DUBAI // Though they represent some of the region's brightest minds, each laying claim to a genius-level IQ, they almost failed their first test in their attempt to join the hallowed ranks of Mensa – finding the examination room.
After wandering the maze of corridors in Dubai's Emarat Atrium, five men eventually arrived at a nondescript office to sit an exam last week that could grant them membership to the prestigious high IQ society.
"Finding this place was a challenge," said Sachin Nithyan, a 23-year-old aviation engineering student from India. "I thought it may have even been part of the test."
The prospective members are seeking to join the approximately 40 registered Mensans in the Emirates who are eligible to join regular social activities arranged by a volunteer organising committee.
It is hoped that the tests, which are held every two to three months in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, will increase that number.
"We need at least 50 members before we can operate as an official chapter," said Ronny Labban, a 38-year-old Lebanese computer engineer with an intelligence quotient of 164, who acts as site co-ordinator for members in the capital.
The organisation provides a forum for intellectual exchange among its membership, which represents more than 100 countries around the world. Mensa means "table" in Latin.
There was a faint sense of competition as the five test-takers gathered around a circular table to attack the multiple-choice exam.
Each of them had been rated with an IQ of 140 or above, Mensa's threshold for genius, in previous mock exams. Some said in a tongue-in-cheek fashion that not everyone would be eligible.
"Mensa only takes the top two per cent of the population, which basically rules out lawyers and politicians," said Kerry Hayes, 48, a mechanical engineer who lives in Sharjah and has an IQ of 156.
A handful of different examinations are used to assess eligibility for membership.
However, the Figure Reasoning Test used by the group was designed for international use, meaning that non-native English speakers would not be penalised for butting up against the language barrier.
"It's mostly logic based," said Arun Kumar, a 28-year-old applicant from India who works in sales.
"Squares and circles are the same no matter which language you speak."
Supervising the test was Maryam Ali Saeed Althani, the only Emirati Mensa member. Ms Althani, who has an IQ of 156 and works as an electrical engineer, is responsible for organising the group's social activities in Dubai.
"When people come here they don't know anything about our culture," she said.
"Because I am the only Emirati, I feel this is my duty to represent my country."
The group arranges social activities such as bowling, games nights and cultural evenings and maintains a Facebook group where updates on tests and meetings are posted. Members were treated to iftar feasts during Ramadan.
Instead of being left to discuss issues of world domination at these social events, the great minds of the groups are assigned a theme for each gathering and discussion largely centres around that.
"The social aspect is definitely a plus," said Fahad Osman, a 30-year-old applicant who works in advertising.
"It's nice to cavort with like-minded people."
The test was followed by another yesterday in Dubai for a different group of candidates.
And the next round of testing in Abu Dhabi will be held in a couple of months, Mr Labban said.
The current applicants will know in two weeks whether they have passed after their exams are sent to the UK to be graded by the Mensa board.
Though the reasons for wanting to join the group were different for each person, Mr Hayes put it most succinctly.
"I just want to prove to my kids that I'm not so stupid," he said.
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Arsenal's pre-season fixtures
Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney
Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney
Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai
July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing
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The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
Janet Yellen's Firsts
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Temperature: -40°C
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AS IT STANDS IN POOL A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
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Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
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To qualify automatically
UAE must beat Iraq.
Australia must lose in Japan and at home to Thailand, with their losing margins and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
To finish third and go into a play-off with the other third-placed AFC side for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-off match
UAE must beat Iraq.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
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335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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