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Ajman gets new university

\Ajman has got a brand new university campus. Preston University of the U.S. has won a concession through a decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman, to run a branch campus.

  • By Sunil Rao
  • Published: 00:00 July 6, 2002
  • Gulf News

Ajman has got a brand new university campus.

Preston University of the U.S. has won a concession through a decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman, to run a branch campus.

Students are being offered Bachelors and Masters courses in Information Technology and Business Administration. Some 200 pupils have already enrolled for programmes currently under way.

"Come September, we are also offering certificate, diploma and degree courses in fashion designing," explained Dr Abdul Basit, President. "Admissions have opened, and the level of interest is high."

The university started operating out of Al Bustan Masfout Plaza in December 2001 after a soft launch, but steadily growing demand and expansion plans aiming at offering more programmes will likely see it implementing plans for constructing a dedicated campus in more spacious surroundings in 2004.

"We can accommodate up to 400 students here, but growth is inevitable, and we expect to shift to our own facility in due course," Dr Basit added.

He stressed the Ajman campus is run directly as a branch of Preston University – rather than as an affiliate, where other operators manage the campus under the Preston umbrella – thus ensuring high education standards.

Students primarily comprise children of expatriate families seeking quality higher education options.

Nor will educational continuity be an issue for them: "We have 45 campuses worldwide, either as direct branches or locally managed affiliates, and our students can therefore transfer their credits to other facilities, should they need to relocate halfway through their programmes."

The Ajman campus follows a coeducational system, with separate common-rooms for boys and girls.

Attendant facilities include an extensive library, while the 20-plus faculty members are roughly representative of the country's demographic spread, including instructors hailing from India, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, the U.S., Armenia and elsewhere.

"We try to create an environment as conducive as possible for quality education," stressed R.S. Hussain, Director General of the Ajman facility.

He added students are offered various options on programme structure and duration.

"For instance, a Bachelors programme that generally takes four years to complete can be finished in three years if so desired by the student, who can attend classes during the summer semester and other vacation periods to complete the required credit hours."

He pointed out such flexibility allows the course to be completed quicker, paving the way for the student to enter the jobs market faster, while saving his parents a percentage of overall tuition fees.

Hussain added that while the IT and Business Administration courses continue to witness demand, the proposed programmes in fashion designing are also evoking a strong response.

"Earlier this month we had organised an awareness programme at another leading educational institution in the UAE, and students there evinced strong interest in taking up fashion designing," he explained.

The facility plans to roll out a string of fresh initiatives in the upcoming autumn semester, including an ambitious inter-university software competition in September.

Hussain added the event would be different from other IT contests organised locally, with the focus here on giving students across the UAE an opportunity to display their flair in research-oriented projects.

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