Dubai is on the right path in the academic journey with fewer students travelling overseas for higher education as compared to five years ago, according to Hussam Al Atab, HR Business Partner, Dell Middle East and Egypt.
Al Atab’s comments came during a panel discussion titled ‘Is Dubai an education hub?’ at the inaugural Education Forum that was launched today at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers by Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), a member of TECOM Investments’ newly created Education Cluster.
Delegates from key educational institutions, government officials, leading university administrators, influential faculty members and private sector professionals participated in the DIAC Education Forum. The event focused on analysing the successes and challenges in the education sector to advance dialogue in the field and raise the quality of higher education, research and continuing education.
Chaired by Francis Matthew, Editor-at-Large, Gulf News, the panelists included Professor Lawrence Loh, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Al Ghurair University, Dr. B. Ramjee, Director, Manipal University, Dubai, and Anna Kizirian, Educational Consultant/Partner, Proactive Management Consultancy.
Al Atab added: “Dubai has enormous appeal because of its great diversity. It caters to different communities with universities from different parts of the world that ultimately differentiate Dubai from countries such as Singapore and the UK, where only national curriculums are on offer. Our endeavour is the first step in a long journey as academic institutions do not open and gain prominence overnight. However, we are on the right path.”
Professor Lawrence Loh, Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Al Ghurair University, said: “The most critical ingredient for an education hub to flourish is the definitive interaction amongst institutions. For a hub to succeed, there must be a cross-fertilization of ideas and ideals amongst the people present. The creation of synergy is what makes a hub different from just a plain collection of institutions conveniently co-located in vicinity. Indeed, it cannot be the case of ‘so near yet so far’ in a successful hub.
“Over the years, Dubai has made significant strides in fostering a growing education hub via the ‘academic city’ concept. It is well poised for further progress as a formidable hub, noted worldwide for educational excellence.”
Underlining the objectives of the DIAC Education Forum, Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director, Education Cluster – TECOM Investments, said: “With knowledge and innovation as the cornerstones of economic and social growth, Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City act as the two pillars of knowledge-sharing through pioneering new initiatives that serve the society’s cultural, social and economic objectives.
“The DIAC Education Forum focuses on strengthening the learning process and knowledge exchange amongst the key stakeholders of the academic sector while contributing to the creation of a knowledge economy in the UAE and the region.”
Dubai International Academic City hosts over 30 institutions from 13 different countries including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, India, France, Singapore, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon and the UAE. Approximately 15,000 students are currently enrolled into the various programmes offered at the campuses within DIAC.
