E-Paper
Sign In
Cooking to counselling: How Abu Dhabi prepares students studying abroad
Parents shared their concerns about dealing with an empty home, and their thoughts on their children's decisions
- PUBLISHED: Sat 1 Aug 2026, 6:57 PM
What does it take to prepare a child before they go abroad to pursue their education? Much more than just books, some UAE parents found last week.
Families of citizens who earned scholarships abroad were brought together at an event where students participated in several activities, preparing students for the outside world.
Recommended For You
The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge showed parents and students alike that preparation for life abroad went beyond academics and bookish knowledge.
At the event, some parents were shocked to see the preparations required. Dr Noura Al Saiqal's son Ali would be the first in her family to study abroad. So, it came as a surprise to her that the programme included cooking classes for students.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
However, the thoughtfulness of the authority struck a chord with her, as she confirmed that this was proof that they understood how a homesick student often struggles to eat good meals — especially when they are unable to cook.
It wasn't just students who stood to gain from this event — parents too learned more about what they could expect from this experience and shared their thoughts.
Hashim Al Hamed, father of Ahmed, the first of his children to study abroad, said that the main struggle will be the emptiness a family will feel at home. While he is proud of the sacrifices his son chooses to make for the nation, he believes the family back home will also endure their own journey in those four to five years.
Family, national values
Parents also overwhelmingly laid emphasis on how family values instilled into the students along with their love for the nation and religion would help guide their decisions when in unfamiliar situations.
A parent present there, Dr Al Saiqal, said years of National Service had already prepared her son for independence and discipline. She said she trusted his character, not the distance, and said choosing friends carefully and staying rooted in family values mattered most.
Meanwhile, Yousef Al Junaibi, father of a graduate in Economics Honours from the University of Arizona, said the family agreed his son's major should serve the country's needs, not just his interests. Rashid volunteered abroad during holidays and came home more mature and self-reliant, his father said.
Faith too, plays a major role to help students cope with their environments. A senior religious researcher at the Awqaf and Zakat Authority, Sheikha Al Shamsi, addressed students at the event.
She said that her lectures focused on balancing national identity with life among different cultures, and shielding young people from extremist ideas through official religious authorities.
A free hotline, she added, connects homesick students directly to the Fatwa Council.
The impact of reliance on faith was seconded by Dr Mohammed Al Humairi, an orthopaedic surgeon, who happens to be the father of Bader — an AI graduate from Manchester.
He said his fear dissolved once he saw advisors staying in close touch during setbacks, and how the department kept supporting graduates afterward with CVs, interviews, and even a meeting with the UAE President.
The event sent parents home feeling reassured of how their children will cope abroad, while showing students that they can continue to rely on UAE authorities for guidance.
Emirati Journalist