The IIWA 2020 is elated to present Ms. Mariam Shaikh with Lifetime Achievement Award for Woman in Non-Profit to commend her for her resilience, influence and brilliance.
Some among many fight for what’s right, they set that vision of where we could be—and then they go after it. Ms. Mariam is one of those few.
Ms. Mariam Shaikh has dedicated 35 years to the Gulf Region as an educationist, and her contribution is nothing short of par excellence, and reads like a Saga given the landmark goals she has achieved in the GCC and Internationally keeping consistently upbeat from the time Dubai decided that it is going be the Educational Hub of the Region. The most recent position she held was as Vice President of AMITY University for their Dubai Campus. She started small in the early 80’s with her own Nursery School and has not looked back since. She went on to head many schools as their Principal and when big changes were happening in UAE in the field of Higher Education, she quickly moved on to target the International market. Subsequently, she sponsored a Foreign Campus for The University of New Brunswick at Knowledge Village, which was a pioneering move to encourage foreign Universities to set up their campuses in Dubai. She moved fast and up securing important key positions with various other renowned educational institutes like The Canadian University of Dubai, The Heriot Watt University from Scotland and contributed actively towards the successful development of these institutions foreign campuses, that saw the transformation in Dubai right from the initial launch of the Knowledge Village to the present Academic City.
She has spoken at several Conferences and News channels, foreign & local, to offer the world class educational facilities that have been established at the Academic City. She has travelled extensively in the region as a Brand Ambassador, individually, as well as in a delegation, with various education agendas, and has contributed relentlessly to establishing Dubai as the educational hub that dispenses world class education from this region, through various world renowned international institutions.
She is very passionate about her work and socially active. She has held the position of President of the Indian Ladies Association and is an active member of the Canadian Business Council. She strongly believes in the development of society through education, its value system, to leave a profound legacy for the future generation. She is of the opinion that international exposure and amalgamation of various cultures will help to create a tolerant and peaceful global society that will be progressive and will establish a future. Recently in March 2019, she was awarded the GCC Woman of the Year Award for Leadership and she continues to strive forward for the students globally assisting them to achieve their dreams and aspirations.
We are honoured to present her with an IIWA 2020 award and acclaim her perseverance fuelled success.