Edinburgh: Students from the UAE and Qatar feel they are in a better position to contribute to the aspirations of their home countries after successfully completing the Al Maktoum Institute summer programme here on Tuesday.
"Life has very little to do with country or age. It is about people," Aisha Al Shehi told Gulf News.
Aisha is pursuing a Masters in Project Management from the British University in Dubai.
"It's about understanding and appreciating the diversity in cultures among us back home in the UAE," Aisha said.
"And should such a transformation take place then we are in a much better position to help develop our society and country."
Aisha was one of the 43 students from eight universities from the UAE and Qatar who received certificates at the graduation ceremony after completing the summer programme at the Al Maktoum Institute, Dundee, on Tuesday.
The students hailed from eight universities including Zayed University, UAE University, American University of Sharjah, Higher Colleges of Technology, the British University in Dubai, Abu Dhabi University and the College of Islamic and Arabic Studies, Dubai and Qatar University, Doha.
The presentation of certificates was done by Principal Al Maktoum Institute, Dundee Professor Malory Nye, and Chairman Mirza Al Sayegh, in the presence of Shona Robison, Member of Scottish Parliament, who was later bestowed with an Al Maktoum Institute Honorary Fellowship.
Communications and Media Science graduate from Zayed University Dubai Maryam Al Muhairi said the four-week programme had shown her a new reality.
"First I had only read about these things about multiculturalism," Maryam said. "But now I feel I am empowered to deal with these issues that we face back home due to the existence of such a multicultural society in a place like Dubai," she said.
"Maybe we perceive multiculturalism in a negative light, but this has changed now as we belong to one big world that is only getting smaller."
Maitha Shaye'e Al Mazroui from Abu Dhabi University indicated her experience had been similar.
"Maybe we took too many things for granted in the past, but now after spending a few weeks in this summer programme we are in a better position to understand and value people around us," Maitha said.
Shaikha Al Jaber from Qatar University, Doha said: "This has been a turning point in my life. I have learnt how to appreciate everything and then this can only be passed on to others around me".
Ebtisam Masoud Al Shaqsi who majored in early childhood education at the Higher College of Technology said: "Things need to change in society, but the change needs to start from within".
Decade of learning
The summer programme of the Al Maktoum Institute in Dundee, Scotland began with students from Zayed University staying for four weeks in the year 2000.
The programme has since been extended to other universities in the UAE, and Qatar. Under the programme, each university can send up to five students to attend the summer programme in Scotland.
Students learn about Scottish culture and tradition by visiting various institutions and landmarks and meet high profile people in Scotland. More than 350 students have taken part in the programme in the past 10 years.
