COVER FEATURE

Leading HCT to Set New Global Standard in Higher Education in the Middle East

Established in 1988, the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) is the UAE’s largest applied higher educational institution, and the nation’s first approved university economic free zone. Today, the institute has a well-respected reputation for innovative and applied workplace relevant education. More than 20,000 students attend HCT’s 16 modern, technology-enhanced men’s and women’s campuses in Abu

COVER FEATURE

Persona 4.0: A Quantum Leap in Education Outcomes

Dr Abdullatif AlShamsi received his PhD from Duke University, the USA in 1997 and received his Master and Bachelor degrees from Boston University. He is the President & CEO for the Higher Colleges of Technology as per Federal Decree...

Creating Everlasting Societal and Economic Impact: HCT Today’s Distinctions and Strategic Foresight for Tomorrow

Dr Samy is the Executive Director of Strategy & Future at the Higher Colleges of Technology and a member of two national agenda executive teams overseeing international accreditation and graduation rates of the Higher Education sector in the UAE....

MUST-WATCH EDTECH COMPANY OF THE YEAR

Blackboard: Supporting Education Institutions Across the Globe with Technology and Best Practices

Blackboard is a leading education technology (EdTech) company serving higher education, K-12, business and government clients around the world. The company connects a deep understanding of education with the power of technology to continuously push the boundaries of learning....

MUST-WATCH EDTECH SOLUTION PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

Ednex: Supporting Continuous Engineering and Vocational Education with Virtual, Remote Lab and Management System

Based in Dubai, EdNex is the brainchild of Senthil Kugan, a tech-entrepreneur and a visionary with an endless passion for education and innovative technology solutions for learning. A futuristic experiential learning and training consultant and solutions provider for K-12,...

INTERVIEW

UAE’s Higher Education Scenario Post-COVID Looks Very Bright

Dr Christopher Abraham is the CEO & Head of Dubai Campus and Sr. Vice President – Institutional Development, Professor of Leadership, Design Thinking & Organizational Behavior, at SP Jain School of Global Management. He holds three postgraduate qualifications including...

ACADEMIC VIEW

In the Mission of Developing Job Creators – A Multipronged Approach from Middle East Higher Education System

Dr A M Sakkthivel holds a PhD in Business Administration (Marketing) from Utkal University (Equalized under MOE, UAE), Bhubaneswar, India. He also has done certification of EEC (Entrepreneurship Educator Course) with Honors from Stanford University, USA, IIM Bangalore and...

Higher Education – Challenges and Opportunities in the Middle East

Amitabh Upadhya is a higher education scholar and administrator with a PhD in tourism studies; he is associated with several international institutions as visiting professor and member of institutional advisory boards. Widely published in journals and periodicals, Amitabh sits...

Adapting to the ‘New Normal’ of Higher Education

A seasoned academic, practitioner and technology enthusiast, Dr. Fazal Malik is Professor of Media Studies and Dean of Humanities, Arts and Applied Sciences at Amity University in Dubai. Before joining Amity University, he served as Associate Dean in the...

Student-Centred Reform of Higher Education in the Middle East Region: The Importance of Promoting Engaged Teaching and Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset

Higher education in the Middle East Region is key to continued economic progress as the region transitions to knowledge-based and service-based economies.  Governments in the region place great emphasis on the international rankings of universities in their countries in...

Future-Proofing the University Campus

Hugh Martin has worked in Higher Education senior management for over 20 years, including as the University Secretary at the University of Bedfordshire, the Chief of Staff at the London School of Economics, the Head of Governance at the...

Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST): A Higher Education Space Sciences Oasis in the Middle East

A PhD holder in Physics (Major: Astrophysics) from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque (USA), Dr Ilias Fernini has been working as the Deputy General Director for Research Laboratories, Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) since...

UAE – A New Sunshine in International Higher Education?

Dr Indranil Bose is a PhD in management from India and a Fellow of Higher Education Academy, UK. He is engaged in higher and professional education in UAE under several international UK based university and vocational education system for...

Learning by Doing: An Ancient Formula to Meaningful Education

Dr Jacinta Dsilva is an Assistant Professor – Marketing at Business School, Modul University, Dubai UAE, as well as a Visiting Professor at several other universities such as S.P. Jain College in Dubai and in China. She has also...

Not Only ‘Research Informed Teaching’ but ‘Teaching Informed Research’ in Enterprise Education

Dr Naveed Yasin is an Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Interdisciplinary Enterprise Education Coordinator at the Canadian University Dubai. A highly experienced Senior Academic in Entrepreneurship with over 10 years of experience and a demonstrated history of...

Learning Transformation: The Future of Middle East Business learning is Blended and Personalised

Randa Bessiso has spent much of her career working on market entry strategies, company startups and channel development programmes, and building profitable regional businesses and brands. Randa was instrumental in planning and establishing the Middle East Centre, which opened...

Myself, Yourself, iSelf: University Leadership in a Post-COVID World

Dr Simon Jones is Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Science and Technology. He is a UK citizen born in Llanelli, Wales. He holds Bachelor’s Master’s and 2 Doctoral degrees in the fields of Microelectronics and Computer Engineering. He...

Higher Education Opportunities, Reform, and Best Practices in the Middle East

Dr Tahani I. Aldosemani is an associate professor of Educational Technology at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University and a former vice dean of Information Technology and Distance Education at the same university. She has a PhD in Educational Technology...

Current Trends in Higher Education: A UAE Perspective

Velanand has extensive experience in higher education, especially in the area of institutional building. His role has been to spearhead efforts to establish and develop the Centre of Excellence in UAE, and to partner with international professional certification programs....

The Significance of Research in Solving Real-World Problems

Dr Al-Assaf had his PhD from Oxford University and leadership training from Cornell University. He is a widely published and academic and senior education management professional with extensive international experience. During his tenure at RIT Dubai, he has ensured...

Bringing “Integrity” to Dinner

Dr Zeenath Reza Khan is an Assistant Professor of Cyber Ethics and Head of the Technology and Integrity in Academia and Beyond Research & Learning Forum at Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong in Dubai. She...

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

GCC Student Mobility in Higher Education and the Unique Opportunities in UAE

Dr Ajay has the unique distinction of bringing several global universities and institutions to the UAE such as University of Birmingham (U.K.), Babson College (Boston US), Inscape Education Group (South Africa) etc. through his efforts in building the market...

The Future of Higher Education in the UAE

Dan Adkins is the CEO of Transnational Academic Group – Education Management Services Provider of Curtin University Dubai. He joined the Group in 2009, prior to which he was in the information technology industry providing services for companies including IBM, Dell, Clorox, Philips,...

The Middle East Needs a World-Class Blended Learning University

Dr Senthil Nathan co-founded and heads Edu Alliance Ltd, a boutique management consultancy specializing in education in the UAE and the USA. In the past 6 years, he has consulted for over 25 universities and investors and helped establish...

STUDENT SPEAKS

Football, Biotechnology and Psychology: The Perks of Dreaming Big and Pursuing Passions

20-year-old, Aidha Faisal is a final year Biotechnology student at BITS Pilani Dubai Campus. A black belt in karate, Aidha loves playing football. After her undergraduate degree, Aidha wishes to work in a research facility in the UAE or...

MANAGING EDITOR’S NOTE

Middle East: An Emerging Global Hub of Higher Education and Research

Education is one of the high priorities for the Middle East region that has seen a spectacular economic rise over the past decades. For instance, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been engaged in a successful internationalization strategy, which...