SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 KT CONNECT
DIAC &DKP YEARBOOK
Empowering a new generation of pioneers to innovate
EMPOWERING A NEW GENERATION OF PIONEERS TO INNOVATE Home to internationally acclaimed universities hosting more than 24,000 students from 145 nationalities. Dubai International Academic City is transforming Dubai into a talent-based economy of global thinkers by imparting the best academic direction complemented by a holistic community lifestyle.
A member of TECOM Group
www.diacedu.ae
DIAC &DKP
CONTENTS
YEARBOOK
SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 Editorial Editor Vaman Vassudev Kamat
Supplements Editor Suchitra Steven Samuel
Sub-editor Sadiq Shaban
Reporters Farhana Chowdhury Suneeti Ahuja-Kohli
PRODUCTION Designers Mohammad Ejaz Khan Sidharthan
Imaging Venugopal Prabhu
ADVERTISING Director Advertising
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6 Sustaining the knowledge-
based economy of the UAE
DIAC and DKP are committed to develop valuable human capital in the UAE
10 Study and specialise in
career-oriented courses
DIAC is an immensely successful combination of business and education, working together to enrich the lives and careers of thousands of students in the UAE and the region
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
14 Developing a world-class talent pool
Training centres and skill development are among the core focus areas in Dubai. Students and working professionals have a range of courses to choose from to build a flourishing career.
18 Centres of Excellence
The UAE is perceived as the fourth most attractive education destination by students who intend to study abroad, suggests a recent study
20 At hand every step of the way
DIAC has different programmes and facilities focused on student development, entertainment and comfort
26 They made it!
Students share their experience studying in DIAC and how it has helped as a platform for future prospects
28 Caring for your family
For more than a decade, Mediclinic Al Sufouh has been the clinic of choice for Dubai residents
30 Excellence is a way of life
Manipal Dubai collaborates with more than 80 international partner universities, allowing students to get wider exposure
32 Reimagining higher education
The critical need of the hour for students is to adapt skills to take on various job and work settings
34 Future leaders
BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, confers degrees to 13th batch of engineers in a grand convocation ceremony DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
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DIAC and DKP today
Sustaining the knowledge based economy of the UAE DIAC and DKP are committed to develop valuable human capital in the UAE
Latha Krishnan
H
is Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VicePresident and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has declared, “Young people make up about half of the population and they are key to the UAE’s future success. We are a young country that was built by young people and have reached an elevated global standing thanks to them. They are the secret of its power and speed. The development of this valuable human capital is the global currency of the 21st century economies, and the only way to achieve sustainable development and promote the UAE’s journey towards further progress and prosperity.” Seeking to convert that vision into reality are several organisations in the UAE but few are so dedicated and committed to developing valuable human capital as Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) and Dubai Knowledge Park (DKP) — the higher education and training components of the highly successful TECOM Group of Dubai. Both DIAC and DKP have rebranded recently. “Our decision to rebrand has
been inspired by the same vision where pursuit of excellence in education is a journey, not a destination. This change represents a renewed focus on our academic and business communities,” informs Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of DIAC and DKP. “We have built a reputation as a community that encourages and promotes innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship within the worlds of academic and HR by actively supporting our business partners to create a pioneering and adaptable workforce.” The two entities, DIAC and DKP, provide strategic and significant impetus to the growth of the higher education and HR sectors of industry in the UAE, a country seeking now more than ever to shift its economy from relying on natural resources, namely oil, to one of the knowledge and skills of its citizens. Knowledge and skills enhancement are the focus of both DIAC and DKP. Together they have unstintingly supported a knowledge-based economy since their inception by attracting leading international education providers and global conglomerates to partner with them and grow in the region. There are currently more than 600 total companies located within the DIAC and DKP Free Zones.. HR is the main driver of a knowledge-based economy and DKP has been at the forefront of HR training and
Dubai International academic city and Dubai Knowledge Park provide strategic and significant impetus to the growth of the higher education and Human Resources sectors in the UAE. 6
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
largest higher education free zone: World-class qualifications prepare students for their chosen careers.
development for more than a decade. It is the only free zone in the world specialising in HR and learning excellence. Dedicated to helping in the progress and reach of hundreds of its HR / Consulting / R&D / Licensing / Training and Personal Development business partners, DKP has grown to be the go-to destination for HR in the GCC region. Students enrolled at DKP’s top-class business partners and undergoing various kinds of training ranging from fine arts and languages to technical and occupational skills and more, receive diplomas and certificates of the highest calibre. These world-class qualifications prepare them for their chosen careers and / or enhance their existing careers manifold. Throughout the course duration and further as their career grows DKP provides necessary and significant support to them. DKP supports its business partners also by providing flexible solutions through its innovative customer service team. With the assistance of this competent team, DKP business partners have set up training centres, institutes and HR agencies to
sustain and secure their market share in this booming sector. Thus DKP has helped its partners in supplying capable and qualified employees to many leading organisations and continues to systematically better its output and range thereby gaining a richly deserving international reputation as a reliable business partner and HR centre of excellence. Excellence in higher education and that too from academic institutions from the UAE as well as many other countries is what DIAC has been offering students since it opened in 2007. DIAC is currently home to approximately half of the UAE’s international branch campuses in the region and has 25 academic institutions from nine countries operating within it. Uniquely designed to allow partners to also build and run their own campuses within it, DIAC is the largest higher education free zone in the world hosting the largest number of international branch campuses in any one location, including the multi-tiered higher education institutions. Thousands of students have graduated from institutions in DIAC, which currently hosts more than 25,000 students from 149 nationalities and is growing in stature and size with its eclectic mix of academic, vocational and research-led programmes. Programmes offered by DIAC partners
DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
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DIAC and DKP today
Reaching upwards: Dubai’s infrastructure has attracted many of the world’s largest international companies to the city.
range in duration from one to four years. The variety on offer helps students find their chosen course of study: be it traditional science, arts and business courses, or the modern programmes such as filmmaking and animation, nanotechnology, forensic science, solar and alternate energy, construction project management, event management, fashion design and technology or biotechnology.
DIAC universities will expand on programme offerings, which now include 450 Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD degrees across a broad range of Subjects. 8
With the new academic year in September, DIAC universities will expand on programme offerings, which now include 450 Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD degrees across a broad range of subjects such as business, engineering, hospitality and tourism, communication, journalism and media. “There is a direct correlation between the courses offered by DIAC and DKP and the skills required by companies. Thus we bridge the gap between academia and industry and ease the transition of graduates to employment, while driving innovation and enabling sustainable economic growth. DIAC and DKP orchestrate lasting relationships between academic and business partners and help build a truly knowledge based economy,” explains Abdullah.
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
DIAC partners and courses
Study and specialise in career-oriented courses DIAC is an immensely successful combination of business and education, working together to enrich the lives and careers of thousands of students in the UAE and the region Latha Krishnan
A
robust and talented community of 25 academic partners, 25,000 students, over 1,000 education professionals, several retail and lifestyle services and subsidiary and dedicated support staff members constitute Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). Vibrant and active throughout the year including summer when there are short courses and programmes going on at several institutions, DIAC is an immensely successful combination of business and education, working together to enrich the lives and careers of thousands of students in the UAE and the region. Students of 149 nationalities currently pursue over 450 higher education programmes including diplomas, undergraduate degrees and postgraduate degrees within the higher education institutions of DIAC. Academic partners hailing from nine countries, which are considered premier educational institutions in their home countries have set up their branch campuses offering the same standard of teaching and learning at home to students here. The courses they offer are also the same as in their parent campuses and include traditional as well as modern and currently relevant courses of study. Traditionally, course programmes such as Business Administration and Management programmes, Arts and Media programmes, Law and Diplomacy and conventional Engineering specialities remain popular. But students now have several interesting careeroriented courses within these that they like to pursue. Such courses include programmes as varied as transport and logistics management,
renewable energy, public health, construction and real estate management, hospitality and tourism, and education. Various academic institutions under DIAC offer these specialised courses that are ably taught by highly qualified trained lecturers from around the world. Transport and Logistics Managing transport and logistics of raw materials and finished goods from different parts of the world is the work of qualified professionals in the transport and logistics industry, where career opportunities continue to grow albeit dips in the business cycle in some areas of the global market. Several organisations worldwide ranging from small firms to multinational companies employ logistics managers. Students pursuing postgraduate degrees in transport and logistics expect to land jobs to serve different industries including wholesalers, manufacturers, local government, electricity suppliers, armed forces and charity institutions in addition to becoming freight forwarders, retail managers and marketing executives in supply chain management organisations. With their specialised knowledge and skills they are sure to be in high demand in the industry. The global logistics industry is valued at $3.5 trillion and is employing over 40 million people. The logistics market in the UAE is a thriving one worth $27 billion. Therefore, the specialised postgraduate management programmes in this course are seeing increasing demand from fresh graduates as well as working individuals who want to enhance their qualifications and secure their careers in this burgeoning industry.
Academic partners hailing from nine countries, which are considered premier educational institutions in their home countries have set up their branch campuses offering the same standard of teaching and learning at home to students here. 10
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
DIAC partners and courses
beyond traditional programmes: Students now have several interesting career-oriented degrees to choose from.
Renewable Energy Every industry needs energy to flourish and job openings in the energy sector. Be it traditional fossil fuel industry or nuclear and renewable energy, a postgraduate specialisation is sure to open doors to work all over the world. DIAC universities offering this course have been experiencing a steady increase in enrolment in this course of study. Opting for a Master’s degree in energy provides the opportunity for graduate engineers or scientists and corporate members of related professional bodies to acquire detailed knowledge needed to meet the challenges and develop opportunities within the energy industry. The programmes are designed to prepare the student to learn and deal with the energy challenges facing every region of the world, including the Gulf region. Courses in renewable energy such as solar, wind and hydro energy are gaining increasing importance particularly considering the depleting oil reserves across the globe. Construction and Real Estate More than anywhere in the world it is in the UAE where we see a vibrant construction and real estate sector. The spectacular increase in this segment in the last two decades can now be seen in the gleaming glass and chrome cities of the UAE. After overcoming a slightly dull period during the interim financial crisis DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
the construction segment is back in full swing all over the country and the region. Furthermore with technological advances in the field of architecture, town planning and infrastructural ingenuity, real estate today is a booming business with an annual turnover running into trillions of dollars every year. Consequently there is an increasing demand for real estate professionals who can build more sustainable communities through development which integrates economic, social and environmental goals. Oxford Economics Estimates that Dubai winning the bid for Expo 2020 will create more than 277,000 job opportunities in the UAE between 2013 and 2021 — with most of the new jobs being in the construction and tourism sectors. The UAE real estate sector is growing at an annual average rate of 4 to 6 per cent and the output of the construction sector is likely to rise sharply over the next decade in China, UAE, India and Brazil too requiring a large number of professional managers to cater it. Providing these managers to the booming construction market are some of the academic institutions within DIAC. They offer Construction and Real Estate management postgraduate degrees, which are attracting accelerated enrolment in all the variations under this as well as related www.khaleejtimes.com
courses such as Urban Planning. Students at DIAC universities taking these courses get a thorough theoretical and practical knowledge of the sector as a whole as well as the niche specialities that they can choose such as Construction Project Management, Structural Engineering, Engineering Management, Facilities Management, Safety and Risk Management, Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management, Sustainable Design of Built Environment, Intelligent Buildings Design and Automation, and others. The choice is ample for students to find the right course to suit their career plans and proceed with surety towards a rewarding career. Hospitality and Tourism A fulfilling career awaits those who qualify to work in the rapidly growing hospitality and tourism industry. The hospitality industry is currently the third largest employer of workforce worldwide with trillions of dollars being invested in this sector. Hospitality consists of a wide variety of fields within the service industry and includes tourism, hotels, restaurants, cruises, parks and event management sectors, to name a few. The hotel industry in the UAE is experiencing dynamic growth as large international chains establish luxurious hotels that are attracting more and more tourists from around the world. It is estimated that up to 500,000
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DIAC partners and courses professionals will be needed over the next five years to meet the human resource requirements of hotels in the UAE. Moreover with developing infrastructure, rising demand, open sky policies and increased competition, the hospitality industry is getting consolidated and has many more opportunities to grow further. The hospitality market in the UAE is forecast to grow at an average rate of 8.1 per cent in the next four years to $28.3 billion. In light of Expo 2020 to be hosted in Dubai, HSBC estimates that about 45,000 new hotel rooms will be needed for the event, increasing supply by around 6.4 per cent every year until 2020. By 2020 the travel and tourism industry will become a global leader in the employment sector and students will have several options to explore and specialise to make it their claim to lucrative employment in the sector. The extensive choice of diversified career opportunities not only allow graduates to pursue the usual procedure of seeking work in five star hotels or other private hotel chains but also
seek alternative employment avenues in restaurant management, cruise ship hotel management, institutional
and industrial catering, club or bar management, airline catering and cabin services, or management of catering departments in large organisations such as banks, insurance houses and educational institutions. Education Educational institutions successfully carry out their main work of imparting
quality education to students of different ages and interests because they have the support of qualified and trained professionals. They provide modern and innovative programmes to support the development needs of the education system in the UAE, the Gulf and the wider Middle/Far Eastern context. Experienced teachers from wide ethnic, cultural and educational backgrounds examine modern educational theories and approaches under the guidance of expert staff. Students pursuing the courses can then reflect on their own educational contexts, study the latest international research findings, and use this process to develop as individual teachers and as future managers of education. Master’s of Arts (MA) in Education offers the unique ability to choose their area of specialisation through opting for different aspects such as Leadership and Management, Teaching and Learning, Framework for TESOL, etc. The MA Education research process prioritises problem solving with a strong emphasis on design as the medium of change. The application of theory is channelled through models relevant to education, leadership and management. Strategies relevant to action theory and discourse assist in structuring individual project/ dissertation, which owes much of its success to collaborative sessions with tutors and other students. The M.Ed. degree is similar course and degree holders enhance the education profession and the community with leaders capable of addressing critical issues in educational practice, policy and research. The course is designed for teachers, educational administrators and professionals who seek to extend and deepen their expertise. It is also applicable to professionals carrying out educational duties in related fields
who seek professional development and renewal. While several M.Ed. graduates from DIAC universities are currently employed in senior positions at the Ministry of Education and other providers of education in the UAE, a good number have already found employment in countries like the UK, US, Canada and Australia. Employment in the UAE and other countries can be ensured when students are aware of what their choices are and how they can find specialisations that ensure that they will be in a career that they will love and grow. DIAC provides enough opportunities to give them this choice in the wide variety of programmes on offer to students in the region. They can browse the websites that are comprehensive in information, discuss with professionals available online and in person about these courses, and go for the one that suits them. Transparency of information as well as scholarship options offered by leading lights in DIAC such as Amity University, British University in Dubai (BUiD), BITS Pilani, Heriot Watt, Manipal, Middlesex, Murdoch universities and the rest allow students to choose their calling and excel in careers here in the Gulf or elsewhere in the world. Being a facilitator to providers of such high quality education for the past 10 years is a proud achievement for the DIAC. “We are extremely proud of the many successes we have enjoyed over the past 13 years. Each milestone has contributed to our vision of transforming Dubai into a knowledge-based economy and developing the region’s talent pool. Looking forward, we aim to play a major role towards achieving the vision of transforming Dubai to innovation led economy,” said Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of DIAC and DKP.
Students of 149 nationalities currently pursue over 450 higher education programmes including diplomas, undergraduate degrees and postgraduate degrees within the higher education institutions of DIAC. 12
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
DKP courses and training
Developing a world-class talent pool Training centres and skill development are among the core focus areas in Dubai. Students and working professionals have a range of courses to choose from to build a flourishing career Latha Krishnan
D
ubai Knowledge Park (DKP), the only free zone in the world dedicated to human resource management and learning excellence, was established in 2003 to develop the region’s talent pool and establish the UAE as a knowledge-based economy. DKP is a unique hub that offers the best selection of programmes in human resource management (HRM), consultancy, training and personal development. Students receive diplomas and certificates of the highest calibre from DKP’s top-class business partners who number more than 500 and receive the support of the innovative customer service team at DKP.
Currently, DKP business partners have set up training centres, institutes and HR agencies to sustain and secure their market share. The partners represent several segments in the training and human development business and include Professional and Management Development Training, Computer Training, Language Training, Fine Arts Training, Child Skills Development Training, Tutoring Services, Technical and Occupation Skills, Human Resource Consultancy, Research and Development, Content Development, Assessment and Testing, Executive Search, Freelancers, Association (Non-Profit) and Professional Development. Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of DIAC and DKP, affirms, “We are committed to sustain a knowledge economy by actively supporting our business partners to create a pioneering and adaptable workforce. The
variety of human development and training programmes available in DKP are testimony of that commitment.” That rich variety constitutes language learning, culinary arts and human resources development companies operating from the beautiful DKP campus near Dubai Media City. They enhance the stature of DKP manifold with their study programmes and the number of trainees successfully finding employment locally and internationally. Language training Internationally accredited language courses from beginner to advanced levels of 103 languages ranging from Arabic to Vietnamese and most other world languages, is what students enrolling at Eton Institute can expect. All language courses are taught in line with CEFR levels, which is a standard of language tuition set by the Council of Europe. Highly qualified and experienced native language instructors teach students, who have multiple learning options to choose from. They can opt for long or short duration
language courses and have private or semiprivate tuition as well as online or software
learning of languages. Eton institute also offers a wide range of Exam Preparation courses and testing such as IELTS, TOEIC, DELE, etc. in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Whether students want to pass exams through the learning of languages, or enhance their knowledge of any language to be able to work in organisations like the United Nations as translators, or take up jobs in certain countries, learning languages is always advantageous to the advancement of their careers.
DKP business partners have set up training centres, institutes and HR agencies to sustain and secure market share. These partners represent several segments in the training and human development business and include Professional and Management Development Training, Computer Training, Language Training, Fine Arts Training, Child Skills Development Training, Tutoring Services, and many more. 14
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
stage for success: An exclusive selection of study programmes help trainees successfully find employment locally and internationally.
Culinary Arts Students who want to advance their careers in the hospitality industry by excelling in culinary arts have the convenience of getting trained in a topclass facility right here in the UAE, thanks to the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) training centre in DKP. ICCA Dubai is a world-class culinary training centre, delivering programmes accredited by the internationally recognised City and Guilds of London. It was established in the year 2005 with a mission to become the leading culinary training provider in the Middle East and redefine the way in which professional and personal culinary training is delivered across the region. ICCA Dubai has been featured amongst the Top 10 Culinary Institutes in the World and awarded the “Recognition of Quality Culinary Education” by the World Association of Chefs Societies (Worldchefs), a global authority on food standards. The “Recognition of Quality Culinary Education” award seeks to recognise the training and education that meet or exceed the culinary standards education established by Worldchefs. ICCA Dubai prides itself for the state-of-the-art and award-winning training facility at DKP. Built with passion and attention to detail, this is one of the largest purpose-built training kitchens in the world. The centre specially trains and equips students with the best practices for work placement in the hospitality and cruise line industry internationally through its Diploma in Hospitality (Food Production) — International Chef Training Programme (ICTP), an accredited International Vocation Qualification (IVQ). DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
This comprehensive and intensive training curriculum focuses on the development of commercial cookery skills, product creativity and presentation, multitasking abilities, interpersonal skills, supervisory and leadership strengths required for the industry. To date, ICCA Dubai has trained over 3,000 student chefs and maintains a record of 100 per cent work placement for its students who have been successfully placed on international cruise lines such as the Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) USA, Oceania Cruises USA, Celebrity Cruises USA, Thomson Ships UK, and leading hotels such as the JW Marriot Hotel, Le Meridien, The Address Hotel, Armani Hotel, Fairmont Hotel, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Hilton Hotels, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Kempinski Hotels, Jumeirah Hotels, Shangri-La Hotels, The Westin Hotels and other international food concepts and fine dining restaurants. ICCA Dubai also offers industry certification and skills development programmes in international best practices in food safety and hygiene that enable industry employees to stay on top of their professions. Apart from that a range of amateur coursesand personalised training programmes also constitute the portfolio of the successful centre, whose graduates are presently successful chefs,restaurant owners, hospitality managers, entrepreneurs, food stylists, food writers and more, working all over the world. Human resources and development Workers all over the world are human resources (HR) of the industries they work for and if the resource pool is regularly www.khaleejtimes.com
trained and developed both the individual and the organisation benefit. Worldrenowned HR and people development companies have set up their training centres at DKP. CIPD Middle East is one of the leaders in this space. The CIPD — the professional body for HR and people development — are the voice of a worldwide community of 140,000 members committed to championing better work and working lives. It has been setting the benchmark for excellence in HR and L&D (learning
and development) for more than 100 years and already has more than 2,000 members operating in the Middle East. CIPD is currently increasing its presence on the ground to support local HR professionals with a range of networks, communities and events devoted to shaping the future of HR and the world of work. Profession For the Future (PFF) is the CIPD’s strategy to ensure it continues to fulfil its purpose as the world of work evolves. It begins with a programme of work to define what it will take for the HR profession of the future to meet its full potential to champion better work and working lives — for the benefit of individuals, businesses, economies and society. Improving practices in people and organisation development will be central to ensuring that work creates sustainable and shared value for everyone. But, the rapidly changing world of work means that the so-called ‘best practice’ is increasingly irrelevant in many contexts. So CIPD begins by collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders within and outside HR to define and test a new set of principles that will help HR
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DKP
courses and training company. At the core of the membership programmes are Leadership Councils through which CEB convenes and provides support for decision makers. Other services from CEB include market insights, talent management and measurement, and tools and solutions that leverage subjectmatter expertise, data assets, and analytic methodologies to produce technologies and customised tools for enhancing and transforming business operations. These offerings focus on the practical, actionable applications of analytics and planning, and best practice implementation. Best practice implementation is just one aspect of sustainable excellence in quality management. European Foundation Quality Management (EFQM), which was launched earlier this year in DKP, envisions a world striving for sustainable excellence. Established leadership development programmes and in 1989, the Foundation set up a team of experts from industry and academia, to solutions that are tailored for the leaders develop the EFQM Excellence Model, a of today heading world organisations. holistic framework that can be applied to any organisation, regardless of size Best practices and Quality or sector. This was first used to support Management the assessment of organisations in the Leaders and managers working closely European Quality Award in 1992. with their team of workers need to be Over the last 25 years, EFQM has aware of the best practices in their work seen many changes. The model has and the latest technology to follow these practices. CEB is among the best practice adapted and evolved over time to reflect changes in the global market place. insight and technology companies. With a unique view into what matters Hundreds of organisations, from both the public and private sector, have and what works when driving corporate performance, CEB has more than 30 years participated in the EFQM Excellence of experience working with top companies Awards, including Robert Bosch, BMW, VW, Xerox, Ricoh, Grundfos, Philips, to share, analyse, and apply proven practises and deliver innovative solutions. EDF, as well as small less known organisations. Every year, CEB equips over 20,000 One thing that has not changed senior leaders from more than 10,000 organisations across 110 countries with the is the EFQM objective, which is to increase competitiveness of European intelligence they need to respond quickly organisations and support sustainable to evolving business conditions. In doing development of the European economies. so it helps them more effectively manage It remains an independent, not-for-profit their talent, customers and operations to foundation, committed to supporting exceed business objectives. its members in their journey towards CEB offers more than 50 different memberships aligned to functional and key excellence. While it focuses on Europe, industry leadership roles. The membership EFQM today has a global reach, which model is designed to deliver insights, tools, includes the UAE, and welcomes the opportunity to support all organisations. and advice that lead to transformative Supporting all the organisations outcomes for a team leader and the including EFQM and its other business partners, DKP provides not just the space to operate but also events and facilities for networking and outreach to the community, which is a great value addition to the partners. “With such events DKP aims to establish itself as both a trusted business partner and a centre of excellence for professional development. Dubai Knowledge Park’s business partners are helping to meet the needs of businesses by offering required training and skills development programmes to professionals and by providing a home of recruiters who will match these new skills with employers,” explains Abdullah.
A rich variety of language learning, culinary arts and human resources development companies operate from the beautiful DKP campus near Dubai Media City. professionals make good decisions and advise business leaders what to do, no matter what the context and no matter what the future may hold. Keeping the future of HR intact is Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which is the world’s largest HR professional society, representing 285,000 members in more than 165 countries. For nearly seven decades, the Society has been the leading provider of resources serving the needs of HR professionals and advancing the practice of human resource management. SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the US and subsidiary offices in China, India and UAE. With its mission to be a globally recognised HR professional society that exists to develop and serve the HR professional, and advance and lead the HR profession, SHRM provides education, thought leadership, certification, community and advocacy to enhance the practice of human resource management and the effectiveness of HR professionals in the organisations and communities they serve. Leaders in organisations also need to be trained to be on top of their professions. Harvard Business Publishing, which took up office in DKP recently, provides
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
DEVELOPING HUMAN CAPITAL TO INNOVATE A leading business hub with global training institutions, Human Resource Management organisations and consultancies aiming to develop the region’s talent pool and enrich human capital. Home to qualiďŹ ed business professionals from around the globe, Dubai Knowledge Park is innovatively shaping the HR and training sector in the region.
A member of TECOM Group
www.dkp.ae
Support to institutions
Vision: Officials outline the future of innovation in higher education and human capital at the rebranding event organised by TECOM Group.
Centres of Excellence The UAE is perceived as the fourth most attractive education destination by students who intend to study abroad, suggests a recent study Latha Krishnan
Mohammad Abdullah Managing Director of DIAC and DKP
I
n April this year both Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) and Dubai Knowledge Park (DKP) underwent a rebranding process with a new logo and a new name respectively. Through this process TECOM Group, of which both free zones are part of, underlined its commitment to make them international destinations for learning and HR excellence. Commenting on the role of innovation in higher education and human capital, Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of DIAC and DKP, says: “Our reputation as a community that actively supports our business partners, creating both inspirational graduates and an innovative, adaptable workforce, has received world-wide recognition and we are delighted to enter the next phase of our journey.” That journey involves working closely with the business partners to help them succeed in their ventures and at the same time realise the vision of the UAE as a nation driven by innovation to become a knowledge economy. While maintaining the successful model of the free zone style of hosting world-class education and training institutions in Dubai, DIAC and DKP have found different ways to
enhance their services and add benefits to their partners. Institutions in DIAC also include the campuses of some universities while institutions such as Manipal, BITS Pilani, Heriot Watt and recently Amity have their own custom-built campus within DIAC and have become true offshore campuses. They have been able to replicate the education system provided at their parent campuses, thanks to the support of DIAC in establishing them. Dr Kota Reddy, Academic President of Manipal University in Dubai, remarks, “DIAC has enabled us to execute our vision of bringing high-quality education at an affordable cost to the UAE. We value our partnership with DIAC, which has helped us grow into a leading multi-disciplinary university in the Middle East. We are located in the heart of the higher education ecosystem of Dubai and thanks to DIAC we are able to deliver the true university experience to our learners here in the UAE, akin to what we deliver back in India, our home campus.” Manipal ranks among the top 100 in BRICS (QS) ranking in 2013. The university is the pioneering force in higher education in India, and is ranked among the leading private Indian universities as per the QS Asian University Rankings 2014. Manipal University serves nearly 28,000 students
DIAC and DKP host world-class education and training institutions and have found different ways to enhance their services and add benefits to their partners. 18
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
from 52 countries pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in diverse subjects while having a strong alumni network of over 95,000 members. SP Jain School of Global Management, another DIAC partner, has been scaling the heights of popularity and success and achieving high rankings from different leading education research sources in the world adjudging it one of the best business schools. SP Jain, a young 11-year-old school is the only Business school based in Dubai to feature on the Economist MBA rank list. The Economist MBA rankings along with Financial Times (FT) and Forbes are the most prestigious MBA rankings in the world and SP Jain has been featured on all three. The latest ranking places SP Jain in the company of ivy league schools like Chicago Business School, Harvard, MIT, Sloan, Kellogg, Wharton and other great international schools — a fact that makes SP Jain, DIAC and all others concerned very proud indeed. BUid, Heriot Watt and Manchester, Middlesex and other universities in the DIAC have had various international achievements to their credit with full support from the DIAC. DKP partners have also made wave internationally in different fields of training and personal development. The main ones among them are the leading HR training institutes as well as ICCA for the high quality of Chefs they have placed in the leading hotels of the world. Sunjeh Raja, Director and CEO of International Centre for Culinary Arts, also comments, “We have always found the DKP management team to be open and supportive at every step of our growth. The continued growth and establishment of the International Centre for Culinary Arts – ICCA Dubai, as a world-class centre for culinary excellence of international repute, is a testimony to their vision to make DKP as a hub of learning excellence.” Excellence is the operative principle for DIAC and DKP managements who strive to be trusted partners providing continuous support to the institutions operating there. Regular networking events are part of that support. The “I-UP” Forum The Industry and University Partnerships “I-UP” Forum brings together professionals from universities, industry and government departments to discuss potential collaborations, partnerships, research and business development opportunities. The forum, hosted by DIAC and DKP, features a series of panel discussions with representatives from universities in Dubai, as well as leaders from industry and government sectors. Attendees are able to network and discuss potential partnerships, exchange information, share best practices as well as identify research areas that are vital to local DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
Fresh Beginnings: Rebranding of DKP and DIAC reinforces the next phase of growth for the UAE’s higher education sector.
and regional economies. Commenting on the success of the I-UP Forum, Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director at DKP and DIAC, has said, “The popularity of the I-UP Forum continues to grow, and we have responded to this by turning the annual gathering into a series of dynamic events to be held throughout the year. These initiatives serve an important purpose in bringing together industry professionals and top decision makers to highlight current, critical and challenging issues in higher education and HR. All of this is aimed at supporting Dubai’s economic development, and that of the wider region.” DKP HRM Fair This year marks the launch of the Dubai Knowledge Park HRM Fair. This event has evolved from over 13 years of HR experience, culminating in the perfect opportunity for learning and networking across multiple HR sectors. Spanning over three days, the event will feature experts across multiple HR topics and allow attendees to attend various workshops conducted by a variety of experts. For the first time, there will be themed conference rooms, where professionals will be able to choose specific topics and seminars, tailored to their requirements. DKP HRM Fair is set to become a boon for working professionals including managers, business owners, trainers, consultants, students and anyone who would like to further their professional career. Furthermore, they will have access to and benefit from the knowledge and experience of a community of experts assembled in one location. Business Development Services DIAC and DKP partners can avail the smart service offered to all TECOM Group business parks such as AXS serving over 5,100 companies. This is a single point of access to a variety of online services, simplified to deliver a smart www.khaleejtimes.com
user experience. In line with Dubai’s innovative strategy and smart initiatives, AXS provides business partners with government, employee and corporate services under one umbrella and delivers smart simplified services for over 80,000 members of the workforce, addressing their daily requirements, with instant online access to hundreds of services. Further support services from DIAC and DKP include commissioning of market research studies to gauge the development and effectiveness of their partners and services they provide. DIAC has partnered with many institutions to launch market research studies in the education sectors internationally, to identify programmes that cater to industry demands. Aon Hewitt – Qudurat: A survey of over 2,300 Emirati students focusing on understanding their personal strengths, preferences and expectations as well as motivational and driving factors in the workplace. Bayt.com – Innovation and Creativity: A study surveyed 5,891 respondents from 13 Middle Eastern countries about creativity and innovation in the workplace. Deloitte – Workforce Planning Study: A survey of 2,400 students and 235 corporate organisations across 17 countries to identify emerging trends and existing skill gaps within the region’s workforce. The study revealed that the UAE is perceived as the fourth most attractive education destination by students who intend to study abroad. Keeping up the reputation as an attractive education and training destination in the region is the commitment of DIAC and DKP business partners who are appreciative of the kind of support they constantly receive from both entities. Similarly DIAC and DKP intend to enhance their support in more and innovative ways so that they continue to be trusted partners and centres of excellence at all times.
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Support to students
At hand every step of the way DIAC has different programmes and facilities focused on student development, entertainment and comfort
Latha Krishnan
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arious market studies have repeatedly found that the number of students who seek higher education in countries other than their own is increasing rapidly every day. One study points to nearly five million international students likely to be studying for degrees outside their own countries in 2016. The UAE and Dubai, the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) in particular, is one of the drivers and recipients of a good percentage of the global share of international students and ranked fourth after the US, the UK and Australia in attracting foreign students especially those in the region. Whether they are from around the region or beyond, international students come here expecting world-class education that will put them on a rewarding career path. They also want to have a pleasant time during their time here. Due to the peculiarity of a large expatriate population in the emirates, even students who have gone to school here and continue tertiary education are also considered part of the same statistics of international students who are looking for education and personality development that will ensure good employment and a good life in future. The good life is available to them at DIAC even when they are pursuing the immense variety of courses on offer and making one of the universities here their alma mater. DIAC on their part has different programmes and facilities fully focused on the students’ development, entertainment and comfort. Student discount and loyalty card DIAC has partnered with HigherEducation.ae, an online portal dedicated to promoting the UAE’s universities, colleges and education providers, to create the country’s first-ever free student discount and loyalty card. Aimed at alleviating some of the offcampus financial pressure faced by local and international students, the free card provides students with discounts and special offers at select retail outlets throughout the UAE. By using the cards, students can also earn loyalty points that can be instantly redeemed for further discounts, or exchanged for vouchers. In the future, student discount cards may also be converted into a prepaid payment facility, allowing parents to easily upload money from anywhere in the world, while also providing a convenient payment solution for students. Some well-known brands have already signed up to support the student card initiative, with many more high profile retailers expected to sign
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up and encourage the initiative further in the coming weeks. Commenting on the card launched during the annual Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX), an event catering to over 35,000 local and expatriate students on the verge of university life, Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of DIAC, had said: “This student card will help reduce living costs significantly and with the support of DIAC, we are expanding the retail network faster to ensure the card is recognised nationally. We have to ensure that the UAE remains financially competitive on the international stage, as this is critical in becoming a major global destination for learning. Encouraging innovative products such as a student discount card is one way of making sure we deliver on this ambition. At DIAC, we are committed to enhancing the entire student experience and community. We are delighted to partner with HigherEducation.ae on DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
Innovative approach: DIAC has partnered with HigherEducation.ae to create the country’s first-ever free student discount and loyalty card.
International students can expect worldclass education that will put them on a rewarding career path. DIAC on their part has different programmes and facilities fully focused on the students’ development, entertainment and comfort. DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
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Support to Support institutions to students
Support Structure: Student Hub Team is dedicated to support and foster students’ progression and growth.
this worthwhile initiative as we both share the same vision of promoting Dubai as a higher education destination, while also providing all the necessary support to make students time here as comfortable as possible.” The GETEX event itself, where several business partners of DIAC showcase their courses and their benefits, is a significant service to students before they join universities. Speaking about the importance of the GETEX exhibition to the academic community, Abdullah said: “We have been proud supporters of GETEX since its inception. Any event that provides a platform for educational institutions and professional training providers to reach the next generation of students should be encouraged. Our involvement underlines the importance we place on supporting students through all the stages of the education lifecycle, from recruitment, placement, study, job application, right through to alumni.” Undoubtedly, GETEX helps students decide where to study and get more concentrated help on the universities in DIAC during the Open Day. DIAC Open Day The DIAC Open Day is a university and career guidance day, which aims to provide a common platform for universities, students and parents to interact and explore various career areas and higher education options available in the academic hub. The DIAC Open Day
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is for parents and students in Years 10 – 12, who are considering selecting degree programmes in the near future. After the decision is made and students enrol at a university, the support from DIAC continues in the form of periodic Student Hub events put together by the DIAC Student Hub Team, the dedicated department and official representative of the student body. The Student Hub Team is dedicated to support and foster students’ progression and growth and organises sporting, social and cultural events for students, as well as assisting students with career placement and internship programmes. Although the DIAC Open Day is also organised by the Student Hub Team, the first event in the new academic year is the Week of Welcome (W.O.W.). Week of Welcome The DIAC Week of Welcome or W.O.W. provides students with the opportunity to meet new classmates and future friends while participating in a number of exciting activities. Open to all students in Dubai, from existing university students to those in their final years of high school, it is an opportunity for the student population to come together, mingle and network in a relaxed, but informative environment. It is also a smart way for students in high school, and those starting to think about their options in higher education, to witness firsthand what a truly international college lifestyle www.khaleejtimes.com
is all about. All those visiting W.O.W. will have access to international branch campuses based at DIAC and DKP, as well as the opportunity to hear real accounts of life in higher education from current students. W.O.W. is designed to provide students with a smooth transition to campus life and culture, by allowing them to become familiar with the new environment, network with their peers and meet faculty members and staff in an informal setting. Consequently, DIAC Student Hub, the official representative of the DIAC student body, has come up with a variety of events such as art and music taster sessions and performances, sports events, gaming and fashion competitions and food sampling opportunities. Activities will be spread across different areas of the campus in order to enable students to familiarise themselves with its layout and the plethora of first-class facilities provided within DIAC and DKP. In short, W.O.W is an enjoyable orientation event for all students comprising formal orientation of services and facilities on campus along with social activities such as desert safaris, movie nights and gala dinners. DIAC Sports Cup Amidst the social and cultural activities, sport and physical health is not forgotten. DIAC initiated the DIAC Sports Cup, a first of its kind in the region, in 2011. This event is designed to provide an DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
Support to students extra-curricular platform for students to meet and network with their peers in a constructive way. DIAC uses sporting events to encourage friendly-competition that inspires teamwork and collaboration — the cornerstones of a successful career. The DIAC Sports Cup has developed into a successful and much-awaited event with inter-university tournament of sports including cricket, football, basketball and volleyball and prizes awarded to the winning athletes in each category. DIAC Career Fair Students receive the prize of a good education and high GPA earned in their years at university when they land the job they have trained for and hankered after. The DIAC Career Fair is an important event to bring their dream jobs to them. Much needed valuable career advice is also available to them during the Fair. DIAC Career Fair takes place every year and brings together students, graduates and leading recruiters from the public and private sectors. Aimed at graduate and postgraduate students from 25 academic institutions from DIAC, the fair provides a forum to students to network with employers and discuss a wide variety of internship and full-time recruitment opportunities. Representatives from leading companies are at hand to answer questions and conduct on-site interviews. To recruiters, DIAC Career Fair offers an unparalleled opportunity to meet and engage with a pool of highly talented students, representing a range of academic disciplines at both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree level. These students have majored in a wide range of disciplines such as finance, human resources, telecommunications, fashion, arts, biotechnology, engineering, audio and film production (including animation and game development), travel and tourism, mass media communication, logistics, healthcare and information technology. Students hailing from all these disciplines also receive practical help on how to improve their CV; how to search for the job that is ideal for their qualifications; and find useful techniques to ace interviews. They also get sound career counselling whilst gaining a better understanding of the current market through discussions with industry experts. More than 6,000 students and 80 companies participated in this year’s event, compared with 1,800 students and 62 companies in 2015. The large volume of visitors indicates the increasing demand for graduate roles in the UAE. Events such as the DIAC Career Fair help companies directly source new employees. Human resource professionals, employers and recruiters welcome the opportunity to meet, and potentially hire, both students
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Guidance abound: Students from all disciplines receive practical help on various critical aspects.
and graduates for various full- and parttime positions. These positions are on the rise in fields of study such as construction and real estate as well as hospitality and tourism since Dubai will be hosting Expo 2020 and all infrastructure projects are geared towards meeting Expo 2020 goals. Other career choices open to students seeking employment in the UAE is aligned to the national strategy of the UAE. “We advise students who want to work in the UAE to choose their
study choices and careers keeping the national strategy in mind. The seven national priority areas of growth under the National Innovative Strategy are renewable energy, transportation, education, health, technology, water and space. We also bring home the choice to work in the banking sector, promoting Dubai as the capital of Islamic economy or in the popular sectors of civil engineering, hospitality and tourism, which are set to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years,” informs Abdullah.
Overall development: Events including sports activities are organised in the campus to familiarise students with the plethora of facilities provided within DIAC and DKP. www.khaleejtimes.com
DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
Support to students
Week of Welcome is designed to provide students with a smooth transition to campus life.
STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES
Trailblazers: Firoza Patel (left), Ashwin Kumar Balaji and Trishna Raj.
They made it! Students share their experience studying in DIAC and how it has helped as a platform for future prospects
Latha Krishnan
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ver 20,000 students have graduated from the educational institutions in DIAC. Many have found well-paid jobs in the region and beyond, while others have used their education to secure much sought after admissions in world renowned universities and are pursuing postgraduate or doctoral studies there. They have made life decisions with the full and valuable support of their alma maters here and are the success stories of DIAC. A few of them share their stories: Trishna Raj, Ashwin Kumar Balaji, and Firoza Patel, Heriot Watt University, Dubai Trishna Raj, Ashwin Kumar Balaji, and Firoza Patel, graduated as Bachelors of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Honours from Heriot Watt University, Dubai. Trishna Raj is going to Oxford University to pursue a PhD. Ashwin Kumar Balaji and Firoza Patel are heading to Carnegie Mellon University and Southampton University, respectively, for their higher studies. The three of them worked as a team for their final year project at Heriot Watt and invented WiCharge, which is a way to charge electric vehicles (EV) wirelessly. Relating the story behind the invention, Trishna Raj says: “We were in the process of choosing a project in our fourth year and Tesla was in the news at that time for making their EVs more sophisticated than earlier. We realised that EVs are getting popular, but many
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people didn’t enjoy the process of physically plugging them into the charging station. That’s when we hit upon the idea of inventing a way to charge EVs wirelessly; by parking it in the parking spot and let it charge automatically. We invented the system WiCharge to not only charge, but also communicate with the driver of the car. We created a mobile app to control and monitor the charging status.” The WiCharge prototype worked perfectly and the inventor trio exhibited it in Innovation shows and conferences in Abu Dhabi, receiving attention and acclaim from the Engineering community as well as the public. The three inventors have also written a paper, The Intelligent Inductive Power Transfer Systems for Electric Vehicles along with their mentor Dr Prashant Kumar Soori, which will be published in EmergiTech, the Engineering journal. “Our mentor, Dr Soori gave us advice and academic support throughout our project and our university funded our project fully,” says Ashwin Kumar Balaji. The three of them are hoping that some governments would like their invention and want to spread it worldwide. “Since all of us are going to continue to specialise in engineering streams, we hope to use the knowledge we get to further our project — maybe find a way to charge EVs even as they are being driven,” states Firoza Patel. Trishna and Ashwin agree enthusiastically. Clifford Lewis, University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) Clifford Lewis, who began his higher DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES studies at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), recently completed his PhD from the University of Wollongong (UOW), located 85 kms from Sydney, Australia. Clifford’s journey began in 2006 when he started his Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) degree at UOWD. A year later, he took the decision to transfer to the University’s Australian home. “I was looking for a challenge in a way — something to get me out of my comfort zone,” says Clifford on the move. “I had come with the intention of doing six months and then going back home. That was eight years ago.” He embarked on his PhD in 2011 after completing an honours year in Australia, which saw him win the University Medal for his dissertation. Clifford decided to pursue his PhD studies in tourism, an area that he’d been interested in since working on a research paper with UOWD’s Dr Melodena Balakrishnan back in 2006. The PhD thesis that Clifford researched and presented focuses on what it takes for a tourist destination to be considered fashionable and draws on his experiences of living and studying in Dubai and Wollongong. Unusually within academia, his research was jointly supervised by faculty based in two countries — Australia and in the UAE — and led to him drawing up a framework that could be used by destinations to gain competitive advantage by becoming fashionable. Although predominately based in Australia, Clifford’s PhD research led to a further stint in Dubai, where he was given desk space at UOWD and encouraged to present his research to some of Dubai’s brightest scholars, including his supervisor Dr Greg Kerr. Meanwhile, support from his Australian supervisor Dr Lois Burges led to opportunities to receive valuable guidance for his studies from the Institute for Innovation in Social and Business Research and to network with the leading academics in the field. In addition to a final thesis, Clifford’s PhD also led to four conference papers and two journal articles, with a future agenda for additional research and publications. Faisal Albakeri, BUiD Faisal Albakeri is a 50-year-old Emirati student who has completed his Doctorate in Education from The British University in Dubai (BUiD). Faisal was born and raised in Abu Dhabi, where he witnessed most of the socio-economic development of the UAE. Faisal’s goal is to make sense of every minute of his life and utilise everything he knows and can do in the best interest of the UAE. Faisal says: “In whatever I do, I always consult my conscience and logic. I do DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
understand my capabilities, limits and boundaries, which help in defining and planning the extent of any work I intend to do, whether professional or private. Learning from my and others’ mistakes, and consulting more knowledgeable people, is another aspect of improving my capabilities and decision-making. “Living my life as a decent human being, I have set my five priorities in life; starting from practising and improving my faith in a moderate and sensible way, then looking after my parents and family, to excelling at my work and
studies, supported by looking after my health and well-being, and last is building acquaintance base and very limited friendships. This is another aspect of how I seek excellence in my life. “Charity and helping others is a natural product of decent living of all human beings who seek happiness in life. Seeing others happy and trying to help them smile is another aspect of self-satisfaction and automatic actions that should exist and be encouraged in society, as part of social responsibility towards a better world and living environment.”
Successful life decisions along with valuable support from alma maters enable DIAC students to make it big in various fields.
supporting innovation: Over 20,000 students have graduated from educational institutions in DIAC. www.khaleejtimes.com
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xxxx al sUfouh xxxries
mediclinic
Caring for your family For more than a decade, Mediclinic Al Sufouh has been the clinic of choice for Dubai residents
Ferozan Karimi
M
ediclinic Al Sufouh, situated in Dubai’s Knowledge Park, has been serving patients since 2005. It is a multi-speciality outpatient healthcare facility located in an area convenient for residents of the Marina, Al Barsha, The Greens, Palm Jumeirah and the surrounding areas, as well as those working in businesses in Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City. The clinic is open seven days a week between 8am and 9:30pm, Saturday to Thursday, and between 11:30am and 8:30pm on Friday. Located in Block 10 of Knowledge Park, Mediclinic Al Sufouh offers a unique combination of diagnostic and treatment services offered in hospitals, combined with the personalised, friendly care usually associated with smaller clinics.
Located in Knowledge Park, Mediclinic Al Sufouh offers diagnostic and treatment services of a hospital, combined with the personalised, friendly care usually associated with a Smaller clinic. 28
Mediclinic Al Sufouh has a wide variety of outpatient clinics, providing general and specialist care for the whole family. Walk in and meet our team of internationally qualified medical experts who are all committed to delivering the highest level of medical services with a personal touch. The writer is the Clinic Manager at Mediclinic Al Sufouh. Services: ● Family Medicine ● Internal Medicine ● General Physician – Urgent Care ● Paediatrics ● Obstetrics and Gynaecology ● Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) ● Dentistry ● Ophthalmology ● Orthopaedics ● Dermatology ● Physiotherapy ● Psychiatry ● Rheumatology ● Urology ● General Surgery ● Laboratory ● Radiology – X-ray and ultrasound ● Pharmacy
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For appointments, please call 04 366 1030 or request your appointment online at www.mediclinic.ae.
DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
manipal university dubAI
Excellence is a way of life M Manipal Dubai collaborates with more than 80 international partner universities, allowing students to get wider exposure
anipal University (MU), Dubai (www.manipaldubai. com) is a branch campus of Manipal University, India, one of the largest private universities in the country enrolling over 25,000 students across disciplines. Manipal Dubai established its presence in the UAE in the year 2000 and currently enrols over 2,000 students from over 40 nations across the globe Manipal Dubai offers a variety of disciplines from undergraduate to postgraduate programmes in Engineering and Information Technology, Management, Biotechnology, Interior Design and Architecture, and Media and Communication. Manipal Dubai’s iconic state-of-the-art 750,000 sq ft campus in Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) houses purpose-built classrooms, cutting-edge laboratories in Engineering, Biotechnology, and IT and is home to some of the region’s best studios and workshops for programmes in Media and Communication and Interior Design. The campus also houses a well-stocked library, cafeteria, indoor and outdoor sporting facilities including an athletics track, tennis courts, gym and fitness centre.
Academics is of prime focus to us and our faculty team takes a pro-active approach in making learning an enjoyable experience. A dedicated Career Development Centre provides assistance to the students in securing internships and job placements with reputed corporates. Manipal Dubai leverages the 80-plus university collaborations that Manipal University, India has with universities across the globe. Students have the option of going on a student exchange to international partner universities or transfer credits to partner universities in the US, UK, Canada, Europe, etc. In our pursuit towards excellence, we have moved away from the conventional style of merely imparting an educational degree to introducing various student activities, clubs, sports and other recreation centres to help build confidence, inculcate better networking and team building skills to be successful in today’s world.
Contact for admissions:
Manipal University Dubai, G-04, International Academic City, Dubai E-mail: admissions@manipaldubai.com
Phone: +971 4 4290 777
Manipal Dubai’s campus in DIAC houses purposebuilt classrooms, cutting-edge laboratories and is home to some of the region’s best studios and workshops for programmes in Media and Communication and Interior Design. 30
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
S P Jain School of Global Management
Reimagining higher education The critical need of the hour for students is to adapt skills to take on various job and work settings
T
he time is right to reimagine education. Current pedagogical approaches are insufficient for preparing the billions of students pursuing higher education globally. They are Prof. Christopher Abraham also insufficiently suited for preparing the type of leaders, entrepreneurs and thinkers necessary for the future. The rising cost of traditional education is another incentive for change. So are the enormous advances in technology that allow the customisation of education to individual learning styles, group learning, online interactivity, gaming and real-time employer projects. Many recent studies have found that a large majority of employers look for college graduates with broadly applicable skills like oral and written communications and a capacity to think critically, solve complex problems, take responsibility, and innovate, as well as people who demonstrate ethical judgment and integrity. Certain industry experience ranks much lower, according to these surveys. The Institute of the Future has identified 10 skills for the future — the proficiencies and abilities required across different jobs and work settings. ● Sense-making: The ability to determine
the deeper meaning or significance of what is being expressed. ● Social intelligence: The ability to connect to others in a deep and direct way, and to sense and stimulate reactions and desired interactions. ● Novel and adaptive thinking: Proficiency at thinking and coming up with solutions and responses beyond what is rote or rule-based. ● Cross-cultural competency: The ability to operate in different cultural settings. ● Computational thinking: The ability to translate vast amounts of data into abstract concepts and to understand databased reasoning. ● New-media literacy: The ability to critically assess and develop content that uses new media forms, and to leverage these media
Prof. Christopher Abraham for persuasive communication.
● Transdisciplinarity: Literacy in and ability
to understand concepts across multiple disciplines. ● Design mindset: The ability to represent and develop tasks and work processes for desired outcomes. ● Cognitive load management: The ability to discriminate and filter information for importance, and to understand how to maximise cognitive functioning using a range of tools and techniques. ● Virtual collaboration: The ability to work productively, drive engagement, and demonstrate presence as a member of a virtual team.
The college or university of the future has to teach broad, practical intellective skills that are readymade for action in the world, and students to have develop fluency in these skills. Prof. Christopher Abraham is the Head — Dubai Campus, Senior Vice-President — Institutional Development, Associate Dean — Undergraduate Programmes, Professor of Leadership, Design Thinking and Organisational Behaviour, at S P Jain School of Global Management.
enormous advances in technology allow the customisation of education to individual learning styles. 32
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
BITS Pilani Dubai Campus
There are challenges, opportunities, risks and rewards for people who think out of the box. Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of DKP and DIAC, Chief Guest of Convocation 2016, Salma Rizvi, Community Services Manager, DIAC in the presence of Dr Souvik Bhattacharyya, Vice-Chancellor and Dr RN Saha, Director of BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, awarding the DIAC Excellence Award to the top student Shreyas Shirish Patwardhan.
Future leaders BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, confers degrees to 13th batch of engineers in a grand convocation ceremony
A
midst great pride and honour, 421 students of the 13th batch of BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, were awarded engineering degrees. The convocation ceremony was conducted in BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, located within Dubai International Academic City. The occasion was graced by the Chief Guest Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of the Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai International Academic City at TECOM Group, Prof Souvik Bhattacharya, Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani, Prof R N Saha, Director BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus and Directors of other BITS Campuses and Members of the Board of Governors, among many others. During this prestigious event, degrees were conferred on 368 First Degree Graduates, 51 Higher Degree Graduates and two scholars, who completed their PhD First Degrees were awarded in the disciplines of Chemical, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical, Computer Science, Electronics and Instrumentation, Biotechnology, and Electronics and Communication Engineering and Higher Degrees in the fields of Design Engineering, Microelectronics, Software Systems and MBA. Mohammad Abdullah, in his Convocation Address, reminisced his life and educational experiences and motivated the graduates to be innovative and spirited. He highlighted the challenges, opportunities, risks and rewards for people who think out of the box.
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Dr Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chancellor, BITS Pilani, in his message to students stressed how high-quality education is an enabler, and not an end in itself. He also proudly mentioned how BITS Pilani graduates have gone on to serve the country in numerous ways and distinguished themselves across the globe. Addressing the graduating students, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Souvik Bhattacharya, highlighted the achievements of BITS Pilani’s four campuses together with the growing number of graduate, postgraduate and PhD students. He specifically highlighted that the international student population at the Dubai Campus has grown with 14 nationalities taking adtmission this year. Prof. Dr RN Saha, Director, BITS Pilani Dubai Campus, congratulated both the graduating students and their parents for their remarkable achievement. He emphasised on the Practice School Programme offered by BITS Pilani and how it not only gave the students work experience but also helped them get placed into the companies they interned in. Prominent companies to the likes of Nestle, Reckitt Benckiser, Thomson Reuters, Paypal India, etc. showed interest in recruiting BITS Dubai graduates. In all, over a 100 companies visited the campus offering attractive pay packages, while Reckitt Benckiser hired at an impressive Dh19,000 per month. The ceremony concluded solemnly, as the students bid farewell to their Alma Mater to step ahead into their glorious futures.
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DIAC & DKP Yearbook 2016
رؤﻳﺔ ﻣﻌﺮﻓﻴﺔ ﻣﺒﺘﻜﺮة ﻣﻦ أﺟﻞ ﺗﻄﻮرك ،ﺗﺠﺘﻤﻊ أﺑﺮز اﻟﻤﺆﺳﺴﺎت اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﺘﺨﺼﺼﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺠﺎﻻت اﻟﺘﺪرﻳﺐ وإدارة اﻟﻤﻮارد اﻟﺒﺸﺮﻳﺔ واﻻﺳﺘﺸﺎرات. ﻣﺠﻤﻊ دﺑﻲ ﻟﻠﻤﻌﺮﻓﺔ ﺣﻴﺚ ﺗﺰدﻫﺮ اﻟﻤﻮاﻫﺐ واﻟﻤﻌﺎرف ﺑﻄﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﻣﺒﺘﻜﺮة ﻟﺘﺄﻫﻴﻞ ﻗﺎدة اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ.
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