Education UAE Blog

Gulf News:

Mideast and North African schools are not succeeding in providing their graduates with analytical skills, problem solving abilities, critical thinking and the ability to innovate.

Forty years of government investment in education in the Middle East and North Africa has failed to deliver the skills needed for an increasingly competitive world, the World Bank argues in a report published last February.

The region lags behind Asia and Latin America in literacy and in average years of schooling above the age of 15, the report says, although investment has had some success — notably near universal access to schooling and the closure of the gender gap in primary schools. Despite a history of government spending on education at an average of five per cent of GDP, World Bank officials say the region’s education systems have failed to provide their graduates with analytical skills, problem solving abilities, critical thinking and the ability to innovate.

“The relationship between education and economic growth has remained weak, and the divide between education and employment has not been bridged,” says the report.

“The main problem is the region invested heavily in building schools, delivering curricula and textbooks,” said Michal Rutkowski, sector director for human development in the World Bank’s MENA region.

“But it did not change in the area of incentives to create a framework in which good teachers and schools are rewarded and bad teachers and schools are not.”

The report ranks Jordan and Kuwait as “top performers” basedon access, efficiency and quality of education. Djibouti, Yemen, Iraq and Morocco are ranked lowest. The report argues that a lack of “accountability” has had a detrimental effect on the quality of education. It says parents, local government and the private sector have little influence over the educational process which remains largely unresponsive to the needs of society and the job market.

In a region where many countries have bloated bureaucracies and inefficient public-sector industries, the bank identifies reform of the labour-market as critical to the success of efforts to overhaul education.

It says many graduates prefer to pass up opportunities in the private sector and remain unemployed, sometimes for years, until they are offered government jobs that are guaranteed for life and boast higher benefits. The dominance of these jobs in some countries, the bank argues, creates distortions in the labour market and makes it difficult for educational establishments to know how to tailor their courses to meet the real needs of the economy.

“The education system does not have a compass to know which skills are in demand so it produces graduates by inertia,” said Mr Rutkowski.

Let’s face it, I don’t post much to this blog, and it’s been like that almost from the beginning. I think this topic is very important, I think it could be a successful blog, and I’m interested in it, but there’s just not enough time to keep it going like it should, and like it deserves. So I’ll keep posting occasionally but don’t expect anything regular.

ADWC instated new programs:

A source at the Abu Dhabi Women’s College (ADWC) announced that the college has instated an additional three programs during the second semester of the current year, Khaleej Times reported.

He further pointed out that ADWC’s Applied Communications Department recently introduced a Diploma in Graphic Design/Interior Design to prepare students for entry-level positions in the interior design field.

ADWC students will sit for courses in drawing, color theory, design principles and digital software applications and upon graduation and will be qualified to create exhibition and promotional displays.

The second program being introduced is the Diploma in Health Office Technology, by the Health Sciences Department and will give graduates knowledge and skills to support administrative and management duties in the field of healthcare.

ADWC will further start offering a Software Engineering Concentration in its Higher Diploma in Information Technology (IT), which aims to answer the demand for engineers in the UAE.

MENAFN - Middle East North Africa . Financial Network News: Zayed University to open 2 new branches: “The UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced that the Zayed University (ZU) will establish two new branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Khaleej Times reported.

He also said that the launching of the two campuses will help more UAE nationals complete their university studies.

The university’s new branches will be open to all students, nationals and expatriates and will be equipped with the latest facilities. The dates for the opening of the new campuses have not been specified.”

Gulfnews: Peer-review programme for teachers: “University introduces assessment system for instructors. Nadia M. Saleem reports

Teachers have no problem telling students what they are doing wrong - but who will tell professors how to improve their teaching skills? An effort is being undertaken in which one instructor will work with one another to review course materials, teaching methods and classroom practices.

Under the Faculty Development Centre (FDC) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) and its director, Dr Ahmad Al Eisa, a pilot programme on ‘peer review’ is to be implemented in the near future.

Critical friend
Daniel Kirk, a professor in the Department of Writing Studies at the AUS, gave a presentation introducing the programme. Members of the faculty were in attendance, as well as Dean William Heidcamp of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Kirk defined peer review as the ‘process of having a colleague whom one respects as an educator, to work with on examining your teaching practice and helping you develop as an effective teacher.’

He presented the pros and cons of having a ‘critical friend’ reviewing one in class. Several concerns were raised, such as privacy, who should be reviewed, time commitment and the risk of standardising teaching styles across academic units.

According to Kirk, the pros outweighed the cons, with peer review generally improving mentoring functions, bringing about cooperative interaction among colleagues and
helping in personal and professional development.

‘What we do in class has a huge impact on students,’ said Kirk. ‘Therefore the necessity to be effective teachers can not be stressed enough.’

Some professors in attendance brought up other concerns, such as the possible use of the reviews in personnel decisions.

Elaborating, Kirk said the goal was not part of an institutional, merit or pay evaluation but rather to create an interpersonal and informal process of assessment.

He stressed that many issues could not be resolved in a single session. ‘The purpose of this presentation was to get a good discussion going,’ he said. ‘Attendees brought up points which I had not thought of that can help faculty development at the AUS.’

‘Hopefully, peer review will be seen for what it is - a way to improve the teaching practices of the faculty and allowing teachers to examine what it is that they do in the classroom,’ he said.

International practices
Kirk mentioned similar programmes in other institutions that are being conducted around the world.

‘Peer review and reflective practices are growing areas in teaching,’ he said. ‘Many universities in the UK and North America that value improving the teaching and learning experience for students and faculty have similar programmes.’

Viewing peer review positively
Kirk stressed the need to view the programme in a positive light. ‘If you think that you are being evaluated it can be worrisome,’ he said.

‘The programme should be looked at as an opportunity for learning, a collegial conversation about teaching and improving.’

He suggested that professors have many tools they can utilise for self-reflection. Some of these include teaching journals, lesson reports and video recordings.

Emphasising the importance of learning through reviews, Kirk said an educator’s focus should be on answering the question: What kind of a teacher am I?

The basics of peer review
A participant in the seminar offered to be reviewed as a pilot for the programme which the FDC is planning.

Kik defined the ideal attitude of a professor who is the subject of the peer review as ’someone with a willingness to learn and share ideas, and who is committed to professional development and learning.’

‘There is always room for improving one’s teaching practices,’ he added.

‘During the process of peer review, one can become more aware of the many aspects of his or her teaching practices and things that were never noticed before: the open self, the secret self, the blind self and the hidden self.’

He suggested that participants should view peer review in a friendly context.”

Gulfnews: University heralds change: “Top journalism school opens doors in Qatar to bring western education to the region. Hind Al Sulaiti reports

A new journalism school, one of the first of its kind in the Gulf region, is opening in Qatar in September 2008. The US-based Northwestern University will establish a branch campus at the Education City on the outskirts of Doha offering undergraduate degrees in communication and journalism.

Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism will offer a programme in journalism, media and integrated marketing communication, while the university’s School of Communication will offer a programme in media industries and technologies.

In addition, Northwestern plans to offer a pre-college preparatory programme.

Leading the region
The opening of the university takes Qatar further in its efforts to support the freedom of press in the country.

Censorship was lifted from the local press in 1995 and in 1996 Al Jazeera satellite TV started broadcasting from Qatar, becoming the beacon of freedom of speech in the region.

In addition the abolishment of the Ministry of Information in 1998 gave way to an open environment in which opinions are shared more freely than in the past.

Changing perceptions
However, very few Qatari nationals work in this field due to the misleading perception of the role and importance of the media and the lack of benefits.

‘Qatari nationals are not used to jobs that require a lot of effort or movement,’ said Qatari writer Norah Al Khater.
She strongly emphasises the importance of an open society for reserved. She feels that Qatari society is still closed, making sources very limited.

‘A journalist has limited sources in a closed society. He or she will not be able to knock on doors, enter the homes of citizens, or interview people freely to write a story,’ she said.

Al Khater added that the efforts the Qatari government is making are an invitation to nationals to increase their numbers in the field and thereby change this image.

More universities
Northwestern University will join five top American universities with branch campuses in the Education City, including the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, Weill Cornell Medical College, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon University Qatar and Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

Admissions criteria
Admission requirements to the Doha campus are the same as those for the parent institution and some 40 students are expected to enrol in the first year.

The degree will be identical to that of the main campus. It is the first time the university has offered courses away from its main campus in Illinois, United States.

‘Northwestern’s reputation for excellence made it a prime candidate to deliver journalism and communication programmes at the Education City,’ said Shaikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Messnad, wife of the Emir of Qatar and chairperson of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, a non-profit organisation fostering education and scientific research.

‘During the negotiations we became convinced that they understood and endorsed our vision for the development of the Education City and its contribution to Qatar and the region.

‘Effective media and communication are a vital element of the dynamic, participative society we are promoting,’ said Shaikha Mozah.”

Gulfnews: Importance of higher education: “Abdullah Al Shaiba highlights the benefits of university education for all citizens as an important step towards national progress

Higher education reflects to a large extent the condition and quality of the education structure of a country. Universities and most other higher education institutions have a mission and responsibility to fulfil towards society.

Purpose
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (2004) illustrates the main purposes of higher education in three points: to enable people to develop their capabilities and fulfil their potential both personally and at work, to advance knowledge and understanding through scholarship and research, and to contribute to an economically successful and culturally diverse nation.

Definition
Over time, the major development stages of higher education have been articulated by many experts, where debates on the issue have centred on the distinctions between elite, mass and universal higher education systems in most countries, particularly developed societies.

Famous writings on the subject are perhaps those published by Trow in the early 1970s.

Scott (2005) summarises the development of higher education, based on the enrolment rates defined by Trow as ‘higher education systems that enrolled up to 15 per cent of the age group were best described as elite systems; systems that enrolled between 15 and 40 per cent of the age group were mass systems; and those that enrolled more than 40 per cent were universal systems.’

Transition
Broadly speaking, the transition from elite to mass to universal higher education has been based on the increasing numbers of students in all countries enrolling and attending non-elite institutions.

This translates into a move from highly limited access education (which is generally viewed as a privilege), to a wider access education (seen by people as a right for those who have certain formal qualification and is perceived as an access to lifelong learning), to a stage whereby attendance in higher education institutions becomes as an obligation and is viewed as educating the entire population.

The US example
Few countries, including the USA, have experienced the transition from mass to universal higher education systems. In the UAE, official statistics for the past ten years indicate that the nation has been encountering a mass higher education environment.

Several factors have contributed to create this situation including increasing public investments in both general and higher education, open market in education in general and higher education in particular, modern infrastructure and remarkable developments in adapting the latest applications in communications and information technology.

Statistics
Figures for students applying to mass higher education institutions have significantly grown in the last ten years.

In 1996 7,756 students applied and this grew to 15,184 by 2007, an increase of 95.8 per cent. In 1996 the total eligible students were 6,331, which increased to 13,316 in 2007, an increase of 110.33 per cent.

Statistics indicate a growth of 101.5 per cent from 1996 to 2007 in the number of women applying to institutions.
These numbers rose from 4,612 to 9,292 students in 2007. The total numbers for eligibility for women in 1996 were 4,008, which increased to 8,310 in 2007 for a growth of 107.34 per cent.

For male students there has been a growth of 87.4 per cent from 1996 when total applications were 3,144 students. This increased to 5,892 in 2007. Total eligibility has increased from 2,323 in 1996 to 5,006, a 115.5 per cent rise.

Records of applications and eligibility show that the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) are the most favoured schools.

This popularity may be attributed to the educational environment, employment-related curriculum and the communication skills the HCT provides to its graduates.

The statistics confirm three essential points. First, the increasing interest among national students, women and men, to enrol in higher education programmes as an important requirement for employment.

Second is the potential role higher education plays in supporting the economy of the UAE. Third and most important, is the position the UAE has occupied among societies that encounter ‘mass’ higher education conditions.

This situation adds more value to the positive accomplishments of the UAE in the field of education in general and in higher education in particular.”

Gulfnews: Good education closer to home: “American universities that make up the Education City showcase programmes on offer. Bhavna Purswani reports

The Qatar Foundation held an exhibition in Dubai on ‘Discover Education City’, comprising of stalls and representatives from all the universities that make up Qatar’s Education City: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of the Arts, Weill Cornell Medical College, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon University and Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

Also present was the Northwestern University School of Journalism and Communications, which will be offering undergraduate programmes in Education City from fall 2008.

The regional presence of such established names in education is excellent news for students and educators.

‘We were seeking students from the GCC region, which is why we chose to locate in Qatar. We are now accessible to a large number of students in the region who come to us from countries like Bahrain, India, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan,’ said Noha Al Afifi, media relations officer at Carnegie Mellon Qatar.

Application process
Applicants can apply in the traditional way or online by completing an application form and mailing it along with all the necessary documents to the universities.

Who is eligible?
Students are selected on the basis of their GPA and SAT scores. Some universities require a TOEFL score as well.
‘Requirements are the same as the main branch of the university, making us highly selective and competitive,’ said Al Afifi.

Scores required vary from university to university. Minimum criteria can be obtained from the universities directly.

Closer to home
‘Due to my interest and desire for a strong education, I never actually considered studying within the Middle East. In my senior year at high school, I chose to apply to several universities in the US and the UK,’ said Laith Algaz, UAE national and business administration student major at Carnegie Mellon University.

‘However prior to applying to the Carnegie Mellon campus in Pittsburgh, I discovered that there was a newly established campus of the renowned school in the nearby country of Qatar,’ he said.

‘Although I was accepted to my top choices, I ended up choosing Carnegie Mellon Qatar because of both its location and small student-to-faculty ratio.’

 Like Algaz, many students in the region stand to benefit from the close proximity and high level education offered at the Education City campuses. Educational standards need not be sacrificed in favour of proximity anymore.

‘I have learned to live independently and my responsibility has grown. I have been able to do that while being a 50-minute flight away from my home in Dubai.

‘I have returned to Dubai on many weekends to visit friends and family and enjoy the ability I can be both alone and close to my friends and family at the same time,’ Algaz said.

Scholarship opportunities for UAE nationals

All UAE national students who have been selected to attend the universities are eligible to apply for a scholarship granted by the Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi.

Students who wish to apply need to contact the Division of Sponsorship in the Ministry. Those still in high school may be able to obtain application forms from their school.

Requirements differ according to the level of education, although all applicants must have excellent exam scores.

High school seniors applying for an undergraduate scholarship are required to sit the CEPA examination at the National Admission and Placement Office.

Those applying for a masters scholarship must present their bachelors degree qualification. All applicants are required to submit a passport copy as proof of nationality.

Courses on offer
University Programmes offer:

VCUQ: Graphic Design, Fashion Design and Interior Design.
Cornell: Pre-Medical and Medical Programme
Georgetown: Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service.
Texas A&M: Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering.
Carnegie Mellon: Business administration, Computer Science and Information Systems.”

Gulfnews: Language improvement: “New course helps students enhance their English skills to be more effective in the workplace. Bhavna Purswani reports

With more than 200 nationalities living and working side by side in the same country, inevitably a common language surfaces. In many countries this language is English, and the UAE too seems to be heading in the same direction.

With an ever-evolving workplace, the term ’survival of the fittest’ has taken on a whole new meaning. A large part of this survival is communication.

UAE nationals and the private sector
An alarmingly low percentage of UAE nationals work in the private sector. Their biggest barrier is their fluency in English.

In times like these, the Abu Dhabi University’s endeavour to bring English to both locals and expatriates to improve their English language skills is greatly appreciated. In spring 2008 the Abu Dhabi University’s English Language Institute (ELI) plans to introduce additional courses.

Choices on the programme
The programme being introduced comprises two courses:

English for specific purposes
‘This is a course that is specifically for the UAE community. It aims to meet workplace needs in the region,’ said Sandra Rene Zaher, director of the ELI. As it is a course that is tailor-made to suit the needs of the student, there is no fixed time duration.

‘People come to us with a need in mind and we design a course that fulfils it. For example, we are currently doing a course for Zayed University’s Arabic teachers to help strengthen their English,’ she said.
Summer camp for high school students
‘The camp gives students an opportunity to experience university life while developing their language skills,’ Zaher said.

‘It is an intensive language course but in an unconventional sense. We try to teach them English in ways that involve them intrinsically. We give them community projects and environmental projects - all of which have to be done in English.’
Teaching methodologies used for the projects have the advantage of going beyond developing just language skills,
‘Even though it is an intensive language course, there is a lot of skill building involved. They have opportunities to build on things like their technological skills, teamwork and environmental skills,’ said Zaher.

The camp is a six-week programme, with each week having a separate theme. It aims to teach students a sense of giving back to life in the UAE and in the Gulf.

The camp is open to students from grades 8 to 12.

Approach to teaching
On their teaching approach Zaher said, ‘We have a student-centred methodology. We realise that students can have a plethora of knowledge, but maybe just in a different language.

‘We asked ourselves how we could get them to translate their knowledge into another language and get involved. So our aim is to give them projects to create and events to attend,’ she said.

Zaher added that the day after an event, teachers include students in a debate in class in which they are split into teams.

‘They talk about what they liked and what they didn’t like. This teaches them social interaction skills and teamwork, while the project deadlines teach them time management skills,’ she said.

Although the approach sounds workable in theory, does Zaher believe that the programme will be able to provide individuals with the level of English they need to succeed in the UAE’s increasingly cutthroat workplace?

‘Yes, I do,’ she said. ‘We lay the foundations of not just the development of language but skills like teamwork and individual and social responsibility.’

Student opinions
‘It really is a positive step,’ said Darwish Ahmad, industrial engineering student at Alhosn University. ‘Our first language is Arabic and we need support to be good in English.’

‘If this venture is successful, it will certainly help us locals in the workplace,’ he said, pointing out the occasions in his daily life when the need to use English arises.

‘Whether in the supermarket or at home or even in a restaurant, everything is in English. Menus are in English and product labels are in English. You have to be able to read them to be able to communicate effectively or to know what you are buying.’

In a similar vein, Taghrid Belqaizi, marketing student at the American University in Dubai, said, ‘I think it is a good endeavour as language is a very important thing in life. The more languages you know the more opportunities you have to do things.’

Application forms for registration can be obtained online on www.adu.edu.

Existing courses
Those wishing to improve their English have three options:

Foundation and ELI level 1, 2 and 3: With a duration of 13 weeks, these courses are only available to those students who have enrolled as undergraduates in the university but do not have sufficient knowledge of the English Language (tested by the TOEFL exam) to be able to proceed satisfactorily with their course.

Students taking this course are segregated according to gender.
The international test preparation course is a course for those who have completed their undergraduate degrees from the university itself or elsewhere, and wish to do their masters but are not equipped with the necessary language skills.

Eight weeks in duration, this course is intensive and can be conducted in the evenings or on the weekends if needed. The course is co-educational, but segregated classes can be arranged if required.
The Business Online Course is a 10-week course with an on-campus component. It aims to cater to the language needs of those in the corporate world.”