Kart Group offers life-changing scholarship to Dubai's young designers

• To win the scholarships, applicants must design a space-compliant game for astronauts and future Mars explorers.

DUBAI: UAE-based Kart Group, in association with Dubai Holding, has launched a first-of-its-kind scholarship programme worth Dh390,000 ($106,195) for aspiring young designers.

The Design for Good initiative will offer two scholarships to subsidise tuition fees for applicants to the Fall 2019 Bachelor of Design programme at the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI).

To be eligible, applicants must design a space-compliant game for astronauts or future explorers of Mars. Designers must ensure their games promote physical and mental well-being of future space travellers, enabling them to perform athletic activities, maintain muscle capacity, bone density as well as cardiovascular health – especially during lengthy space travels.

The concepts could include a toy reliant upon zero-gravity conditions, a video game that uses VR, or a sports game that encourages physical activities such as extreme football.

Kart Group creative director Mustafa Khamash, an active presence on Dubai’s growing design scene and a passionate advocate for nurturing young talent, said: “As a designer myself, I realise how hard it can be for students to find their way in this field. As a student, I was given a scholarship to pursue my own studies and this is a way for me to pay it forward. I know how life transforming it can be.”

Speaking about the Design for Good initiative, Mustafa Khamash added: “The Design for Good initiative aims to motivate the design community veterans to invest time and money in the development of underprivileged young talent to consider design as a viable and rewarding career.”

Mustafa Khamash believes the Middle East has no dearth of talent. “As experienced designers, we need to do all we can to not only foster that talent but to raise the awareness of how relevant future technologies are to the careers of tomorrow.

“We hope that this scholarship challenge will be a way to make the competition not only fun, but relevant to something the students can see unraveling right here in the UAE, specifically with the UAE’s ambitious Mars mission on track for a 2020 launch.”

The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) is the UAE’s first institution dedicated exclusively to design and innovation, the university’s mission is to foster talent across a broad range of areas from product design to app design, futuristic fashion and gaming. 

Mohammad Abdullah, President of DIDI said: “With the upcoming UAE space mission to Mars, this is a way to engage students in a very contemporary topic. They can see this coming to life here and to be able to contribute ideas to this exciting project, is a way for them to see the many applications of design and innovation to the careers of the future.”

Students must first apply for admission to the university to be eligible for the scholarship challenge, and applications are assessed based on both merit and financial need. The scholarships are open to both Emirati and expatriate students. Submissions must be in by 7 July 2019.

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For interview requests, features and more information on Mustafa Khamash and the Kart Group’s current and future projects, please email press@kartgroup.net 

ABOUT KART GROUP

Founded in 2004 by Mustafa Khamash, Kart Group is a Dubai-based luxury interior design atelier and a fine modern furniture importer for homes and offices.

Prior to this, Mustafa has worked with renowned architects such as Zaha Hadid for the Architectural Biennale of Venice and Scandinavian Pavilion projects, as well as Philippe Starck for his private residence, consolidating his solid international experience in the luxury interior design industry.

Mustafa Khamash is a well-known personality in the Middle East’s design industry and personal advisor to many esteemed UAE government entities and leaders. He has designed award-winning interiors of ministerial offices, as well as residences and palaces.

Passionate about art and sculpture, Mustafa Khamash has been commissioned by prestigious clients for special art features, most notable of which is Vision | Mission, a stunning mise en abyme installation inspired by Dubai’s visionary leaders: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his son HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, which was unveiled last year and occupies prime position in Dubai Design District.

Each project undertaken by the Kart Group is distinguished by bespoke details and an authentic design language.

Follow Kart Group on Instagram @kart_group and Mustafa Khamash on @mustafa_khamash_

For more information, please visit www.kartgroup.net .

ABOUT DUBAI INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AND INNOVATION (DIDI) 

Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) is a private, non-profit university, accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education. DIDI is focused on nurturing, mentoring and creating the next generation of designers who will turn today’s ideas into tomorrow’s reality. DIDI has entered into strategic collaborations with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and The New School’s Parsons School of Design to develop a curriculum that is designed to empower students to map out their own four-year educational journey, culminating in the region’s first Integrated Bachelor of Design degree, with a choice of concentration in the areas of Product Design, Multimedia Design, Fashion Design and Strategic Design Management.

© Press Release 2019