Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education The Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education yesterday celebrated the graduation of the 17th batch of female students who completed a programme on multiculturalism and leadership skills. The main focus of the four-week summer programme was to develop students in terms of multiculturalism and religion, leadership, management and civilization dialogue. Students spent the last week at the University of Oxford.
Designed for female Emirati students, the programme provides them an opportunity to explore their leadership potential in a multicultural society. The training was designed with a combination of comprehensive course lectures, tutorials and debates that allowed the students to explore elements of leadership, diversity and a multicultural society in more depth. The students engaged in different structured activities that allowed them to explore their own strengths and work to develop their leadership skills. Along with an intensive training program, they were also able to visit cultural and historical sites.
The 52 students came from seven UAE universities : United Arab Emirates University, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi University, British University in Dubai, American University in Sharjah, Dubai Women's College, College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, and four female employees from Dubai Courts.
They took part in the 17th such educational programme since the first Summer School in 2003, bringing the total number of students visiting Dundee for programmes at the College to 700.
A graduation ceremony was held at the College under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, and founder of the College, for the students in the presence of Bob Duncan, Lord Provost of Dundee, Mirza Al Sayegh, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the College, members of the Board of Directors of the College, and representatives of the Universities participating in the training programme.
In his keynote address at the ceremony, Al-Sayegh said students would have the honour of meeting Sheikh Hamdan after they return home safely.
He added that the programme had left far-reaching impact on the graduate's character, strengthening self-confidence, and gaining life skills.
College's Principal and Vice-Chancellor is Dr. Hossein Godazgar, also addressed the gatheringthe programme, saying the programme is second to none in European universities and has proven its success over the last ten years in terms of learning outcome.
''The UAE girls are characterised with easy adaptation to new challenging reality.
They have overbeaten themselves,'' he noted.
Source: WAM