Dubai, UAE, 11 March 2015 Building on the success of the first two editions of the event, Dubai Women Establishment (DWE), in collaboration with the Women for Sustainable Growth (W4SG) network and Sweden-based MiL Institute, announced the launch of the 3rd Women Leadership Exchange Program. The Program, the first of its kind in the Middle East, aims to enhance the leadership capabilities of women in the UAE through the sharing of knowledge on sustainable leadership practices and through acquainting them with findings of the latest research in the field of leadership and cross-cultural communication while exploring new approaches to learning and development.

Noting that Emirati women are an integral part of the development process in the UAE, Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Women Establishment, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, UAE said, Grounded in the steadfast belief of our wise leadership that UAE women deserve the right to occupy high positions according to their capabilities and qualifications, the Women Leadership Exchange Program furthers Dubai Women Establishment's agenda to provide promising female leaders with the tools, experiences and international exposure that would to guide them towards discovering and fulfilling their potential as a leader and change maker."

She continued, "The commencement of the 3rd edition of this program is a testament to its growing impact and success as a platform for UAE women to represent their Nation and highlight the active role UAE women play in the nation-building process. This aspect has evolved into a key area of focus especially after the success of the first and second editions of the program, the fruitful results of which were represented in the graduation of 24 Emirati women leaders from the program, with five of the graduates nominated to be Members of the Board of W4SG."

The third edition of the program will feature 15 Emirati women from the government and private sectors and will be held over two phases; the first phase will take place from 31 May 7 June 2015 in the Swedish cities of Klippan and Malmo. During this time, participants will attempt to project a positive and respectable image of Emirati women through a number of field visits related to their professions, where they will have the opportunity to meet and interact with pioneering Swedish leaders from various fields. The second phase of the program will take place in the UAE in November 2015 in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah. This week-long phase will aim to promote the self-development and team management capabilities of participants and will also involve practical applications of their learnings and experiences within a team environment to measure their leadership progress.

Participants will also receive membership to the DWE and the W4SG Hub a network for leaders in academia, business and society within the Gulf Region and Scandinavia for access to research, capacity programs and business development support. Registration is open to Emirati women professionals with 5 to 10 years experience in leadership positions with sufficient leadership skills and a high ability to exchange experiences, taking into consideration that English is the primary language of communication in the program.

As every year, the organizing committee will vet the resumes received to choose the best 15 applicants. Personal interviews will be held to ensure eligibility of the participants.