US education advice centres now open

The US consulate launched its first UAE education advising centre on its new Dubai premises located at Al Seef Road last week.

The Education USA Advising Centre will offer free information services to teachers, administrators, counsellors, parents and students interested in studying at US colleges and universities. There are two centres now open to the public at both the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai.

"A top priority for the US government is to get more students to the US from all over the world but particularly from the Emirates," said Michael Corbin, US Ambassador to the UAE. "I've been in this region for a long time and watched us slowly build back our numbers of students going to the US from this region."

The centres join a global Education USA network of over 400 centres around the globe that are supported by the US Department of State.

"Our centres have become well-known for the promotion of US higher education by offering accurate and objective information on educational institutions," said Justin Siberell, US Consul General.

Increasing numbers

The US higher education drive towards UAE students comes as both the US Embassy and Consulate in the UAE witness increased student visa issuances.

"Student visa issuances at the Embassy and the Consulate General in the UAE have returned to surpass our pre-9/11 issuance levels," said Siberell. "During the 2009-2010 periods, more than 1,600 Emirati students studied in the US, which is an impressive increase of 35 per cent over the previous year."

He added he is confident this trend will see continued growth when the 2010-2011 figures are released. The 2008-2009 periods saw 1,200 Emirati students travel to the US for higher education.

Siberell quoted the above figures from the Open Doors annual report on international students in the US. The report also states the most popular majors for UAE nationals studying in the US tend to be business and management, engineering as well as physical and life sciences.

The report also shows Emirati students in the US are diversifying their college choices due to the fact that in 2010, UAE students spread across 41 of the country's states.

— For more information on the Education USA advising centres log on to: www.educationusa.state.gov or email educationusadubai@state.gov