Given its rapid increase of population and the need to provide quality education to young people who seek to en-

ter colleges and universities, the UAE has been investing heavily in the higher education sector. Every year more than 25 per cent of the federal budget is set aside exclu-sively for education expenditure.

That is not all. The education bud-get, itself, has witnessed a huge jump from previous years. From Dh4.6 billion in 2011, it now stands at close to Dh8.2 billion. Experts point out that the massive invest-ments in education refl ect the de-sire on the part of the country’s policy makers to impart the best education and training to learners in the UAE.

With an aim to create a knowl-edge-based economy, due empha-sis has also been laid on establish-ing free zones dedicated to higher education in the country. The Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), a fi rst of its kind in the world, has a state-of-the-art campus spread over 18 million square feet. With more than 20 international branch campuses of reputed universities from around the world, the DIAC has become

an education focal point that boasts of advanced academic tools, technologies and human re-sources. Furthermore, the UAE is home to prestigious institutions like the American University in Dubai, Tufts University, George Mason University, Michigan State University and Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai. New York University (NYU) has also set up

its campus alongside the Sorbonne in Abu Dhabi.

Similarly Dubai Knowledge Vil-lage, based in Dubai Internet City, has attracted several top interna-tional universities and research facilities to the UAE including Saint-Petersburg State, University of Engineering and Economics,

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For more information contact: Department of Continuing Education

The UAE has made great strides in the field of education. Presently the

country’s adult literacy rate hovers above 90 per cent, significantly higher than just a few decades back when it was at 54 per cent for men and 31 per cent for women

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Sadiq Sameer Bhat

EMIRATES College for Man-agement and Technology (EC-MIT) believes in aff ordable and value-based education for work-ing professionals that leads to better employment and better

career potential. ECMIT has de-signed courses and programmes for working professionals to ob-tain up-to-date skills and busi-ness knowledge in areas of busi-ness, management, human resources management, mar-keting, hospitality and tourism while they continue to work. Whether you intend to take a single career enhancing course or a specially focused short training, come and see the dif-ference ECMIT can make.

Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business is a pro-gramme that advances you to real world business learning in a

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Graduates can also secure ad-vanced placement (often fi nal year) of a Bachelor Degree pro-gramme off ered by universities in many countries including the UAE.

Supplementary degree and certificate courses not only add weight to the CV, but also equip working professionals with advanced knowledge

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University of Wollongong, Ma-hatma Gandhi University and the Manchester Business School. To-gether with DIAC, Dubai Knowl-edge Village hosts 30 higher edu-cation universities that offer hundreds of courses and study programmes. As a result, student numbers in Dubai are growing at 10 per cent year on year. Perti-nently most graduates and post-graduates in the UAE choose to opt for courses in business, sci-ence, engineering and computer sciences. Vocational and occupa-tional courses in aviation, indus-trial and technical training, cre-ative arts, hospitality, teaching, nursing and occupational health, architecture and interior design are also quite popular.

In fact, the popularity of the UAE as one of the key education centres in the region has seen an upward growth in the last one de-cade. More than 120,000 stu-dents are currently studying in various educational establish-ments in the country. According to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the educational regulatory au-thority, 43,212 students are en-rolled at higher education institu-tions in Dubai including both full-time and part-time students. While half the students are en-rolled in 32 institutions in the free zones, others have opted for reputed institutions outside the free zones. KHDA fi gures state that the University of Jazeera is the largest private institution in Dubai with more than nine per cent of the total student popula-tion. Zayed University, on the other hand, is the largest federal institution in the emirate while the University of Wollongong in Dubai is the largest institute in the free zone.

Indeed the country has come a

long way since the late 70s when the United Arab Emirates Univer-sity (UAEU) was set up in the oa-sis city of Al Ain as a leading teaching and research institution. Today more than 14,000 stu-dents are enrolled at UAEU. Most government institutions encour-age the nationals to enrol, provid-ing free education. With one of the highest application participa-tion rates by students anywhere in the world, UAE is now home to some of the fi nest universities in the world. Recently, the Ameri-can University of Sharjah (AUS) entered into the ranks of the world’s top 500 universities for the fi rst time as per the London-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), world’s premier university rankings fi rm.

The UAE has made some great

strides in the fi eld of education. Presently the country’s adult lit-eracy rate hovers above 90 per cent, signifi cantly higher than just a few decades back when it was at 54 per cent for men and 31 per cent for women. A sustained fo-cus on education has witnessed the growing enrolment of nation-als over the years. Local students constitute more than 43 per cent of the total student population in Dubai, while the last two years have seen an 18 per cent increase in Emirati males in higher educa-tion. The percentage of female students is also on the rise. As the educational infrastructure shows more positive signs of growth, knowledge-based economy that equips young people with choices, shaping the future of the country, is quite inevitable.

• Continued from previous page

More than 120,000 students are currently studying in various educa-tional establishments in the country. — Photo courtesy: Getty

WITH a history dating back to 1821, Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and practical, lead-ing edge research, which has made it one of the top UK univer-sities for business and industry.

The university is ranked among the Top 20 universities in the UK as per the Guardian Universities Guide for 2013. In its continuous

thrive to meet market trends and demands, Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus has introduced last year MSc in Water Resources in a country that desalinates most of its water. Interior Design was also among the very popular pro-grammes that were introduced last year alongside psychology.

This year the university has in-troduced MSc in Renewable En-ergy and BSc in Psychology with Management to cater to market needs in these areas. And in a market desperate for computer professionals, the university’s BSc Computer Systems programme off ers a combination of theory

and practical learning at a level to enhance the student experience and best prepare them for roles in industry. The students enrolled for this programme in Dubai have the option of transferring to the UK campus during their final year.

All degrees granted by the Dubai campus are issued from the Heriot-Watt main campus in Ed-inburgh, UK and all programmes off ered at the Dubai Campus are certified by KHDA (Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Develop-ment Authority) and recognised in Dubai by all public and private entities for all purposes.

Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus continuously caters to market needs

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WINC (Western International College) is positioned as the Best Value British Education Desti-nation in the UAE. It off ers at its Ras Al Khaimah Campus Ac-credited UK Degrees from the University of London (lead col-lege being the prestigious Lon-don School of Economics), the University of Bolton and HND qualifi cations from EdExcel.

The range of courses across these three referred institutions include Bachelor’s Degrees in Mechanical and Civil Engineer-ing, Business, Accountancy, Fi-nance, Banking and Economics, Computing and IT and Masters qualifi cations including MBA, MSc (IT) and MSc (Supply Chain Management). For more infor-mation visit www.wincedu.net

A state-of-the-art campus, ex-perienced, industry focused fac-ulty, a diverse mix of students from more than 40 countries, a creative learning and research environment, a host of extracur-ricular and personal develop-ment programmes and a sophis-ticated hostel accommodation make WINC the preferred learn-ing destination in the UAE.

Western International College is the preferred learning higher education destination off ering accredited UK degrees

Industry- focused faculty

Western International College

MANIPAL University (MU), Dubai (www.manipaldubai.com) is a branch campus of Manipal University, India, the largest pri-vate university in the country en-rolling over 25,000 students across 23 disciplines. Manipal University, India is home to some of the fi nest institutions of aca-demic excellence including Kas-turba Medical College and Mani-pal Institute of Technology.

Similar to its mother campus back home in Manipal, the Dubai branch campus of Manipal Uni-versity off ers students a variety of disciplines to pursue their under-graduate and graduate studies, ranging from laboratory and workshop intensive courses like

engineering, information technol-ogy and biotechnology to creative and new-age disciplines like inte-rior design and media and com-munication. The university also off ers a highly hands-on, indus-try-relevant programme in man-agement and business studies both at the undergraduate as well as at the graduate level.

Shaping the future of higher education in the UAE

MU, Dubai moved into its icon-ic state-of-the-art campus in Sep-tember 2011. Spread over 750,000 square feet of built up area, the sprawling campus can accommodate over 4,000 stu-dents. Apart from contemporary purpose built classrooms, the new campus at Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) houses cutting edge laboratories in disci-plines such as engineering, bio-technology and information tech-

nology and is also home to some of the region’s best studios and workshops for programmes in media and communications and interior design. The campus also houses a sprawling library, cafete-ria, abundant indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, including an athletics track, tennis courts, a gym and fi tness centre and a rec-reation centre for boys and girls. The entire campus is Wi-Fi en-abled.

Admissions for academic year 2012-13

Limited seats in MU, Dubai’s Certifi cate, Bachelor and Master Level programmes are available for academic year 2012 -13. Pro-grammes commence September 2012. Scholarships are available for Bachelor programmes. Admis-sions are closing soon. More de-tails can be availed at admis-sions@manipaldubai.com

Preparing students for lifeManipal University Dubai

Manipal University off ers programmes with a practical, industry-relevant approach