'We are part of our people', Shaikh Nahyan

A group of students from the UAE University interviewed Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The students, Latifa Dadi Rahmedel, Khulood Ali Al Suwaidi and Bashayer Ali Shehhi, discussed the challenges facing higher education and the contribution of universities to nation building.

Khulood, Ayisha (student chaperone), Tom Plate, Shaikh Nahyan, Latifa and Bashayer. -Supplied photo

The three excited students met Shaikh Nahyan at his palace in Abu Dhabi. US journalist and columnist, Tom Plate, a visiting professor at UAEU accompanied the students. He is also a distinguished scholar of Asian and Pacific Studies from Loyola Marymount University (LMU). We bring you excerpts from the interview, put together by Tom Plate.

Latifa: The development of arts and cultures is linked to the growth of society, and, of course, economic growth. Do you think UAEU is keeping pace with the developments in arts and culture?

Shaikh Nahyan: I think what we have to realise is why the UAE encourages and supports arts in all forms, whether it's music or art in museums. We think all this belongs to humanity, and should be shared. Also, since we are at the crossroads between the East and the West, we believe this would contribute towards better understanding between people from different walks of life, from different religions. By encouraging and supporting art, we believe people from different cultures will meet and understand each other better, and create a better world for future generations.

Latifa: Do you think the University is meeting your priorities and upholding your vision for arts and music?

Shaikh Nahyan: There is more to be done because by the time we finish, we'll have four major museums which would be counted among the biggest museums in the world. They will enhance the culture and understanding of our people and the people around us. As you know, we live in an area of the world where there are not less than 2.5billion people. If you take India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Horn of Africa and the former Soviet Republics - they're all going out for education, and healthcare. We (here) are fortunate to have leaders who are tolerant, who believe in tolerance and respect other peoples' cultures and religions. All this enhances our understanding of the world. It's a place where, hopefully, we'll be able to foster encouragement of culture (while) … having this openness. I think it is the responsibility of the generation to eliminate barriers and build bridges and enhance respect for others, as you yourselves want to be respected. You should respect others regardless of where they come from, as, at the end of the day, we are all human beings. We are all created by God ... and our religion teaches us to respect, so most of all we have to respect the human being. Maybe we are different. Maybe I have a different opinion. Maybe I see that my children are different, but that doesn't mean I hate one of them! We should always strive to make it better; strive to make an understanding. If you don't understand my point of view, you don't have to agree, but I respect you and I will fight for you to put your point of view through, as some philosophers say.

Bashayer: Your Highness, our UAE, it's not a democracy like the US, but the UAE is improving its image, this is very clear, and it is happening so fast. So, what do you think the reasons are?

Shaikh Nahyan: As you know, the UAE was born 40 years ago. We were just starting to build our infrastructure, build our society and build our institutions. I think we've done well - better than many others, with all due respects to everybody, to try and benefit our people, educate them, build institutions, and we have gradually added to the Constitution - gradually, to move towards people having more say in the way they run their country, and as you see now even with elections, nothing is perfect. Nobody is perfect, not in the States, or any other place. But here we are all working for the UAE. The first priority is its people - the welfare of its people, and justice, and equality and equal opportunities, so then I think we come across very well. I think we have established that there's an equal opportunity here for education, and we don't have any (education) discrimination between the sexes. A woman can work and study and travel, there's no problem. We tried, of course, to build a justice system of our own. And we've been (allying with) other Arab countries and they come with their own cultures. So, unless we build good, strong institutions with an educated people, we might stoop to a worse situation. Our most important responsibility is to our people. We (leaders), we are part of our people. Them and us, we are in the same boat, and we have been trying to raise the standard of living, create a better life, better opportunities provide a respectable life for everybody. So, I think instead of jumping on what other people have done, or copying other people, we should make our own path.

And we should lead, and we've seen how other people, how they've ruined their countries; they ruin their people, they oppress their people, they're willing to kill their people. We are proud that we never killed anybody … we are here to protect. We are here to create a better life for everybody. Not only that, we're proud that we have over 200 nationalities and they're living in harmony and peace, and we go beyond even our own limits to make it better for everybody. But I think a time will come when institutions will follow (aspects of) the American system, because it's easy to follow and if it benefits our students, and makes them positive and active.

Khulood: I am a mass communication major, and this question is about education, in general. As you know, in the UAE, education begins from kindergarten until twelfth class, and students then begin the higher education. How is our higher education influenced by the KG to 12^th year classes?

Shaikh Nahyan: We understand the deficiencies and the weaknesses of the public-education sector, and we realise the reason behind it and the difficulties faced. So, that is why, unfortunately, in the higher education we spend about one third of our budget trying to bring up the standards to the curriculum at our universities. The government announced a few years ago a strategy to eradicate or reduce the gap between systems. What we're doing now is, we're sending our best teachers, our professors, to the schools to monitor and mentor and supervise the way teachers teach. Also, those who graduate from our education system, and education colleges are well prepared to be a change-agent in the schools and, we are working very closely with the schools to improve them, because in the end, we're all working for the same purpose, and it's to benefit everybody and improve the level. And at our university system we are embarking on a major research and development project. We're all going to emphasise post-graduate studies (master's, PhD) and tackle social issues, economic issues, environmental issues, hoping that the UAE university will be an innovator.

Today, everybody has access to the university, but for a long time, nobody except the elite had access to it. Now, all that has to change.

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• Abu Dhabi