Students speak to administration staff at University of Wollongong's new campus at Dubai Knowledge Park. Courtesy: UOWD
Students speak to administration staff at University of Wollongong's new campus at Dubai Knowledge Park. Courtesy: UOWD
Students speak to administration staff at University of Wollongong's new campus at Dubai Knowledge Park. Courtesy: UOWD
Students speak to administration staff at University of Wollongong's new campus at Dubai Knowledge Park. Courtesy: UOWD

Education

UAE universities see huge boost as students shun foreign travel

One college saw its highest enrolment in seven years

Anam Rizvi
Anam Rizvi
UAE

October 15, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

More UAE students have enrolled in local branches of international colleges this year, shunning their US and the UK campuses, heads of admissions in universities in the Emirates said.

The drop in the number of students going overseas is largely a result of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Campuses of international universities in the UAE have reported an increase in domestic enrolment this year.

We had our highest summer intake in seven years

“We had our highest summer intake in seven years, in the midst of a global pandemic and recession," said Brendan Vyner, director of marketing and student recruitment at University of Wollongong in Dubai.

The university's summer enrolment numbers increased by 23 per cent when compared to the same time last year. Last year, 3,313 students were enrolled at the university.

Students choosing to study closer to home

The fear of being away from family if travel restrictions are imposed and impending lockdowns in countries such as the UK have affected students’ plans for international education.

“With major international education destinations such as the US, UK, Canada and Australia being closed or heavily restricted to international students, we are seeing increased demand from students who are interested in studying at an international university closer to home,” said Mr Vyner.

“The uncertainty caused by Covid-19 has made people wary of international travel, and in some cases removed the option completely.

“This has left many students who would have travelled abroad stranded and not willing to wait for one more year to decide on their future."

Recruitment officers at universities said they faced difficulties brought on by the pandemic but that that situation also provided the education sector in the UAE with opportunities.

Brendan Vyner, director of marketing and student recruitment at the University of Wollongong in Dubai. Brendan Vyner
Brendan Vyner, director of marketing and student recruitment at the University of Wollongong in Dubai. Brendan Vyner

“The major boost we saw was increased demand from our domestic sector, where 60,000 students who regularly travel abroad are potentially stuck in Dubai and are unable to attend universities in the US, UK or Australia,” said Mr Vyner.

Carl Casey, recruitment counsellor at Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai (RITD), reported a 25 per cent increase in summer enrolment numbers compared with last year.

“More students have elected to stay within the UAE for further education due to the on-going impact of Covid-19," he said.

Last year, the university admitted 849 students.

Close to half of the university’s students, 46 per cent, come from the Mena region, and 15 per cent are Emiratis.

United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain has a strong standing in research and offers one of the country's main medicine degrees. Randi Sokoloff / The National
United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain has a strong standing in research and offers one of the country's main medicine degrees. Randi Sokoloff / The National
Khalifa University has rapidly climbed the global rankings in recent years but was knocked off the UAE top spot this year by UAEU. It boasts a nuclear engineering school staffed by top nuclear scientists, many of them from South Korea. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Khalifa University has rapidly climbed the global rankings in recent years but was knocked off the UAE top spot this year by UAEU. It boasts a nuclear engineering school staffed by top nuclear scientists, many of them from South Korea. Chris Whiteoak / The National
With its its striking architecture, American University of Sharjah offers about two dozen major degrees including humanities, engineering and business to about 5,000 students. It often scores strongly in global rankings and is particularly popular with Arab expat students. Alamy Photo
With its its striking architecture, American University of Sharjah offers about two dozen major degrees including humanities, engineering and business to about 5,000 students. It often scores strongly in global rankings and is particularly popular with Arab expat students. Alamy Photo
University of Sharjah was established in 1997 and is one of the country's largest, with about 14,000 students enroled. It also has campuses in the town of Dhaid and in Kalba, in Sharjah's east coast enclave. Wikicommons
University of Sharjah was established in 1997 and is one of the country's largest, with about 14,000 students enroled. It also has campuses in the town of Dhaid and in Kalba, in Sharjah's east coast enclave. Wikicommons

The University of Birmingham in Dubai also reported an increase in the number of applications.

“We had a noticeable number of increased applications in the UAE, which is demonstrating that a lot of UAE students are not looking to travel overseas,” said Chris Taylor, senior recruitment manager for the University of Birmingham Dubai.

"They are starting to recognise the options that they have here and are staying to study.

“Our largest increase is from within the UAE and we have seen a 20 per cent increase."

Mr Taylor said students felt they had lost out on the last few months of their education and did not want to lose more.

The University of Birmingham in Dubai has about 100 first year students and double that in their second year.

Studying abroad: Perspectives of UAE students

Some students were unable to go abroad for higher studies because of financial constraints and others stayed because of travel restrictions.

Kareem Hany, a 17-year-old Egyptian student in Dubai, wanted to study at the University of Manitoba in Canada but decided to look for options closer to home when the pandemic struck.

Mr Hany, a first-year electrical engineering student at RITD, spoke of his relief at staying in the Emirates.

Kareem Hany, 17, studies electrical engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai. Kareem Hany
Kareem Hany, 17, studies electrical engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai. Kareem Hany

“With the coronavirus outbreak, I think the UAE handled it better than Canada," he said.

“Things were already going into lockdown at the time, so I decided to stay back here and study in the UAE."

Mr Hany spoke of his fear of being outside the country if travel restrictions were imposed.

“My family is in the UAE and staying far from home during such a time was not the best option,” he said.

“Many of my friends who wanted to study abroad also stayed back.”

Mr Hany was one of many students who won a scholarship.

The financial aid was an important factor in his decision.

He planned to study at one of RIT’s campuses in the US or China for a term.

“There were always good quality education offerings in the UAE but some students had dreams of studying abroad because they wanted to live independently,” he said.

“For me, the pandemic made the decision to stay in the UAE easier.”

Students still keen on exchange programmes

Students at UAE campuses of international universities will still have the option to go abroad for a term or a year.

At the University of Birmingham in Dubai, students can go to the UK for a time.

The academic requirements and fees at campuses in the UAE and the UK remain the same, but students have scholarships based on their academic achievements in the UAE.

California Institute of Technology, known as Caltech, is renowned for its engineering and natural science schools. It counts tycoon and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes and the legendary filmmaker Frank Capra among its alumni. It is home to just 2,000 students, making it one of the smallest major universities. Alamy Stock Photo
California Institute of Technology, known as Caltech, is renowned for its engineering and natural science schools. It counts tycoon and aviation pioneer Howard Hughes and the legendary filmmaker Frank Capra among its alumni. It is home to just 2,000 students, making it one of the smallest major universities. Alamy Stock Photo
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford was founded in 1885 by Jane and Leland Stanford. Its alumni boasts 19 Nobel laureates and 17 astronauts. Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the US, was part of the first class. Alamy Stock Photo
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford was founded in 1885 by Jane and Leland Stanford. Its alumni boasts 19 Nobel laureates and 17 astronauts. Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the US, was part of the first class. Alamy Stock Photo
Based in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT is among the world's best technology universities, offering digital learning, sustainable energy, big data, human health and more. It is home to about 1,000 faculty members and more than 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students. MIT says its alumni-founded companies have created 4.6 million jobs, generating nearly $2 trillion in annual revenues. Taken together, this ‘MIT Nation’ is equivalent, it is claimed, to the 10th-largest economy in the world. Alamy Stock Photo
Based in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT is among the world's best technology universities, offering digital learning, sustainable energy, big data, human health and more. It is home to about 1,000 faculty members and more than 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students. MIT says its alumni-founded companies have created 4.6 million jobs, generating nearly $2 trillion in annual revenues. Taken together, this ‘MIT Nation’ is equivalent, it is claimed, to the 10th-largest economy in the world. Alamy Stock Photo
Dating back to 1636, Harvard is the oldest university in the US and has connections to more than 30 heads of state. Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, its 5,000-acre campus houses 12 degree-granting schools and about three-quarters of its roughly 22,000 students are postgrads. Its renowned medical school is connected to 10 hospitals at which students get hands-on experience. Harvard boasts the largest academic library in the world, with 20.4 million volumes and 10 million photographs. Alamy Stock Photo
Dating back to 1636, Harvard is the oldest university in the US and has connections to more than 30 heads of state. Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, its 5,000-acre campus houses 12 degree-granting schools and about three-quarters of its roughly 22,000 students are postgrads. Its renowned medical school is connected to 10 hospitals at which students get hands-on experience. Harvard boasts the largest academic library in the world, with 20.4 million volumes and 10 million photographs. Alamy Stock Photo
The ultimate Ivy League university, Princeton's park-like New Jersey campus is home to about 10,000 students. Unusually, it offers residential accommodation to all of its undergraduates across all four years of study, with 98 per cent of its 10,000 students living on site. Its prestigious alumni include Michelle Obama, actor Jimmy Stewart and the economist Paul Krugman. Alamy Stock Photo
The ultimate Ivy League university, Princeton's park-like New Jersey campus is home to about 10,000 students. Unusually, it offers residential accommodation to all of its undergraduates across all four years of study, with 98 per cent of its 10,000 students living on site. Its prestigious alumni include Michelle Obama, actor Jimmy Stewart and the economist Paul Krugman. Alamy Stock Photo
Based in New Haven Connecticut, Yale dates back to 1701 and has educated five US presidents: William Howard Taft, Gerald Ford, George H W Bush, Bill Clinton and George W Bush. Unusually for the US, students are housed in residential colleges on the model of Oxford and Cambridge. Many of its Yale's buildings date back to the 18th century Alamy Stock Photo
Based in New Haven Connecticut, Yale dates back to 1701 and has educated five US presidents: William Howard Taft, Gerald Ford, George H W Bush, Bill Clinton and George W Bush. Unusually for the US, students are housed in residential colleges on the model of Oxford and Cambridge. Many of its Yale's buildings date back to the 18th century Alamy Stock Photo
Home to the Obama presidential library and offices of the Obama Foundation, University of Chicago is located on a 200-acre campus in the city's Hyde Park neighbourhood, near Lake Michigan. Known as UChicago, it boasts about 16,000 undergrads and postgrads. Its business school is ranked as No1 in the world by The Economist, while the New York Times found its graduates were among the most sought after in the corporate world. Alamy
Home to the Obama presidential library and offices of the Obama Foundation, University of Chicago is located on a 200-acre campus in the city's Hyde Park neighbourhood, near Lake Michigan. Known as UChicago, it boasts about 16,000 undergrads and postgrads. Its business school is ranked as No1 in the world by The Economist, while the New York Times found its graduates were among the most sought after in the corporate world. Alamy
In the top spot for the fourth year is Oxford university, recognisable worldwide for its medieval skyline. It boasts 39 separate colleges and six private hall - some of the most famous are Christ Church, Balliol College and Magdalen - offering virtually every subject in academic study to its 24,000 students. Over the centuries successful graduates have bequeathed fortunes to individual colleges, meaning some boast endowments of hundreds of millions of pounds each. Alamy
In the top spot for the fourth year is Oxford university, recognisable worldwide for its medieval skyline. It boasts 39 separate colleges and six private hall - some of the most famous are Christ Church, Balliol College and Magdalen - offering virtually every subject in academic study to its 24,000 students. Over the centuries successful graduates have bequeathed fortunes to individual colleges, meaning some boast endowments of hundreds of millions of pounds each. Alamy
Established by King Henry III in 1231, like Oxford, Cambridge is one of two ancient seats of learning. It is home to about 20,000 students and is recognisable for the 'punts' or boats that sail up and down its river. Many of its brightest technology graduates go on to work in start-ups in a high-tech business district known as 'Silicon Fen'. AFP
Established by King Henry III in 1231, like Oxford, Cambridge is one of two ancient seats of learning. It is home to about 20,000 students and is recognisable for the 'punts' or boats that sail up and down its river. Many of its brightest technology graduates go on to work in start-ups in a high-tech business district known as 'Silicon Fen'. AFP
Imperial College excels in science, engineering, medicine and business and many of its 15,000 students per year go on to top jobs in industry. Famous alumni include science fiction author HG Wells, Queen guitarist Brian May, and former prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi. Imperial’s most notable landmark is the Queen's Tower, a remainder of the Imperial Institute, built to mark Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. Alamy Stock Photo
Imperial College excels in science, engineering, medicine and business and many of its 15,000 students per year go on to top jobs in industry. Famous alumni include science fiction author HG Wells, Queen guitarist Brian May, and former prime minister of India Rajiv Gandhi. Imperial’s most notable landmark is the Queen's Tower, a remainder of the Imperial Institute, built to mark Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. Alamy Stock Photo

"Students could also complete their first year in the UAE, and if they were always planning to go to the UK, we can help them go across to the UK campus in the second year," said Mr Taylor.

At the University of Wollongong in Dubai, the university can accept students in Dubai and then transfer them to Australia, Hong Kong or Malaysia next year once travel restrictions ease.

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go

The flights

Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return. 

The trek

Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required. 

The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

While you're here
If you go

The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.

The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).

When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.

Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):

1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop

2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia -  £25m: Flop

3). Erik Lamela - Roma -  £25m: Jury still out

4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen -  £25m: Success

5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic -  £21m: Flop

6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar -  £18m: Flop

7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers -  £18m: Flop

8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb -  £17m: Success

9). Paulinho - Corinthians -  £16m: Flop

10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham -  £16m: Success

'Munich: The Edge of War'

Director: Christian Schwochow

Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons

Rating: 3/5

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Baby Driver

Director: Edgar Wright

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James

Three and a half stars

On Women's Day
More from Firas Maksad
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

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The biog

Place of birth: Kalba

Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren

Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken

Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah

Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”

How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
  • The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
  • The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
  • The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
  • The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
  • The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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While you're here
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
While you're here
Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

While you're here
HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450

Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000

Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km

More on Quran memorisation:
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Tomorrow 2021
Zayed Sustainability Prize
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

Famous left-handers

- Marie Curie

- Jimi Hendrix

- Leonardo Di Vinci

- David Bowie

- Paul McCartney

- Albert Einstein

- Jack the Ripper

- Barack Obama

- Helen Keller

- Joan of Arc

Studying addiction

This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.

Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.

The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

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The biog

Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer

Marital status: Single

Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran

Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food

Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish

Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com

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Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier

Results

UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs

Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets

Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets

Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets

Semi-finals

UAE v Qatar

Bahrain v Kuwait

 

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

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