How are the lives of students changing in UAE universities?

Dubai - The rapid evolution of higher education in Dubai has been aided by the emirate's soaring economic growth, which started from early 1990s.

Higher education in the UAE is fast changing. And as universities here continue to up their game when it comes to modernising campus landscapes, students have more choices.
Ask any student what his or her priority is when it comes to picking the right university, and campus environment will appear near the top of any list, Dr Vajahat Hussain, CEO of Amity University Dubai, told Khaleej Times.
"Students need to be proud of where they study. Before, it was difficult to get that feeling in the UAE because campuses were not up to scratch."
He said in his experience, majority of university students contemplate three factors when making decisions about where to study.
"They want a great school experience - that is the first priority. Then they look at the course, and then the quality of the course."
From then to now
The rapid evolution of higher education in Dubai has been aided by the emirate's soaring economic growth, which started from early 1990s. Similiar to other key economic segments like real estate, tourism, and retail, education has also attracted significant overseas investments.
But while all these positives were happening, students were not getting that real university feel.
That's because many campuses were, and many still are, spread across one floor of a building, a stark contrast to campuses in competitor universities in the UK and US.
Quite simply, the higher education landscape didn't live up to the experience students were having in schools. "Think of it like this. For a UAE student who is in a fantastic school, they are suddenly thrown into a basic university campus and it is completely underwhelming. That can impact the student academically," Dr Hussain said.
But that is fast changing. Amity University Dubai, like several campuses in the UAE, has undergone massive expansion and its landscape is now mimicking that of well renowned university campuses around the globe.
From live-in accommodation facilities to its own auditorium and amphitheatre, the expansion is helping attract international students, too. "We have around 150 international students housed in our on-campus accommodation, 30 of whom are Chinese. China is a huge market for us and we've cracked that," Hussain added.
For Forensic Science student, Faiza Suleman, the adaption of Dubai universities is creating more choice for the most important people of all - the students.
"I used to study at a small campus in DIAC but since moving to this larger campus it has been a breath of fresh air. We have such a diverse mix of students and it has provided me with that real university experience."
And aerospace engineering student, Feni Pandya said she has moved from a small campus in one building to a "beautiful, spacious landscape". "What I love about this is that it is a campus we can call our own. And for me specifically, we now have our own engineering laboratories on campus, which is a brand new experience for me."
The beginnings
Founded in 1993, the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) was one of the foremost to establish a branch campus here.
Apart from Dubai residents, UOWD were able to attract students from Northern Emirates, and soon overseas students from Africa, Indian subcontinent and GCC countries were in its enrolment list.
These overseas students resided at apartment blocks in Jebel Ali Gardens. But today we are seeing live-in facilities on campus being established at universities, as well as dedicated student residences like Uninest, based in Dubailand.
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Compiled by: www.uninest.ae 
kelly@khaleejtimes.com