For school pupils facing a bewildering array of career options, choosing a degree course can feel like a gamble. By the time they have finished studying, will there be any demand for the subject to which they are considering committing the next three or more years of their lives? In the UAE, however, the odds on making the right choice are appreciably improved by the Ministry of Education's annual Majors in Demand study.
This year's document, which reflects the experiences of more than 13,000 graduates, shows that engineering, IT and business were most in demand among those who graduated in 2017. In helping students to make good choices about their futures, and equipping schools with the hard evidence they need to guide their charges down the right path, the study is a vital component in the UAE's strategy of transforming itself into a post-oil knowledge economy. As Ahmad Al Falasi, the Minister for Higher Education, says, equipping tomorrow's workforce with the right skills and knowledge is essential if the country is to move from importing knowledge to creating it.
The study is one among many initiatives devoted to this vital national objective. Only this week, Dubai unveiled plans to establish free zones alongside universities, with the aim of encouraging students to focus on practical research that leads to business ideas and the creation of companies and jobs. On Tuesday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, launched the National Experts Programme, under which talented Emiratis will be mentored to become experts in fields key to the nation's future prosperity.
Of course, not every child wants to become an accountant, engineer or business leader. Individual dreams must not be pushed aside in the drive to establish national priorities, and students should not be shoehorned into careers solely because they are deemed to be in the best interests of society. This is why parallel projects such as Dubai's new five-year plan to transform the emirate into a global cultural hotspot, partly by supporting artists in all fields to work full time in the arts, are also to be welcomed. Mathematics and science are only part of the historic legacy gifted to the world by Arab civilisation, which has also left a proud cultural heritage.
There is little doubt that tomorrow’s Emiratis will be equipped with the technical skills necessary for their country to play a leading role on the global stage. But the value of art and culture in helping tomorrow’s citizens of the UAE to live enriched, well-rounded lives, must not be underestimated.
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP
Men’s:
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)
Women's:
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
