Abu Dhabi: More pupils are interested in pursuing science-based higher education degrees and positions in fields such as medicine, education and aeronautics upon graduating, it was revealed during the opening day of Najah, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).

The annual careers and education exhibition, now in its fifth edition, will end Thursday.

"Based on this increased demand for different science-based programmes, we have launched several new majors this academic year, including an executive MBA and aviation, which we are conducting in cooperation with Eithad.

One hundred students have enrolled with the programme, which was launched this September," said Dr James Mackin, Provost of Abu Dhabi University.

"We are also planning to offer a Bachelor's Degree in Public Health," Dr Mackin added.

Participants also indicated their continued interest in recruiting Emiratis through various techniques and initiatives.

Recruiting

Among them is the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec), which is working with the Tawteen Council, in addition to using independent recruiting processes to find qualified UAE nationals to fill vacancies within Adec and in the field.

"We have been working with Tawteen to put a clear, strategic plan that will help us identify the best UAE talent that is suited for the various positions currently available… given that the current educational situation in the emirate is undergoing a transition period and we have already identified different [opportunities] for Emiratis to join, whether at our headquarters or in school-based non-teaching positions within the New School Model," Salem Thabet Al Mahrie, HR division manager at ADEC, said.

Al Mahrie also noted that once an Emirati candidate was selected, they were placed in the Individual Development Programme, which provides on-the-job training, including specially-tailored internal courses and mentoring.

Wooing candidates

Many international universities have also signed up to be part of this year's fair, including Education USA, which has 14 different colleges taking part.

"For this academic year alone, we have processed approximately 4,000 student visas and of those, 2,000 student visas were for Emiratis alone,," Michael Corbin, US Ambassador to the UAE, said.