A love of anime and rapidly advancing technology mixed with traditional culture is encouraging more Emiratis to seek out studies in Japan.
Educators and experts at Najah Abu Dhabi 2018, a leading higher education event being held in the capital, have noticed growing interest from UAE students who want to study in the Far East.
An education chief in the capital said Emirati students are attracted by the country’s focus on technology, as well as a desire to master the language.
Representatives from six Japanese universities are attending the fair to take advantage for the UAE enthusiasm for all things Japanese.
"There is more focus on Japan now because they are advanced in terms of technology. There are students going there to study the language," said Amal Al Hammadi, section manager for student guidance and scholarships at Abu Dhabi's Department of Education and Knowledge.
The Japan International Co-operation Centre revealed that since 2013, the number of Emirati students studying in Japan for degree and non-degree programmes had increased by 62 per cent from 102 students in 2013 to 166 students in 2018.
Munehiro Mishima, general manager at the centre, said many students make the move to immerse themselves in a culture they are very familiar with.
“Culture is a huge reason. For many students, their first motivation was anime. Since they were children they have been familiar with anime. According to them, they dream of going to Japan,” he said.
He said students feel a close connection to the culture because Japanese values are similar to Emirati values and attitude. The majority of students from the UAE choose to study engineering while some take up business, international relations, and arts.
“Advanced technology, the unique culture, safety and the quality of life contribute to why more international students choose Japan for studying,” Mr Mishima said.
Abdulla Al Suwaidi, 31, studied international relations at Nikon University and graduated in 2015. He is now working in the government sector in Abu Dhabi.
________
Read more:
Emiratis 'captivated' by Korean culture
600 scholarships offered to Chinese students after move to recognise Dubai degrees in China
___________
As a child, Mr Suwaidi would watch Japanese animation and play Japanese video games.
"I was hooked on animation and especially Dragon Ball. I used to listen to the Japanese language and I wanted to learn more. I used to buy books and learn about the Japanese culture," he said.
In 2005, he got the opportunity to see a traditional tea ceremony and it was then that he decided he wanted to know more about the culture of Japan.
“I wanted to carve my own path. My dream was to travel to Japan but also to study there.”
He also took the opportunity to learn Japanese. After studying in Japan for six years, he is fluent in the language.
He started to learn Japanese as a hobby in the UAE but took it up seriously when he travelled to the country.
“When you understand the language you can communicate perfectly with people. I’m using the language at work now,” he said.
Tokai University in Tokyo has 135 students from the GCC, including 29 from the UAE. Easa Al Shemsi, 22, is a second-year student at the university.
Mr Al Shemsi was studying at Khalifa University when he was inspired by a college trip to Japan.
“I saw little robot arms build a car. For a person studying mechanical engineering, that’s a dream. I saw that and it blew my mind. I thought I have to go study there if I get the chance,” he said.
When the opportunity came up, he travelled to Japan to study mechanical engineering.
“The people who are living around you make a difference. They are all organised the quality of life is good.
"We are still from the early generations to go to Japan to study from this country. Many people find us studying there amusing. Others didn't know it was possible for us to go to Japan for higher studies," he said.
He remembered telling his family about his decision to study in Japan.
“My father said go for it while my mother was worried about how I would manage to find halal food,” he said.
The Najah education fair, which started on Wednesday and features representatives from 150 universities in 20 countries, is at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until Friday.
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
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
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
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
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
