Dr Mark Drummond is no stranger to managing mammoth educational institutions. As he takes over the country's largest higher education institution — the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) — as Provost and Chief Academic Officer, with more than 18,000 students and 2,000 faculty and staff, he will apply his years of experience with community colleges, universities and the private sector in the US.
His most recent appointment was as the chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District, which educates a student population of more than 115,000 students per year.
Now in his fourth month at HCT, he tells Campus Notes about his hopes for the institution.
Opportunities in remote areas
"It's amazing how fast this place is changing. More than that is the sophistication of the UAE itself and types of businesses here… our goal is to help provide a pathway to Emiratis who live out in small villages."
Drummond said that as a young Emirati with a good secondary education, it is easier to transition into the future economy than someone living in Liwa, for example.
"Our message is that even if you're living in Liwa, you can get educated and get to play a part. That's the beautiful thing about HCT — there's not a village that a person can't come from [to access a tertiary education]."
He said the Emirati population is relatively small, which makes every person important. Reaching out to small communities and getting them mainstreamed into the economy is paramount.
Technical skillsand collaboration
Drummond said he is passionate about increasing the technical capabilities of the Emirati population due to the "red-hot economy that is strong and evolving into a more internationally-linked one".
"What's true five years ago isn't true today." He said the UAE has made large purchases of foreign companies and is pursuing nuclear technology, which requires trained scientists and technicians.
He said this is where the stakes get higher and collaborations with federal research universities such as UAE University become important.
"With nuclear power generation, we need scientists trained at the PhD level who would come from universities and for every one of them we would need 10 or 20 technical experts with bachelor's or masters degrees."
Drummond said the nation needs sophisticated education to develop that workforce and HCT alone is not equipped to satisfy that spectrum.
Joint programmes and collaboration is the answer and right now is the time to start he said. He said initial discussions with UAEU are already underway.
Background
Drummond's career in the United States includes appointments at senior levels in public higher education and the private sector. They include:
- Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District (2007-2009)
- Chancellor of the California Community College System (2004-2007),
- Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District (1999-2004)
- President of Eastern Washington University (1989-1998).
- In the private sector, General Manager of Technology Specialists, Inc.
- General Manager for West Coast operations for a Pennsylvania-based company, Systems and Computer Technology Corporation.
Dr Drummond is a native of Northern California. He holds a bachelor's degree in management and economics as well as an MBA from San Jose State University, and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of San Francisco.
