The Grow Forward Initiative Begins: Futures Thinking in Hospitality with Dr. Sanjay Nadkarni
27 April 2026
The much-awaited Grow Forward Initiative has officially begun at Plekhanov University in Dubai! Dr. Sanjay Nadkarni opened the initiative with the session “Futures Thinking for Hospitality Professionals.”
Grow Forward is a part of the University’s continuing contribution towards the UAE community. We believe that learning opportunities should be accessible, and that, in times of change, people should not feel alone in finding direction. This cost-free initiative supports the professionals, parents, and educators of the UAE community with skills and knowledge that will help them navigate change with confidence. It runs across three tracks: Business Innovation, Family and AI Literacy, and Languages, from April to June 2026. The sessions are delivered on our campus, in a setting built for learning and growth. With this initiative, we affirm that knowledge, skills, and community are not privileges, but a foundation.
Dr. Nadkarni’s session was a highly interactive and engaging experience that explored risk mitigation and the ideas of possible, plausible, and desirable futures. Dr. Nadkarni focused on how participants can integrate AI into hospitality workflows, identify opportunities, and what to actually do once an opportunity is identified. With such a thought-provoking topic, the questions and ideas kept coming, and the session ended up extending beyond its allocated time with engaging discussions. This showed a genuine interest in the subject among the participants.
What’s Next?
This is just the beginning. More sessions are ahead for professionals, parents, educators, and students. Each session will offer practical insights from experienced experts. The upcoming sessions are:
• April 28th: Design Thinking for Real Estate Professionals
• May 2nd: AI Literacy for Parents: The Classroom
• May 7th: Basic Arabic for Business
• May 8th: AI Literacy for Teachers: AI Tools for Feedback
Want to gain practical tools and knowledge that can accelerate your professional and personal growth journeys? Click here to explore the full Grow Forward agenda and choose the session for you.
Grow Forward is a part of the University’s continuing contribution towards the UAE community. We believe that learning opportunities should be accessible, and that, in times of change, people should not feel alone in finding direction. This cost-free initiative supports the professionals, parents, and educators of the UAE community with skills and knowledge that will help them navigate change with confidence. It runs across three tracks: Business Innovation, Family and AI Literacy, and Languages, from April to June 2026. The sessions are delivered on our campus, in a setting built for learning and growth. With this initiative, we affirm that knowledge, skills, and community are not privileges, but a foundation.
Dr. Nadkarni’s session was a highly interactive and engaging experience that explored risk mitigation and the ideas of possible, plausible, and desirable futures. Dr. Nadkarni focused on how participants can integrate AI into hospitality workflows, identify opportunities, and what to actually do once an opportunity is identified. With such a thought-provoking topic, the questions and ideas kept coming, and the session ended up extending beyond its allocated time with engaging discussions. This showed a genuine interest in the subject among the participants.
What’s Next?
This is just the beginning. More sessions are ahead for professionals, parents, educators, and students. Each session will offer practical insights from experienced experts. The upcoming sessions are:
• April 28th: Design Thinking for Real Estate Professionals
• May 2nd: AI Literacy for Parents: The Classroom
• May 7th: Basic Arabic for Business
• May 8th: AI Literacy for Teachers: AI Tools for Feedback
Want to gain practical tools and knowledge that can accelerate your professional and personal growth journeys? Click here to explore the full Grow Forward agenda and choose the session for you.
