Students at the Applied Technology High School on the Khalifa University campus.
Students at the Applied Technology High School on the Khalifa University campus.

Engineering students can start degree in Grade 12



ABU DHABI // Engineering students at applied technology schools will be able to complete a year of their bachelor's degree while in Grade 12.

The move is part of a partnership between the Institute of Applied Technology and the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).

It will allow Grade 12 students at the institute's Applied Technology High Schools (Aths) to earn up to a year's worth of advanced placement credits towards a four-year bachelor's degree in engineering.

More than 940 students across all Aths campuses will be able to apply for the programme this September.

It will help Emiratis to enter the workplace sooner by reducing their higher education to three years and eliminating the need for a foundation year.

Currently, 95 per cent of the Emirati pupils entering federal universities spend up to two years in remedial programmes.

"It is a way to motivate students to work harder," said Dr Mark Drummond, the provost of HCT. "If they complete those courses and degree requirements at high school, then they can move into work faster."

Students opting for the Bachelor of Applied Science 1+3 programme will have to take extra liberal studies and technology courses alongside their high school syllabus.

Those in engineering science can earn up to 30 credits, and applied engineering students at least 21 credits.

Some supplementary courses will be taught by HCT educators.

To pass they also have to score a 5.0 in the International English Language Testing System and may also have to take external exams, such as the SAT for mathematics.

Aths had to align its courses with subjects taught at the institute before the programme could be introduced.

Mr Drummond said the greater responsibility for high school campuses meant more Emiratis could graduate without putting a strain on the college's budget.

"We will be able to increase the number of students we graduate in three years," he said. "There will be 25 per cent more places at the colleges without any additional government spending."

The colleges will also be able to reduce spending on remedial programmes. About 30 per cent of federal universities' budgets are taken up by such courses.

Dr Abdullatif Al Shamsi, managing director of the institute, said students opting for the programme needed to be fully committed.

"We are not graduating them with high school outcomes any more," said Dr Al Shamsi.

"We have upped the standards of our courses because we want to set them up for success."

The institute's schools were established in 2005 to provide advanced technical education that was not being offered at other government schools.

The aim was to train Emiratis for careers in science and engineering. The schools take a hands-on approach to teaching and focus on English language, citizenship and life-skills education.

Mr Drummond said the system was not uncommon in places such as the US, where students use a fourth year to complete a master's programme.

Imad Al Talbi, acting principal of the Aths girls campus in Abu Dhabi, said the programme would push students to achieve more.

"A lot of the pupils are interested," Mr Al Talbi said. "They see the opportunity that has opened to them and will put in the extra hours to earn those credits."

Students have been told they will have to take courses on Saturday, but he said his students were geared up for the additional work.

"Here all our subjects prepare them for university work, so they are already motivated," Mr Al Talbi said.

Mariam Khalfan, a Grade 9 pupil at the Abu Dhabi campus, said she liked the idea of attaining a degree in three years.

"It will be more work so I do not know yet how I will manage my time," Mariam said.

"I do not want to waste one year doing a foundation course, so I will try."

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-of-age
  • 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/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
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

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Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

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Need to know

When: October 17 until November 10

Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration

Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center

What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.

For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

Ibrahim's play list

Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute

Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc

Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar

His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach

Also enjoys listening to Mozart

Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz

Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica 

Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

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What are NFTs?

Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.

You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”

However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.

This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”

This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.