They come from more than 80 countries and speak 65 languages between them.
New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has just welcomed its largest ever intake of new students – joining a campus that is among the most diverse in the world.
For the first time, students from Eritrea, Niger and Mauritius have joined the Saadiyat Island institution, with the 429 first-years chosen from more than 14,000 applicants.
And while a typical university can mean dingy rooms, a basic diet and a mountain of debt, many NYUAD students receive financial support packages that cover fees, accommodation, food and two flights home a year. Even a stipend and all-expenses paid trips to study abroad can be included.
“This is a whole new universe for me,” said Victoria Marcano, from Caracas in Venezuela, who has just begun her major in psychology, with a minor in history of art.
“This was the only university I applied to, and it has exceeded expectations. I knew we had a lot of resources, in terms of support, and spaces to develop academic interests and hobbies. But you come here and you realise it’s so much more, it’s overwhelming, in a positive way.”
The 19-year-old studied for her International Baccalaureate in Germany after winning a place on a scheme run by United World Colleges, an educational body which seems to promote co-existence and peace by sending students from different countries to study together. She was back in Caracas over the summer, moving to Abu Dhabi two months ago.
She admitted she had mixed feelings about being so far from home, at a time when her home country is in economic and political turmoil.
“My friends and immediate family are still there, I’m still in WhatsApp and Facebook groups with them,” she said. “I read their conversations, about finding whatever food item in a supermarket, or that there’s a protest on and not to go out. And I’m walking out of a class, walking to my room or going out.
“I feel guilty for being in peace and I feel guilty for being safe. Because they are not and there is nothing I can do to help them.
“The last set of protests we had, I was trying to contact people and see what was happening. But it was like 5am there, so it was too early and it turned out I knew more than they did. It’s very complicated.”
I feel like I've found myself here
Securing a place is not easy. Students are required to make it through a tough selection process.
The admissions process for overseas students involves being flown to Abu Dhabi for a “candidate weekend” where applicants are interviewed while learning more about the university and the UAE.
This year, 14 per cent of new students are the first members of their immediate families to enter higher education.
Dusan Popov went to a state school in Serbia, but took his International Baccalaureate in Singapore, also under the United World Colleges scheme.
“I feel like I’ve found myself here,” the political science student, who hopes to become a diplomat, said. “Abu Dhabi is a melting pot of cultures, the UAE has tried to promote this very international spirit within the country and that is something I’m very attracted to.”
At the university itself, barriers are also being broken down. The 19-year-old said students from across the Balkans got on well, despite some older generations and politicians still harbouring resentment and rivalries from 1990s wars in the former Yugoslavia.
“There are a lot of people from former Yugoslav countries here,” he said. “They are my closest friends - we have so much common history, common popular culture. You realise you have so much more in common than what sets us apart.
“Even when we discuss the conflicts that happened, we talk openly and everyone has a very understanding attitude to the opinions of others. It shows we’re moving on from the conflicts of the 90s.”
All of the students The National spoke to received bursaries, and said they could not have afforded to attend otherwise. Tuition fees alone are set at about Dh186,000 per year. NYU Abu Dhabi did not disclose what proportion get an full or partial exemption, but they are applied widely.
Of the new cohort, Emiratis are the largest group, although they make up only 14 per cent of the intake. Americans make up 12 per cent, with the next largest groups from South Korea, China, Pakistan, India and Egypt.
Daniel Fairfield, 18, is from Barcelona. He said the flexibility of the curriculum on offer had allowed him to study two of his passions – maths and theatre. The university is also funding a three week trip to Prague in January, so he can study an intensive course about the future of liberalism.
“If anything it’s exceeded expectations because I keep discovering new things about the university,” he said. “The mental health awareness is definitely where it needs to be. I feel that often gets neglected in a lot of situations.
“The main thing that attracted me was how international it is and I keep discovering new things. There are so many opportunities to learn and travel abroad."
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
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
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)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
more from Janine di Giovanni
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
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Notable Yas events in 2017/18
October 13-14 KartZone (complimentary trials)
December 14-16 The Gulf 12 Hours Endurance race
March 5 Yas Marina Circuit Karting Enduro event
March 8-9 UAE Rotax Max Challenge
