K H A L E E J T I M E S | A DV E RT I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T | w e d n e s d a y, J U NE 5 , 2 0 1 3
Strengthening knowledge base over the years. Local students constitute more than 43 per cent of the ducation has been at the total student population in Dubai; forefront of the UAE’s while the last two years have seen policy to usher into a an 18-per cent increase in Emirati new era of knowledge males in higher education. The and empowerment. No- percentage of female students is tably the country has experienced also on the rise. As the educational considerable improvements in the infrastructure shows more positive field of higher education since its signs of growth, knowledge-based establishment. This is evident in economy that equips young people the massive investment in infra- with choices, is quite inevitable. Educational Free Zones have structure, administration and delivery systems. In the higher edu- been instrumental in transforming cation sector, the country has been the place. The Dubai International keen to form partnerships and Academic City (DIAC), a first of its joint ventures with international kinds in the world, has a state of education providers and have at- the art campus spread over 18 miltracted some of the most presti- lion square feet. With more than gious education institutions from 20 international branch campuses of reputed universities from around the world. Presently the country’s adult lit- around the world, the DIAC has eracy rate hovers above 90 per become an education hub that cent, significantly higher than just boasts of advanced academic a few decades back when it was at tools, technologies and human re54 per cent for men and 31 per sources. Furthermore, the UAE is cent for women. A sustained focus home to top-notch institutions like on education has witnessed the the American University in Dubai, growing enrolment of nationals Tufts University, George Mason
Sadiq Shaban
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University, Michigan State University and Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai. Institutes like Heriot-Watt, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and Alpha Aviation Group among others offer a variety of careeroriented courses.The New York University has also set up its campus, alongside the Sorbonne in the capital Abu Dhabi. Likewise Dubai Knowledge Village, based at Dubai Internet City, has attracted several top international universities and research facilities to the emirate including Saint-Petersburg State, University of Engineering and Economics, University of Wollongong, Mahatma Gandhi University and the Manchester Business School. Together with DIAC, Dubai Knowledge Village hosts 30 higher education universities that offer hundreds of courses and study programmes. As a result student numbers in
Dubai have witnessed a growth of 10 per cent. Pertinently most graduates and postgraduates in the UAE choose to opt for courses in business, science, engineering and computer sciences. Vocational and occupational courses in aviation, industrial and technical training, creative arts, hospitality, teaching, nursing and occupational health, architecture and interior design are also quite popular. There are numerous scholarships available to students opting for higher education in the UAE. The Abu Dhabi Education Council offers a number of scholarship opportunities based on various criteria. The council is formulating a policy for scholarship programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees with the aim to support human capital development. These scholarships help students with finances besides monitoring their academic progress, issues and concerns throughout the completion of their degrees. —sadiq@khaleejtimes.com
Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus
Expanding horizons Heriot-Watt University’s Dubai Campus has launched a new Masters programme designed to answer the international calls for improved regulation, education and greater professionalism in the local property markets. The MSc in Real Estate Investment and Finance is aimed at executives and working professionals who may already have some experience or interest in real estate markets, banking or investment and wish to upgrade their skills. The local real estate industry continues to mature to one of great complexity and an increasing institutional ownership structure. The increased complexity of the industry will create demand for practitioners who possess a comprehensive real estate education. Programme Director, Michael Waters states: “The course is a credible alternative to an MBA. Professionals working in property need to start thinking more carefully about their postgraduate study options. Embarking on a specialist Masters programme allows them the opportunity to study theoretical and
practical finance, investment and appraisal techniques applied to global commercial real estate markets — these are essentials to succeed in this highly competitive business sector.” Tuition in the programme is based around lectures, IT labs and case studies from a wide range of international real estate markets to ensure students can apply the theoretical concepts taught. Graduates from the programme will have a strong desire to work in property and investment markets having been taught the latest concepts of mixed-asset portfolios, risk mitigation and financial valuation modeling. A graduate degree in real estate can open doors to greater job and career opportunities and command a higher salary in the marketplace. For more information about HeriotWatt University’s MSc in Real Estate programmes please contact Michael Waters on +971(0)44358773 or email to m.j.waters@hw.ac.uk
The American University in the Emirates
Al Ghurair University
Nurturing passion for design
In tune with a dynamic world
Taking pride in providing a quality education
AUE strives to incorporate students into a practical environment
The Interior Design Department at Al Ghurair University (AGU) seeks through its programme to instill passion, nurture talent and develop skills within each student. “Our programme provides rigour and hands-on practice while encouraging the students to unleash their creativity,” explains Dr Wael Rashdan, Head of the Interior Design Department. The Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design at AGU is one of the programmes that are fully accredited by the UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The quality of the graduates of AGU’s Interior Design Department is well recognised by the community. For example, AGU’s students won the CEO’s Prize at the Danube Competition 2012, organised by Danube, a leading construction, building material, and home interiors company, in partnership with the Association of Professional Interior Designers (APID).
AGU’s students enjoy studios, workshops and labs equipped with the latest technologies in a conveniently located campus with outstanding facilities. “Our students are really spoiled, they have access to the latest technologies,” says Dr Ahmed El Shakhs, Assistant Professor of Interior Design. When asked about what they appreciated the most at AGU, Sadiq, Nada and Raed, students at AGU, said: “I really appreciated the individualised attention from my teachers. We had small classes and we all knew each other and worked closely together. I am going to really miss my AGU family,” answered Sadiq. As for Raed, “The internship was very valuable as it allowed me to secure a job in a very good firm before I even graduated.” “For me, interacting with such a diversified and talented group of people will remain an unforgettable experience,” replied Nada.
The American University in the Emirates — AUE as it is affectionately known — is one of the most rapidly growing universities in the UAE that offers an American curriculum, taught by a highly regarded faculty, who seek to engage students in excellent learning experiences. AUE faculty members collectively value its hard-earned reputation for high quality in teaching and related research, and seek to promote intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of the rapidly changing 21st century international, regional and national environment. AUE also offers students accredited programmes in undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees that encourage you to become proactive, reflec-
tive and critical thinkers and researchers. AUE students learn to become part of a fully engaged community, whose members embrace their own culture and are responsive to other cultures and views. The American University in the Emirates is motivated by a sense of direction to create a better world through education. This motivation informs the environment for teaching, learning and collaboration in daily work, in such a way that encourages potential new faculty and staff who are attracted to its vision and values to join, and to help to further develop the university. The university has six colleges with many unique programmes: • College of Business Administration • College of Media and Mass Communication
• College of Computer Information Technology • College of Fine Arts and Design • College of Law • College of Education To ensure that an environment of trust and confidence is present, AUE has now a highly qualified faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, accredited partners, and an expanding student body. This reflects the nation’s economic and cultural wealth, the aspiration for knowledge of its people, the learning skills of the population, and the use of new technologies that enhance quality of life. AUE will continue to offer innovative, excellent programmes of higher education that provide lasting benefits to the students of the nation, the region and the world.