When the UAE’s Founding Father the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan said “the prosperity and success of the people are measured by the standard of their education”, he was not making a mere observation. Education has been at the heart of the national project since the Emirati state was founded in 1971.
Education in the years shortly before and after the union was not all that it could have been, given that the nation had just begun its national development. According to official figures, in 1975, the rate of adult literacy was 58 per cent among men and 38 per cent among women. Today, however, literacy rates for Emiratis of both genders are close to 95 per cent. Providing land and funds for new schools that would cater for the children of the many foreign workers who came to the Emirates and contributed to its success was also a priority for the country’s leadership.
Elementary schooling was just the beginning of the story. In the space of two generations, the country has transitioned from having an informal, didactic education model to one where world-class universities such as the Sorbonne and New York University have set up campuses here. Accomplished and experienced academics abound in the country’s higher education system, and pioneering institutions, such as the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, continue to break new ground. This, and the fact that there are more accredited degree programmes on offer here than ever before, makes this week’s news that fewer young Emirati are choosing to travel to the US for their studies understandable.
According to the Institute of International Education's Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, over the past eight years there has been a significant drop in the number of Emiratis studying at American colleges and universities. Concerns about safety, gun control and tuition fees in the US have played their part, and although prestigious foreign universities will always remain a draw for many young people in the UAE, an increasing number are choosing to avail themselves of opportunities closer to home.
The UAE’s development of a competitive education system that is geared towards the needs of the 21st century is an ongoing process that has relied as much on partnership – that is, getting the best from foreign universities and academics – as it has on the country’s long term planning and abundant resources. This has led to some fruitful collaborations with locally based researchers that have also helped the Emirates develop further and reflect critically on its own trajectory. To take one example, in February The National reported on a two-year collaboration between researchers at Abu Dhabi University and the London School of Economics that examined transport in the capital and changes that could help to make the city more connected.
The years of investment, partnership and strategic thought that have gone into higher education in the UAE are paying off. In September last year, Abu Dhabi University became the first in the UAE to be ranked in the global top 250 by Times Higher Education, and six universities in the Emirates have been included in the World University Rankings for this year.
It is not just the world of academia that is recognising these accomplishments; young people in the Middle East do, too. According to the Arab Youth Survey 2023, nearly a quarter of young Arabs surveyed across the 18 states said that the UAE was the country they most wanted to live in. When added to the UAE’s reputation for stability and safety, it is not surprising that more young people – Emirati and foreign alike – are choosing the country as a place to study.
There is still some way to go before UAE institutions are competing on an equal footing with the likes of the centuries-old colleges. But Emirati universities are going in the right direction and continue to attract top global talent; yesterday it was announced that Prof Timothy Baldwin, a distinguished figure in the field of natural language processing, has been appointed as provost of Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.
Offering an attractive and accessible world-class education will be vital for the country to succeed in the 21st century and beyond, as UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed had initially envisioned.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20specs
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More coverage from the Future Forum
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
