ABU DHABI // Higher education authorities are asking universities what their admission requirements are and what skills they would like their first-year students to have.
The move is part of a reformation process across all public schools to ensure that pupils go on to higher education.
Curriculums have been revamped over the past seven years to meet the needs of universities who are obliged to meet the needs of the labour market and the UAE’s 2030 Economic vision, said Prof Dr Mohammed Baniyas, executive director of Abu Dhabi Education Council’s (Adec) higher education sector.
“Demands of the labour market are met through an alignment process between schools and universities,” he said.
Prof Dr Baniyas said he was confident that, “within three years, school graduates would completely meet the requirements of universities who in turn – thanks to several new initiatives – would meet the needs of the labour market”.
“Today, because of the new curriculums that focus on Arabic and English and enhance Stem-related [Science, technology, engineering and maths] learning, students are meeting admission requirements,” he said.
While the task of aligning expectations and requirements of school graduates, universities and the labour market may seem challenging, it is a challenge that Adec meets head on through good organisation and collaboration.
“This is the beauty of having higher education within Adec,” Prof Dr Baniyas said.
“Because Adec takes care of P12 (KG1 to Grade 12) as well as higher education, we all collaborate and work together.”
The Adec Guidance and Scholarships Division further promotes this alignment by providing undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships.
One of their most important initiatives was the Talented Students Scholarships Programme (TSS), offered to Emirati students to “develop future leaders who can drive the socio-economic development of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi”.
Adec offers the TSS programme for outstanding grade 12 Emirati students and university students attending public or private universities.
“Students are encouraged to major in specialised disciplines offered by leading universities in the UAE and abroad.
“These disciplines are needed for Abu Dhabi’s growth and sustainability.”
salnuwais@thenational.ae
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets