The Corona pandemic revealed the durability of its infrastructure and its ability to continue

University education in the UAE ... an ambitious model and an advanced international ranking

• Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan during the distribution of graduation certificates to students of the United Arab Emirates University, next to him Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.

  (The National Archives)

• Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan reviews the proposed models for expansion and new university constructions in Al Ain, February 14, 1972. (The National Archives)

picture

«Memory of the Nation»

A weekly page provided by "Emirates Today", in cooperation with the "National Archives", affiliated with the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, with the aim of introducing the way life in the Emirates before the federation, and during its early beginnings, and the great effort made by the founding fathers of the state for its establishment, and linking it to what the UAE leaders achieve today And her sons from the achievements witnessed by the world.

The UAE presents an ambitious model in the field of university education, as this field is witnessing rapid development, not only at the local level, but also at the regional and global levels, so educational institutions in the country have been able to occupy advanced positions in the quality of university education, according to the estimates of famous international institutions, The UAE has also become a center of attraction for many international universities, and for students from all over the world.

Despite the new Corona pandemic (Covid-19), which the world witnessed this year, and the repercussions it resulted in affecting various fields, including education, UAE universities were able to quickly adapt to the new conditions, and to move smoothly from traditional education to distance education. The academic year was completed in various universities without prejudice to the curricula or the progress of the educational process. Graduation projects were discussed in these universities, and some of them even organized virtual graduation ceremonies for their students.

World ranking

UAE universities have achieved a new global achievement, according to the classification issued by the QS Quacquarelli Symonds Foundation for the best young universities in the world next year 2021, as Khalifa University of Science and Technology ranked 15th in the world, outperforming other academic institutions in the Arab world, and advanced 18 A single class score, compared to its ranking within the previous version of the classification.

The UAE University ranked 27th in the world, ahead of 12 points on the global ranking, while the American University of Sharjah ranked 39th in the world, with five points higher than its previous classification.

Khalifa University also topped the nationwide ranking of universities, and ranked 114th in the world in the subject of "engineering", according to a previous US News & World Report for the Best Global Universities for 2020, which was published in November 2019. The university is also ranked second. At the level of the Middle East and North Africa region, and among the top 200 academic institutions in the world in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings in the subject of “Engineering and Technology” for 2020.

Zayed's approach

The UAE is among the first countries in the world that witness high rates of applications for admission to higher education institutions, as about 95% of female students and 80% of students enroll in higher education institutions, after obtaining a high school diploma, and the UAE rose to the 34th rank in the index Education issued by the United Nations Development Program in 2019, and this development came as a result of the large investments made by the UAE in the last 10 years in education, whether in applying foreign curricula, recruiting qualified teachers, or building modern schools and universities.

The UAE’s interest in education in all its stages is not new, but it is a continuation of the approach of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, who has often indicated in his statements and meetings with the government since the establishment of the state that education is the pillar of building nations and nations, as in His speech during a meeting with senior officials in the newly established Ministry of Education following the announcement of the federation, according to what was mentioned in the book "Zayed, a Man Who Built a Nation," published by the "National Archives", in which he said: “The future of our country will not be built except by our youth and our future generations, and I I will not accept any delay. After one year from today, I want a school seat for every child of school age.

If you encounter any obstacles, do not hesitate to come to me, because I will come to you if we fail, God forbid.

We must have an advanced education program and more schools and colleges. We must have a university. As for the generations that have missed the train of education, we must establish adult education centers and literacy programs for them.

Sheikh Zayed was keen to send scholarships to various countries, such as Egypt, Britain, America, Bahrain and others, with directives to establish a university education system in the country, and in 1976 the Emirates University was established in Al Ain, to be the first university in the UAE, as Sheikh Zayed wanted it, may his mercy be upon him. God, to be a federal university with an Arab-Islamic identity and a source of civilized radiation for thought, culture and science, and since its inception the university has given the highest priority to developing its programs and study plans, in line with the needs and requirements of society, while adhering to international academic standards, while preserving the values, policies and strategies of the state.

And after building the UAE University;

Universities and institutes continued in the country, so the Higher Colleges of Technology were established in 1988 according to a federal decree, the American University in Dubai was established in 1995, the American University of Sharjah and the University of Sharjah were established in 1997, and the founding of Zayed University in 1998 came as an initiative. It aims to encourage women to enroll in university education, while Khalifa University was established in 2007.

Smart education

Universities in the UAE were not limited to traditional education, but they were a pioneer in introducing smart education institutions, such as the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University in Dubai, which took upon itself to spread the culture of quality and scientific research through smart education, which indicates the primacy of the UAE in anticipating the future. And working to provide an adequate infrastructure to implement this type of education. Therefore, it has succeeded in dealing with the repercussions of the Corona crisis smoothly in the field of education.

International universities

The UAE has attracted many international universities, such as the French Sorbonne University, the American University of New York, Heriot-Watt University in Britain, the Australian University of Wollongong, the Birla Institute of Technology, Indian Science, and others.

• Sheikh Zayed was keen to send missions with directives to establish a university education system in the country.

• The UAE is among the top countries in the world in terms of applications to enroll in higher education institutions.

• 1976 the United Arab Emirates University was established in Al Ain.

Follow our latest local and sports news, and the latest political and economic developments via Google news