Tag Archives: education
Youth Spot: Breaking down the barriers
Youth Spot: Breaking down the barriers Dhanusha Gokulan / 25 August 2013 For someone who has not been to any country in the Middle East, clichés about the cultural workings of the place may be natural. Dubai, according to a handful of international students, is impressive, overwhelming, full of high-rises, and “slightly opulent”. Student delegates attending the HPAIR Asia Conference at the American University in Dubai.— KT photo by Mukesh Kamal However, three days into the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) being held here, 23-year-old Korean national Soyoung Lee said that the experience of being part of the five-day student-run conference, broke several of those prejudices that were previously formed in her mind. The Korea University student majoring in finance, was on her first visit to the Middle East. “You would assume that people here act differently or are generally biased one way or the other. You read about the political crises, the Arab Spring, and several other problems in the region. But being in Dubai sort of broke several prejudices that I had about the region in general. People here seem so much more casual,” said Lee. Jointly hosted by the American University in Dubai and Harvard University, this is the first time that the HPAIR is being held in the Middle East since its inception in 1992 in Taipei in Taiwan. Students at the American University in Dubai won the bid to host the conference, which opened on Thursday amidst a ceremony with almost 500 schools from 54 countries, last year. Prominent speakers shed light on the question of Asia’s increasing impact on the world. Together, they partake in dialogue bridging global perspectives through plenaries, seminars, and workshops by more than 150 speakers from the Middle East and other parts of the world. One of the biggest student-run conferences in the world, it has been previously hosted in cities such as Singapore, Tokyo, Mumbai, Kuala Lampur, Sydney, Shanghai, Seoul, and Beijing. ‘Not a very challenging environment’ Apart from panel discussions and speaker sessions, a career fair was also hosted for the students on Saturday. Most students Khaleej Times caught up with said the inter-cultural atmosphere made the exchange of dialogue healthily challenging. However, they said they found Dubai overwhelming, slightly opulent, and far too fancy for their standards. Though some of the international delegates were really impressed with the high standards in Dubai, they said that they would not like to kick-start their career here. Lee, and Filipino national and De La Salle University student Meg Lindt Olea, 20, said Dubai did not provide a very challenging platform for their talents. “I might eventually come to Dubai looking for international prospects, but I would not look to start my career here,” said Lee. Hongjun Wang, the chief catalyst at the Singapore-based startup The Art of Taking Personal Responsibility (TAOTPR) and one of the speakers at the conference said: “I think part of my work is relevant to the region.” ‘Cultural Diversity, biggest asset’ Student executive directors of Harvard University and AUD said cultural exchange helped dispel cultural prejudices. “Students nowadays attend conferences all across the world. What the world needs…is a bridge between the East and West,” said AUD student organising committee executive director Krisha Mehta. The third year finance student said: “On a global platform we have a lot of talk about the Middle East going on, especially about the opportunities available and challenges being faced by the people here. There are a wide variety of topics and controversies prominent in the western media that we have tried to highlight here at the conference it self.” Harvard University student organising committee executive director Willy Hoang said involving youth in development dialogue was critical to “inclusive growth and sustainability”. “Me and my team, we felt that it was time that HPAIR itself identify Middle East as part of Asia. By bringing it here, it opened a lot of doors for discussions.” Abdul Basit Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME, the agency of Dubai’s Department of Economic Development mandated to develop the small and medium enterprise sector, was a keynote speaker at the conference. “At Dubai SME we try to ensure youth participation in economic and social development through entrepreneurship promotion. We are particularly delighted to be part of HPAIR 2013 since it is being held in a region where a sizeable youth population is redefining growth strategies.” HPAIR 2013 also includes tours of Dubai, a career fair, university day, gala dinner, international night, and entertainment night. – dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Back-to-school excitement picks up
Back-to-school excitement picks up Muaz Shabandri / 25 August 2013 Malls and shopping stores are lining up deals and offers for school essentials as students gear up to return to schools after a two-month summer break. MY FIRST SCHOOL BAG… A mother shopping for her son at Geant Supermarket in Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai on Saturday. — KT photo by Grace Guino The sale of uniforms, books, shoes, bags, lunch-boxes and stationery products peaks during this time of the year as the school season gets under way. More than 225,000 students in Dubai will be back in classrooms soon as the yellow school buses hit the roads once more. For parents, this time of the year usually involves budgeting for education expenses and going the extra mile to support their child’s learning needs. Pamela Robinson’s son, who attends Greenfield Community School, will be among the thousands of kids going back to school next week. She said she planned to go shopping and help the 10th grader prepare for an important school year. “As your child gets older, the expenses change and they also learn to make their own choices. They want new gadgets, the latest technology and the expenses keep changing. It’s good to have back-to-school promotions because they offer value for money sometimes. Over the next few days, I will definitely be buying books and other school essentials for my child to get ready for school.” Parents shopping for back-to-school essentials with their children at Geant Supermarket in IBN Battuta Mall on Saturday. — KT photo by Grace Guino Malls and department stores have special discounts on most student-related products — with some even offering discounts on popular gadgets like the iPad. Mridula Pande, an English teacher at Indian High School and a mother of two, believes in giving children time to get adjusted to their routine. “As soon as I came back from our annual vacation, I headed straight to the uniform store and finished buying new uniforms and shoes. The children always want new things and it’s something which gets them excited for school. As parents, it is our responsibility to give them enough opportunities to relax and unwind while building an atmosphere of excitement at home for going back to school.” Mridula encouraged parents to create “small exciting moments” at home which would make it easier for teachers to help keep the children engaged in learning better. “Sometimes parents do not show an interest in their child. For example, some students join school after a week of reopening and they have already missed classes. Simply put, if a parent doesn’t value school, children will also not value the opportunity to learn.” Parents shopping for back-to-school essentials with their children at Geant Supermarket in IBN Battuta Mall on Saturday. — KT photo by Grace Guino Mohammed Rehan Hameed is another busy parent preparing his two sons and one daughter to return to school next week. His daughter, the youngest of the children, will be joining a nursery. “I will be paying Dh18,000 for the nursery’s yearly tuition fee and it is almost twice what I had paid for my eldest child who is now in Grade 8. The cost of education is steadily increasing and parents usually don’t have much of a choice.” He added the prices of school essentials were also on the higher side. “Stationery products and books have become expensive. Unfortunately, most schools have a monopoly over textbook and uniform sales also. A parent has to pay whatever price has been asked by the school’s supplier, leaving little option when it comes to budgeting for school-related expenses.” For retailers and school goods suppliers, the next few weeks will mark an increase in profits as parents will dash to fulfil every little wish of their little ones. – muaz@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
UAE gets thumbs up as top expat location
UAE gets thumbs up as top expat location Chris Ferguson (Opinion) / 25 August 2013 Dubai has become a centre of financial sophistication “Where in the world do I want to be?” For many expatriates that dream location will be the UAE. Indeed, the recent NatWest International Personal Banking Quality of Life Index survey has confirmed that this year the UAE is in third place, up from 10th position in just three years. This move up the ladder is no surprise to those of us already enjoying the benefits of tax free, above average salaries which are the norm for expats working here. For a ‘quality of life’ index to stand up it has to encompass the categories ‘employment prospects’ and ‘financial status’. These are the parmount considerations for any would-be expatriate. The expanding network of expertise to be found in Dubai’s International Finance Centre provides a vital opportunity for expatriates to maximise their full wealth potential during their time here. — KT file photo And so it will be no surprise to learn that a major theme emerging from GWM’s discussions with our private clients concerns the universal need for professional advice on effective money management; the kind that both protects and builds wealth. In this context, Dubai’s story is an inspirational one. It has emerged from the desert sands to become one of the world’s most sought after locations. It achieved this status because it had the determination to protect its natural resources and the foresight to build upon them for future generations’ prosperity. Any location hoping to remain a universal favourite must build the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the levels of sophisticated financial planning today’s expatriates require in order to protect and build their private wealth. This infrastructure must offer a level of protection that safeguards existing savings and investments as well as the necessary regulatory gumption to licence only bona fide financial management companies, proficient and skilled in all areas of investment advisory and management work. Great strides have been taken by the UAE’s financial regulators to oversee the growth and development of a finance sector that is capable of meeting and matching its counterparts in the global arena. The recent opening in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) of the first FTSE office in this region is an example of how this approach is bearing fruit. Dubai is increasingly recognised as a centre of financial sophistication that can offer global players, such as the index provider, a gateway to this high-growth region. The expanding network of expertise to be found in Dubai’s International Finance Centre (DIFC) provides a vital opportunity for expatriates to maximise their full wealth potential during their time here. As an indication of how successful the DIFC has been over its first nine years in operation it now employs over 14,000 people and is home to 940 companies. The DIFC has confirmed that it continues to receive active interest from companies from the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East all keen to set up shop. The recent news that Abu Dhabi is to set up its own financial free zone will surely set the UAE bar even higher. Another high quality international finance centre will attract even more major players increasing the tiers of expertise and experience in all areas of investment and money management. As with the DIFC, the Abu Dhabi World Financial Market is expected to mature into a significant financial hub with its own legal structure, regulator and courts. Such developments are in keeping with both Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s declared intent to diversify their economies so they are less oil-dependent. The financial services industry is a global market growth area, and paving the way now with the necessary infrastructure to house international finance centres of excellence will ensure its continuing attraction to the world’s best workforce. Indeed, it may not be long before we see the UAE at the top of the indices for most favoured expatriate location. The writer is the managing director of the UAE, Guardian Wealth Management. Views expressed by the author are his own and do not reflect the newspaper’s policy Continue reading
