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The UAE aspires to be the knowledge base in the Gulf. CEO talks to Professor Rob Whelan, President of the University of Wollongong in Dubai to determine how this is happening.

Where is the education market ‘at' in Dubai, and the UAE as a whole?

The ‘market' for higher education in private Universities in the UAE is complex, comprising Emirati students, children of expats who are living in the UAE, and international students coming from a very wide range of countries. At the University of Wollongong in Dubai, we have students from over 108 countries.

Evidence for the first part of 2009 suggests a strengthening of at least some part of this market, as students in the Gulf region and neighbouring areas decide that travelling to the US for a University degree will be unaffordable with the current financial downturn.

I consider that many students will use the current softening in the job market to gain a higher level of education and upgrade their skills in preparation for the recovery that will inevitably follow the downturn.

What trends, in terms of course selection, are you seeing from students?

The current focus on the importance of higher education in the Emirates, and the maturation of the Emirates as a development, commercial and investment centre in the world, has led to increased emphasis on degree programs beyond the traditional areas of business, management and information systems.

Although demand for our degrees in these areas remains strong, we are seeing increasing interest among students in programs such as organizational psychology, communications studies, and other social sciences.

It is interesting that the need for graduates in particular areas is almost always ahead of student demand, and employers have identified a need for graduates in areas such as logistics and supply chain management, health services management and education management, as well as computing science and engineering.

We are also seeing an increasing demand for short graduate courses and training programs, both from employers and employees.

We have also experienced considerable pressure from our MBA graduates to offer doctoral programs, particularly a degree in which their research can be closely linked into their work.

What advice would you give students when considering courses in the current economic climate?

A high level of education is a really valuable asset, and especially in an uncertain employment environment. Using this time to gain a higher level of ‘education', and to develop the habits and skills of lifelong learning, is perhaps even more important than training in a specific area.

So my advice would be to look closely at the areas that result in students being employable in a wide variety of settings with skills that are transferable from one environment to another.

How do you see your curriculum changing over the next few years?

We will be responding to the needs of the UAE for graduates educated in a much broader range of disciplines, so we are already developing a number of degree programs that will extend our current strengths in Business, Management, Finance, Accounting, Computing Science and Information Systems.

We are also developing a strong doctoral program, initially focusing on business and organizational management.

How do undergraduates from the UAE compare in terms of skill sets to those from other countries?

We have relatively few Emirati students in our undergraduate programs, and we would certainly like to have more. The UAE-based expat students who satisfy our entry requirements are mostly strong and committed students.

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