United Arab Emirates, December 2023 – K-12 schools across the UAE werethe staging ground for a remarkable showcase of student creativity and commitment to core values, as evidenced in the recently concluded Integrity Short Movie Competition for Sub Seniors and the Ascot Design Competition for the Junior category.
Organized by ENAI WG Centre for Academic Integrity in the UAE during the Asia-Middle East Africa Conference on Academic and Research Integrity 2023, to emphasize the vital role of integrity in education and personal development, these competitions inspired students to express themselves artistically while adhering to ethical principles. The competitions challenged students to reflect deeply on values such as honesty, fairness, trust, courage, respect, and responsibility.
Integrity Short Movie Competition Students from Grades 7 to 9 participated in the "Integrity in Me" movie competition, creating 90-second short films that portray how they incorporate integrity into their daily school life and interactions with friends. The winning entry, produced by Sahil Khan and Ibrahim Qureshi from Al Diyafah High School, brilliantly captured these themes, and can be viewed here. The runners-up, Dhanya Devadiga, Vidhi Jhaveri, and Sahana Kulkarni from The Millennium School, Dubai, also demonstrated exceptional talent with their entry, available here.
Mascot Design Competition In the Junior category, students from Grades 5 to 6 competed in the "My Integrity Mascot" poster competition. They were tasked with creating hand-drawn A3-sized posters of a mascot that embodies one of the academic integrity values to inspire their school community. Akash Razib Khan emerged as the winner, captivating the judges with a creative and insightful design that vividly represented the spirit of the competition.
"The quality and depth of the submissions were astounding. It is incredibly encouraging to see such young students articulate and champion the values of integrity through their artistic expressions," commented Dr Sonja Bjelobaba, Vice President of European Network for Academic Integrity, during the award ceremony.
These events not only highlight the artistic and ethical capacities of UAE's youth but also reinforce the educational community's commitment to nurturing these important values.
We extend our congratulations to all the participants and winners for their inspiring work and express our gratitude to the judges and sponsors for their support in making these events a grand success.
