The country's oldest university has been listed as one of the top 400 higher education institutions in the world for the first time.
UAE University, in Al Ain, shares the 374th position in rankings released by Times Higher Education, a London-based newspaper, and the career and education organisation QS.
Last year, UAE University, founded in 1976 and the oldest federal university in the country, was listed between 401 and 500 in the same table. Institutions that appear outside the top 400 are grouped together rather than ranked individually.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the chancellor of UAE University, credited an increase in research at the institution for the improved position.
"This is the most important thing for any university," he said. "We're planning to move up the ladder every year."
The only other universities in Middle Eastern Arab countries in the top 400 are King Saud University (247) and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (266), both in Saudi Arabia, and the American University of Beirut (351).
In joint 374th position with UAE University are Scotland's Heriot-Watt, which has a branch in Dubai, and Kyung Hee University in South Korea.
Among the institutions ranked lower than UAE University are Bangor University (394) and the University of Aberystwyth (386), both in Wales, the University of Tennessee (380) and Osaka City University (399) in Japan.
The scoring system, in which UAE was awarded 37.5 points out of a possible 100, is 40 per cent based on reviews by academics. Ten per cent of the score is based on an employer survey, 20 per cent on the student-to-faculty ratio, 20 per cent on the number of times research is cited and five per cent each for the proportions of international faculty and international students.
Phil Baty, deputy editor of Times Higher Education, said: "Any institution that's heading in the direction [of the top 200] is doing the right thing."
Dr Rory Hume, the provost of UAE University, said its improved ranking showed that "the world is beginning to pay attention to what's going on here".
"It's nice to have that recognition," he said, adding that "focused investment on people and programmes" was behind the improved showing.
Dr Hume added that he believed the university was on course to be among the world's top 100 institutions within five years, one of its stated goals.
It is also in the midst of a major reform programme. Next year, it will become the country's first federal university to offer PhD courses. There had been some "phenomenal applicants", Dr Hume said.
"We are working on our first group of scholarship and we expect to offer 20 scholarships within a month," he said.
There are also plans to substantially increase research by taking on more doctoral students each year and hiring academic staff with international reputations.
Next year, the university will move to a new campus, where all functions will be consolidated. Currently the university is scattered across several campuses.
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)
Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)
Wednesday
Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)
Norwich City v Everton (9pm)
Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)
Thursday
Burnley v Watford (9pm)
Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)
Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons
9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
WOMAN AND CHILD
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Rating: 4/5
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.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
