MNU hosts Creative Island Forum

The Maldives National University (MNU) is hosting the Creative Island Forum – focused on building knowledge economies in small island developing states.

The two-day forum kicked off at the Manhattan Business Hotel on Tuesday morning.

At the inauguration ceremony, MNU’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Shehenaz Adam said the university was honored to host the forum.

The keynote speaker, Peter Rudge, an associate professor at the Staffordshire University, told Sun that the forum seeks to provide assistance to nurture a digital industry in countries such as the Maldives, that are heavily reliant on tourism.

The forum seeks to drive economic diversification in countries that are heavily reliant on a single sector, he said.

Rudge said that given Maldives’ establishment as a tourism brand, he does not believe the tourism industry can be replaced.

But he believes the economy can be diversified through synergy of tourism and digital sectors.

The two-day forum will focus on various topics, including how to stimulate the development of the creative economy in Maldives, how to build a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem, and digital transformation and financing entrepreneurships in small island developing states.