Desert to Digital: UAE and the Arabian Peninsula’s Transition to an Innovation-Based Society

General Description

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the broader Arabian Peninsula region, leveraging heritage from traditional livelihoods like pastoral nomadism, pearl diving, and maritime trade, are strategically using modern energy resources to build knowledge-based economies. Guided by national vision programs, Gulf nations seek to balance rapid economic growth and innovation with rich cultural traditions. This seminar examines these strategic transformations through lectures, guest speakers, site visits, and case studies of Dubai’s urban innovation, Abu Dhabi’s leadership initiatives, Al Ain’s diverse cultural heritage sites, Saudi Arabia’s large-scale national development strategy, and Oman’s measured approach to sustainable growth. Students will gain an interdisciplinary understanding of the cultural, historical, economic, and social factors shaping the region’s evolution, with a primary focus on the UAE.

Learning Goals

By the end of the program, students will be able to:

1. Identify key pre-oil influences on the UAE and Arabian Peninsula;
2. analyze current policy initiatives, economic diversification strategies, and technology research approaches driving shifts from energy-based to innovation-led economies;
3. evaluate how cutting-edge development projects intersect with local customs, religious traditions, and the experiences of immigrant workers who provide much of the labor force;
4. compare the approaches of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman in fostering modernization and distinguish points of regional cooperation and competition; and
5. articulate ethical, societal, and environmental trade-offs in rapid modernization while centering other perspectives beyond their own cultural background.

Living and Travel Conditions

Student accommodations will be in three-star or better hotels in Dubai, UAE (16 nights) and Muscat, Oman (5 nights), with one overnight stay in Al Ain, UAE. Travel to/from most site visits and other locations will be via pre-arranged shuttle bus/coach transportation, with potential occasional travel via public transit, taxi, or ride-sharing services. Students should be aware that the program's schedule from late August to mid-September represents late summer conditions in the Gulf region, characterized by extremely high temperatures often exceeding 40 °C (104°F) and significant humidity levels. Students will need to prepare for intense heat and humidity that may limit outdoor activities during midday hours, necessitate frequent hydration and sun protection, and require lightweight, breathable, and culturally appropriate clothing. All accommodations and transportation will be climate-controlled, and the itinerary has been designed with weather considerations in mind, though students should expect a possible adjustment period to the climate upon arrival.

Faculty

Trevor Loy is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Management Science and Engineering and the Stanford Engineering Center for Global & Online Education. Trevor has 20+ years of teaching experience at Stanford and other global research universities. He co-developed and teaches MS&E 276 (Entrepreneurial Management & Finance) and helped establish the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, the entrepreneurship center at Stanford's School of Engineering. Trevor has also taught many courses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait, among other global locations. He and several Stanford faculty recently collaborated with the UAE Ministry of Higher Education to create a core semester-long undergraduate course on innovation & entrepreneurship for universities across the Gulf region. Trevor is also Founder & Managing Partner of Flywheel Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital firm investing in emerging regions. As a former director of the U.S. National Venture Capital Association, he has advised a wide variety of U.S. and foreign government officials on innovation and economic policy. Trevor holds a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering and an MS in MS&E from Stanford. As an undergraduate, he attended the Stanford overseas study program in Kyoto, Japan.

Grading Basis

Letter Grade