Muhra Almuhairi is living proof that you should never let go of your dreams lightly.
As a hard-working high school pupil in Abu Dhabi, she set her sights high, vowing to one day study at Harvard University
Now 46, she is ready to turn student once more as she starts her master’s degree in public administration at the US seat of learning in September.
Born and raised in the UAE capital, the mother-of-four has worked for more than 18 years in federal and local government, and is keen to bring back the knowledge of public policy she will gain to benefit her country.
A penchant for seeking knowledge and not taking no for an answer are what define Ms Almuhairi.
“Going to Harvard University has always been a dream since I was in high school," she said. “Back then, I did not even think I could go outside the country [for studies] …I could just do what was available.
“When people talk about Harvard University they talk about the prestige, the network, the knowledge.
“This amazing chance came to me when I got for a fellowship through which Harvard University would sponsor 100 per cent of my tuition fees.
"I know that very few people who apply get enrolled and even fewer get a scholarship."
Ms Almuhairi is no stranger to the realm of education, having completed her bachelor's in business information technology in 2000, and then her executive master’s in business administration in 2005.
She went on to acquire two master’s degrees in education at Deakin University in Australia in 2008, and at Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE in 2009.
'No age limit on achievement'
After taking a hiatus from education, she returned to university again in 2012, and finished her doctorate in business administration at Abu Dhabi University in 2015.
“There is no age limit for dreaming or achieving an ambition,” Ms Almuhairi said.
“I believe that every woman or young adult who wants to do something, can achieve that so long as they keep going.
“Sometimes the time is not right, but there will be another time. Just keep going."
She reminisced about her graduation day when she finished her doctorate in 2015, and her daughters were there to support her.
“My children attended my graduation and my eldest daughter told me ‘Mom, now you are raising the bar,'" she said.
Hale Education Group, a consultancy in Dubai that offers mentoring and admissions counselling, helped Ms Almuhairi apply to Harvard University.
She will be starting her mid-career master's in public administration, and will focus on the wellness of government employees.
The programme is designed for mid-career professionals and candidates need to have over 10 years of work experience.
Thirst for learning remains unquenched
"It's very hard to get admission at Harvard, and the application process is very complicated,” she said.
She said she had to write several essays, provide evidence of her grades, and letters of recommendations, and create a video based on a pop-up question.
"The essays are what make applying to Harvard different as you have to review yourself,” she said.
“The network, the people, the diversity is what I am most excited about.
"I am looking forward to having conversations with, and learning from, people from different countries.
"I am excited about learning about policy-making because that is needed in the social and human resources sector, and that learning is what I hope to bring back to the UAE.”
Ms Almuhairi currently works as an adviser of learning and development at Human Resource Authority in Abu Dhabi.
Straight out of university, she started teaching at the Higher Colleges of Technology, and was later the chairwoman of business administration for 10 years.
She taught information technology, project management, and business administration.
She also worked as an adviser for community service and development and then as the director of programmes at Abu Dhabi School of Government.
Even when she was busy with work, she never forgot her love for learning and wished to return to teaching some day.
"I am a life-long learner, and teaching is a way of sharing your knowledge and building the community," she said.
“For me, the feeling that you get at the end of the semester when you can see the progress in a pupil, that is very rewarding."
Being at university every other weekend meant missing social engagements or parties and not having a weekend for four years while she completed her doctorate.
But, she said, her determination to succeed did not allow her to see the challenges along the way.
Daughters inspired by mother's determination
Ms Almuhairi's daughters, aged 11,15, 19, and 20, are proud of their mother's achievements.
"I am inspired by my mom pursuing her studies because she keeps learning throughout her life, even after working, and it encourages me to do the same in the future," said Shamma Al Shamsi, 20.
Her 15-year-old sister Aisha echoed those sentiments, even if she does not yet fully understand her mother's drive to succeed.
"It is very weird that my mom still wants to study, but I like that because she wants to do more for her and our future," she said.
Company%20Profile
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
WISH
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Kandahar%20
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
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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
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
Edited and Introduced by Sjón and Ted Hodgkinson
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
