• Home

Pakistan university seeks cooperation from schools

DUBAI — The only Pakistani university in Dubai, SZABIST, has sought for greater support and cooperation from the Pakistani schools in the UAE as part of its efforts to increase admissions for the new academic year.

The university recently hosted a special ‘Partners in Education’ programme to bring together the heads of various Pakistani schools in Dubai, Sharjah and Al Ain.

Highlighting the need for extended cooperation between educational bodies, Tariq Iqbal Soomro, Consul-General of Pakistan in Dubai said, “There is a real need for both long term and short term planning to sustain admissions to Pakistani universities in the UAE. School administrators need to work together with higher education providers to bring a change and create awareness about career opportunities among school students.” He also pointed the need for increased awareness among parents to plan ahead and support their child’s education, as rising education fees are one of the major factors affecting a family’s decision when it comes to selecting a foreign university. Dr Faiz Ishaq, who heads the SZABIST Campus in Dubai, says the university has maintained a very affordable fee structure for expatriate families looking to get a Pakistani degree while staying in the UAE. “Most of our programmes cost between Dh20,000 to Dh30,000 per year. In comparison to other universities in the UAE, our fees are still very affordable,” says Dr Faiz.

The campus is currently reviewing plans to increase the number of courses offered by SZABIST. With 300 students in its Dubai campus, the local management is pushing for participation from students in other GCC countries.

“We want to create a link between Pakistani schools in gulf countries as it would be easier to provide future students with information about the various programs offered by SZABIST. Being managed by a trust and having a non-profit objective, students are assured of the best teaching standards,” says Zaheer Shujraa, a member of the local management committee that oversees the development of the Dubai campus.

School principals attending the ‘Partners in Education’ forum highlighted the need for understanding the needs of students who will join universities during the next academic year.

• UAE