Note to Editor: Dusit International has acquired more than 60 years experience in the hotel and hospitality field. Founded in 1948 by Honorary Chairperson, Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, whose first hotel was the Princess on Bangkok’s New Road; Dusit has since acquired a unique portfolio of deluxe hotels, building upon Thai culture and tradition to create a personalised welcome for all guests, made distinctive under the Dusit brand promise: the delivery of an ‘experience that enlivens the individual spirit no matter what the journey.’

Dusit International comprises five hotel brands: Dusit Thani Hotels & Resorts, Dusit’s second generation dusitD2 hotels & resorts, Dusit Princess Hotels & Resorts, Dusit Devarana Hotels & Resorts, and Dusit Residence Serviced Apartments. It also operates its own signature Devarana Spa.

THAILAND:

Dusit Thani Hotels & Resorts:
Dusit Thani Bangkok
Dusit Thani Hua Hin
Dusit Thani Pattaya
Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket
Dusit Island Resort Chiang Rai

dusitD2 hotels & resorts:
dusitD2 chiang mai
dusitD2 baraquda pattaya

Dusit Princess Hotels & Resorts:
Dusit Princess Srinakarin, Bangkok
Dusit Princess Korat
Royal Princess Larn Luang, Bangkok
Royal Princess Chiang Mai
Pathumwan Princess, MBK Centre, Bangkok
Bel-Aire Princess, Sukhumvit, Bangkok
Grand China Princess, Chinatown, Bangkok

INTERNATIONAL:

Egypt:
Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo

Philippines:
Dusit Thani Manila

United Arab Emirates:
Dusit Thani Dubai
Dusit Residence Dubai Marina
Pearl Coast Premier Hotel Apartments, Dubai

OPENING SOON:

Maldives:
Dusit Thani Maldives

India:
Dusit Devarana New Delhi

China:
Dusit Thani Hainan

United Arab Emirates:
Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi

FUTURE OPENINGS:

India:
Dusit Devarana Jaipur
Dusit Devarana Rishikesh
Dusit Thani Goa
dusitD2 new delhi

China:
Dusit Thani Chongqing

Saudi Arabia:
Dusit Thani Jeddah

United States of America:
dusitD2 pasadena, california

12th October 2011

Govt. thrust to help boost education sector

Three-day International Education Show begins
at Expo Centre Sharjah

Features Malaysian pavilion, prestigious foreign institutions and
seminar by top management guru

Sharjah

The steady growth in UAE’s public and private schools and other educational institutions are opening up excellent opportunities for the higher education sector.

There are nearly 790,836 students in UAE’s 1,190 private and public schools across the country, according to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority figures.

The growth of international schools in the UAE has also been significant. In the year 2000 there were 97 international schools in the UAE teaching 77,000 students, according to ISC Research. By 2009, this had increased to 251 international schools teaching 174,600 students and today there are 357 international schools in the UAE teaching 302,300 children.

Besides, the enrollment of students at the 17 campuses of the Higher Colleges of Technology in the country is steadily increasing, with the figure expected to touch over 20,000 students this year. This is apart from other public higher education institutions and international universities in the country.

Aimed at bringing together students seeking to further their academic studies and leading higher education institutions from all over the world under a single roof, the International Education Show got under way at Expo Centre Sharjah on October 12 (Wednesday) and will continue until October 14.

The show was opened by Ms. Fawzia Hassan Gharib, Assistant Under Secretary Education Operation of the Ministry of Education. Present at the ceremony were Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah, and officials of various government departments.

“The recently approved education agenda of the country until 2020 and the three-year strategy of the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (TANMIA) for 2011-2013 aim at putting education at the centre of country’s developmental thrust. This will help prepare students to become key contributors to the country’s growth,” said Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa.

“Restructuring the education system, improving professionalism and introducing technical systems at schools and educational districts are also part of the agenda. These factors are set to boost the growth of the education sector further and generate better awareness and interest among students for higher education,” he added.

For the seventh edition of the International Education Show, nearly 60 leading local, regional and international educational institutions are showcasing their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, vocational training programmes, short-term certificate courses, diplomas, professional development programmes and distance learning courses.

For the first time, the Ministry of Education of Malaysia is organizing a national pavilion that will feature 10 of the country’s best universities at the International Education Show.

Malaysia has a world-class education system and strong international reputation. The country is a popular study destination for international students interested in education abroad. Apart from accredited and high-quality education programs, Malaysia offers an opportunity to work while studying, competitive tuition fees, low living cost, multicultural studying environment, hassle free immigration procedure, and an enjoyable student life.

In another first, a new entrant in the education sector of the country and a first-timer at the education show, Mahatma Gandhi University – Meghalaya is offering free admissions and gifts worth Dhs 100,000 to visiting students through a lucky draw. The university, fully approved by several Indian government accreditation agencies and was launched in the UAE last week, will offer two MBA admissions, a laptop and a mobile phone on all the three days of the show.

A key attraction for students this time will be the presence of esteemed educational institutions like London School of Business and Finance, Living Arts College from the US, Monash University from Australia, Swiss Hotel Management School, Manipal, Paris Sorbonne, Abu Dhabi and New York universities, among others.

Several other institutions from Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Switzerland, UK and US, apart from the local universities and higher education institutes, are also showcasing their programmes at the show.

“We are also organizing a seminar by Dr. Mohan Agarwal, who is Professor of Marketing at Institute of Management Technology, Dubai, and is an award-winning marketing professor, trainer and consultant who has worked and taught around the world and authored numerous publications. The seminar will be a valuable experience for visiting students, their parents and teachers,” added Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa.

Dr. Agarwal has recently been awarded the title of “Best Professor in Marketing Management in Asia 2011” by the Global Education Forum. He is considered to be one of the most respected and much sought-after marketing gurus.

The profile of exhibitors at the show covers universities, colleges, polytechnics, IT institutes, business schools, technical management training centres, medical schools, hotel management institutes, fine art schools, language centres, distance-learning institutes, and other tertiary institutions.

The show will be open daily from 9am to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm. On Friday, it will be open from
4pm to 8pm. Entry to the show is free.

The International Education Show is a joint initiative of the UAE Ministry of Education and Expo Centre Sharjah and is supported by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).

- Ends -

Encl: Photo

Photo Caption: R7F0191: Ms. Fawzia Hassan Gharib, Assistant Under Secretary Education Operation of the Ministry of Education inaugurating The International Education Show at Expo Centre Sharjah. To her left is Saif Al Midfa, Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.

For more information, please contact:

P. Ravi

Marketing Manager, Expo Centre Sharjah

Tel: 06-5991177. © Mobile: 050-6269781 © Email: p-ravi@expo-centre.ae

“I am confident that the outputs of this competition will add more life into Jordan’s Innovation Ecosystem by providing additional dealflow, investment and incubation opportunities,” added HRH.
For his part, Farhan Kalaldeh, the Executive Director of QRCE, said: “These projects demonstrate the potential of Jordanian youth and entrepreneurs, as well as the individual skills and capabilities they possess, as it emphasizes the need to help them, through creating the right environment to unleash and develop these ideas to serve their communities and become a source of sustainable income to our beloved country.”
In addition to the competition’s main objectives, Kalaldeh pointed out that the focus of this year’s competition was to attract investors and raise their awareness of the investment opportunities offered by emerging technology startups and the commercial potential of transforming ideas into products and services aimed at regional and global markets. Moreover, the focus was directed at strategic sectors of the Kingdom’s economy, such as ICT, Clean Technology and Life Sciences.
“Additionally, the competition serves as a tool to nurture the participants’ entrepreneurial skills, assisting them to develop and refine their business plans. Also, it helps to foster the spirit of initiative and innovation among university graduates from technical disciplines and business specialties, encouraging them to move their projects from concept to implementation.” He added.
QRNEC had 400 participants in its fourth round, championing more than 120 projects. The competition process involved comprehensive training in the areas of strategic planning, business plan development, project management and other topics related to starting and growing high impact technology companies.
Thirty teams were nominated for the final phase of the award in three categories: Startups; Projects under Development (Pre-Startup); and Universities. Project sectors were Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Clean Technology and Life Sciences. From these, 19 winning projects were selected:
In the Startups Category, the following projects were selected:
 First place: Mixed Dimensions (MXD) – a company that develops tools for gaming companies and online Interactive 3D applications developers.
 Second place: Naratech Labs – a company that assists pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, food and beverages manufacturers to develop new products.
 Third place: TAQETNA – a company that develops smart renewable energy products and services.
In the Projects Under Development/ Pre-Startup Category, the following projects were selected:
 First place: Nitrate Production System – Developed a business plan for a company to design and manufacture an innovative new (patent pending) device for producing Nitrogen-based fertilizer in continuous and sustained quantities without the high cost of production associated with petrochemical-based fertilizers.
 Second place: Taltol – Developed a business plan for an online marketplace where users can buy and sell digital content & products.
 Third place: EduServ – Developed a business plan to provide online tools to establish better links between schools and parents.
In the Universities Category, the following projects were selected:
 First place: Mawdoo3.com from Hashemite University – Developed a business plan for the first Arabic website to offer high quality Arabic articles with automated Arabic keyword analysis service.
 Second place: Jordan Unmanned Systems’ from German Jordanian University – Developed a business plan to produce electrically powered UASs (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) for a variety of applications.
 Third place: Yadawi from Yarmouk University – Developed a business plan for an online store selling handmade items on regional and global levels.
It is worth mentioning that QRNEC awards amount to $50,000, awarded to projects in the fields of ICT, Agricultural Technology, Renewable Energy, Water, Life Sciences, and Advanced Technologies.

World Challenge provides educational expeditions in the developing world, which teach life skills and expands student minds outside of the classroom. Both GEMS Education and World Challenge are excited about the opportunities this partnership will present to GEMS students.

Martin Clark, Senior Director – GEMS Education Ventures said, “GEMS schools embrace a philosophy of preparing students for the world and the challenges of the future. The GEMS Education approach to learning focuses not only on academic excellence but also in enabling students to develop character and creativity so that they achieve their full potential as human beings. This education venture with World Challenge gives our students the opportunities to take part in hands-on activities that challenge them to seek solutions, make informed decisions, demonstrate tenacity, and to express themselves confidently.”

Claire Ellaway, Regional Director, World Challenge explains, “With 22 years of experience, World Challenge offers an unrivalled range of expeditions geared to the education of young people. We provide a level of safety and service second to none. We are proud of this partnership with GEMS Education and are looking forward to seeing the development and success of all future GEMS students who take part in these exciting award opportunities. ”

Adventure Quest

In order to celebrate the beginning of the partnership, over 170 GEMS students from Cambridge International School and Al Khaleej National School are participating in an Adventure Quest. The quest has students taking part in team building activities which emphasize team work, allows them to enhance leadership skills, problem solving skills, communication skills and develop self-confidence in challenging situations.

The Adventure Quest activity is a part of the GEMS Leadership Challenge Awards created especially for GEMS students. Once completed, the quest allows students to receive the GEMS Ruby award, which is the first tier in this progressive award programme. GEMS students will work their way from the GEMS Ruby Award to the GEMS Emerald Award and finally to the GEMS Diamond award, which is recognized by Universities.

The Leadership Challenge Award is linked directly to the GEMS core values of World Citizenship, Universal Values, Leadership and Forward Thinking. In order to ensure all GEMS students have access to these life changing opportunities the programme has been designed with a variety of options.
The GEMS Leadership Challenge Award consists of –

GEMS Ruby Award
A student can earn the GEMS’ Ruby Certificate by completing three ½ day ‘Adventure Quest’ sessions, based at two sites in Dubai. The activities include; ‘Giants Ladder’, ‘Leap of Trust’, climbing wall and ground based practical leadership and team tasks to encourage the development of team work, leadership and communication skills as well as caring for others and problem solving.

GEMS Emerald Award
The GEMS’ Emerald Award is achieved after completing a one or two week expedition to Asia, Africa or Europe. Students will explore new cultures and environments, learn how to communicate more effectively and bond as a team, take manageable risks, overcome fears and make their own decisions – all essential lesson for the future. Students can also gain a Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE) Level 3 (equivalent to a GCSE grade B) if a portfolio of evidence is provided.

GEMS Diamond Award
The Diamond Award can be gained by completing an expedition similar to the Emerald Award but for three or four weeks. This Award has a more in-depth community/service element which fits in well with International DofE Award and for the CAS element of the IB diploma. An ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE) Level 2 (equivalent to 70 UCAS points) can also be gained if students provide a portfolio of evidence. Students automatically gain the ASDAN University Award.

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The graduation ceremony – held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, and Chancellor of The British University in Dubai – witnessed 53 students receiving their postgraduate awards, nearly one-third of whom are UAE nationals.

BUiD provides its students, which include young professionals, leading academic, corporate managers and aspiring leaders of all description, with the region’s first research-based postgraduate university experience, allowing the students to develop in-depth research and developmental skills that can be applied for their current and future career progression.

“Now more than ever, applicants holding postgraduate awards in higher education have better job experiences, opportunities and prospects,” said Dr Abdullah Alshamsi, Vice-Chancellor, The British University in Dubai.

“With the UAE and the rest of the Middle East developing at a fast pace, graduate study in project management is an ideal programme choice for students looking to develop their careers in the region. At the same time, our suite of programmes addresses the full range of key management and leadership disciplines for a knowledge-based economy and society. I am confident that our graduates are bright leaders and we hope our degrees will encourage more UAE-based students to accelerate their career pathway by providing rigorous and advanced postgraduate studies,” added Alshamsi.

This year, more than 50 percent of the graduating students – and 80 percent of the Emirati graduates – completed their Master of Science in Project Management, a field that has seen a surge in the number of applicants in recent years.

In addition, for the first time BUiD witnessed graduates receiving Master of Science in Finance and Banking this year – another discipline attracting a growing number of students.

BUiD also graduated the first batch of students who completed their Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) as part of the ‘Teach in Dubai’ programme – a joint initiative between BUiD and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to encourage Emirati nationals (male and female) and Arab expatriates who live in the UAE to make a place for themselves in the education sector.

From the 2009 graduating class, 12 students – double the 2008 number – have passed their programmes with Distinction, the highest available award for Masters Degree students. For the Master of Science, Aamena Alshamsi and Suad Salem Al-shamsi– both UAE national – were awarded Distinction in Information Technology and Muna Abdelhakim Al Seeni in Project Management.

BUiD also awarded five outstanding students who completed their Master of Education with the highest Distinction of merit.

Companies that have sponsored employees to undertake research-based, post-graduate education and who are graduating this year include Arabtec, Dubai Police,TECOM, and Lloyds TSB.  In addition, scholarships were provided by Atkins, Emirates Foundation, KHDA, Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and BUiD Council.

“BUiD’s ongoing success is largely due to the commitment and support from our friends and founders, who include the Al Maktoum Foundation, the British Business Group, the Dubai Development and Investment Authority, the National Bank of Dubai, and Rolls-Royce and of course the university’s council members ” concluded Alshamsi.