Will Trump's victory boost higher education in UAE?

Dubai - An expert said Trump being made president will probably see fewer students from here going forward for study in the US.

Politically-driven moves like the UK's exit from the European Union and Donald Trump becoming the president-elect of the US may be dividing nations, but it could have a positive impact on higher education in the UAE.
On the sidelines of the Middlesex University Dubai Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, Dr Cody Morris Paris, deputy director of the university, told Khaleej Times it's the UAE's forward thinking attitude that is making it stand out from its Western counterparts.
"Moves like Brexit and Trump's win are ones which are closing their countries off to certain individuals. But the UAE is going against that. It is acting as a bridge to bring people together and that could well spur a spike in international students choosing to study here."
On a small scale, Paris said Trump being made president will probably see fewer students from here going forward for study in the US. But he added that "it won't hugely impact numbers", as students are already choosing to stay here.
"The majority of students in the UAE are no longer forced to look to overseas universities for study. That's because international branch campuses are growing more popular here."
And he can only see that trend continuing to increase.
"Results like Trump's election will partially impact student numbers but it is not the main factor that is driving this trend. The higher education sector has been going from strength to strength for several years in the UAE as the area of opportunity for graduates is expanding."
GCC students are influencers
Earlier this week, former American ambassador to the UAE Marcelle Wahba told Khaleej Times it is important that Trump's victory over Hilary Clinton did not act as a barrier between the UAE and the US.
She said that GCC students studying in the US are one of the region's biggest assets and they should be used as a way of bridging the ties between America and the Middle East.
More than 800 students hailing from 90 countries attended Middlesex University Dubai's annual graduation ceremony on Saturday.
- kelly@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE