Fancy a masters in management or a degree in liberal arts from a top international institution? Well, you no longer need to burn thousands of air miles trotting around the globe in pursuit of courses from top global education institutions — they are now all available on campuses in Abu Dhabi.
The late president Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan once said, "The greatest use that can be made of wealth is to invest it in creating generations of educated and trained people." Taking a cue from the UAE's founding father, Abu Dhabi is making targeted investments in the education sector.
As part of this strategy, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) was established in 2005 with the mission to supervise the education sector in Abu Dhabi and transform the emirate ‘into an innovation-based, knowledge-producing society which is strongly connected to the global society and economy, yet deeply rooted in its culture and heritage.'
The promotion of the higher education system in Abu Dhabi is being implemented through several pathways, points out Dr Jihad Mohaidat, Global Partnerships Division Manager of ADEC. They include the establishment of an entity responsible for fund research at all universities with a focus on Abu Dhabi priority sectors; building international partnerships with key universities around the globe with strength areas relevant to Abu Dhabi and linking them with local universities; extending the reach of scholarship programmes to various universities; and working with universities to align their programme offerings with market demand.
International hub
Abu Dhabi has partnered with top global institutions such as INSEAD, New York University (NYU) and Paris-Sorbonne University, aiming to become an international hub for management talent.
Several of these institutions look to expand into new markets, that vision synergises with their own goals. One such university is the top business school INSEAD, based in Fontainebleau, France. Its Abu Dhabi campus opened last year. "For us, it is our key regional hub to offer education in the Middle East, Africa and parts of the Asian subcontinent," says Javier Gimeno, Dean of Executive MBA Programmes of INSEAD.
He says its priority is to further develop management talent that is already in the workplace. To meet this need, INSEAD runs three types of programmes in Abu Dhabi, including a section of its Global Executive MBA (EMBA) programme, which is recognised among the best EMBA degree programmes worldwide in independent rankings.
"We launched the programme in 2010 and it fits very well with the needs of the region. There are senior excecutives in their mid-30s to mid-40s, and whatever they learn at the institute has an immediate impact in their companies they run. We have also noticed strong demand for our non-degree executive programmes, both for open enrolment and for customised company programmes," says Gimeno.
NYU Abu Dhabi — a comprehensive liberal arts and science college — that opened its doors last year, has noticed a strong demand for its courses. In its most recent application cycle for the freshman class of 2015, it has received nearly 6,000 applications competing for around 150 seats.
The local branches follow the same admission criteria and curricula as at their flagship campuses. "I remember when INSEAD launched its campus in Singapore, we did not have that many Singaporeans among the students, and it was not easy to recruit faculties," says Gimeno. "But we stuck to our principles of admitting same quality of students and recruiting faculties of same calibre in Singapore as we did in Fontainebleau, France. It was not easy to pull off, but that's the only way to create a sustainable multi-campus model," he says.
Josh Taylor, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Public Affairs of NYU Abu Dhabi shares similar thoughts, "This academic year NYUAD had a 2.1 per cent acceptance rate, making it considerably more selective than not only the New York campus, but in fact, making it as one of the most selective universities in the world. Students are selected through a rigorous admissions process based on academic excellence, extracurricular activities, and demonstrated interest in global citizenship, service, and leadership," he says.
The response to Abu Dhabi's new base of world-class programmes has been overwhelming, attracting students not only from across the world.
Other renowned international institutes who have set up bases in Abu Dhabi include New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) and Strathclyde. NYIT Abu Dhabi offers courses in business administration, computer science, computer graphics, and interior design while Strathclyde offers degrees in business management, marketing and logistics and supply chain management.
Perhaps the biggest challenge for Abu Dhabi right now is, as Dr Mohaidat of ADEC puts it, "Can we do it fast enough?" However, with education being a fundamental right and also a strategic choice to build a knowledge economy, it is only a matter of time before Abu Dhabi seals its reputation as one of the world's top education hubs. n
