, and Co-create’ and pointing towards the stars.

UAEU said along with its Expo 2020 team, Todo of Italy had designed the main artwork that expresses the symbolic narratives of the Pathfinders Program of re-imagining the possibilities around humanity’s yet most daring adventure of building and sustaining a human colony on Mars.

The red planet here metaphorically indicates a new beginning for humanity and a source of new ideas for addressing some of Earth’s most complex challenges. The Arab desert echoes the UAE’s valued local landscape, it stated.

UAEU Pavilion Director Dr Sahera Bleibleh said: “We are delighted to unveil the facade wrap that is inspired by a combination of UAE nature, culture and UAEU pavilion journey to symbolically resonate the adventurous spirit of pathfinders. The design captures the quest of pathfinder journey in their futuristic desert towards the aspiration of the glowing sky while seeking a higher goal and better life opportunities for all.”

The lower panel adds to the overall design by displaying several portrait photographs of UAE University students.