5 November 2009
Waterloo University, headquartered in Canada, responsible for technological achievements such as the creation of the BlackBerry phone, officially set up a campus at Dubai Mens’ College, Wednesday.
Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research said, “As globalisation draws local communities closer to each other, larger networks of communities are created, opening more doors for students to take the lead.”
Leo Rothenburg, Associate Vice- President-International, Waterloo University, said students can now graduate in engineering with a two-year working experience.
“Our educational programme is divided into eight, four month academic term and a six, four-month working term,” said Rothenburg. Students will have to complete their working terms to graduate from Waterloo University.
Rothenburg said momentarily only two majors are offered at the university, Chemical and Civil Engineering.
“We have just started our academic programme. Next year we are expecting to offer Electrical and Computer Engineering.” The idea of establishing campuses outside of Canada began 10 years ago and the UAE has always been a primary location. Peter L. Douglas, Director of Waterloo University, UAE said 90 per cent of the students who graduate from Canada complete their working terms in north America, limiting their international experience.
“Students who enrol at our university here will be given the opportunity to receive their working experience in the Middle East and north America,” said Douglas.
The university will provide the students with all the requirements needed to obtain both the job and the visa. The celebration of the launch took place alongside the Festival of Thinkers conference, which took place at the Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai.
It was attended by popular personalities such as John Nash, the Nobel Price mathematician winner and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, the legendary NBA basketball player.
Meanwhile, Tony Woodcock, Director of Tsu Chu Biz, a sports business developing company said by looking at the Formula-1 and the FIFA Club World Cup 2009, spectators can see that the UAE is on the role to become a leading hob for sportsmanship.
“We have set up a four-day educational programme in Al Ain and its soccer team,” said Woodcock. Students who graduate from the programme will have the education to set up their own sports club. Dan Clark, Author said the UAE has the vision as the resources to be one of the world’s leading innovative competitors.
“The UAE has that innovative spear, now it’s time to sharpen that spear,” said Clark.
