Dewa offers full undergraduate scholarship for UAE Nationals

Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dewa, has announced the provision of full scholarships for Emirati Nationals toattain Bachelor’s Degrees in electrical or mechanical engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai (RIT Dubai).

The move is a part of Dewa’s scholarship programme to develop the UAE National workforce, in support of UAE Vision 2021.

MD and CEO of DEWA, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, said, “The move is aligned to the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to support and develop skilled UAE nationals. It also supports the UAE National Agenda to develop the capabilities of Emirati employees. These scholarships will reflect positively on academic performance and professional excellence, in line with our strategy to enhance Emiratisation, and develop a reliable National workforce to enhance specialised workforce in government organisations.

“DEWA constantly develops and improves educational and training plans and programmes in order to provide job opportunities for UAE Nationals. DEWA has achieved excellent results in Emiratising the workforce with 80.44 per cent of UAE Nationals in senior management in the first quarter of 2014, another 42.4 per cent in middle management, and 30.94 per cent in non-supervisory positions,” added Al Tayer.

Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at Dewa, said, “The scholarship programme supports the Emirati workforce and prepares them for their careers. This initiative is part of DEWA’s integrated strategy to enhance Emiratisation, provide scholarships, support students to complete their academic studies in the UAE and abroad, and establish a solid base of skilled Emiratis who are able to continue and enhance Dewa’s success.”

Dr. Yousef Al Assaf, President of RIT Dubai, said, “It is one of the missions of RIT Dubai to build human capacity in the UAE in vital areas including sustainability, energy efficiency, smart cities, service leadership and sustainable environment. Having close interactions with leading entities such as Dewa is critical to succeed in achieving the goals of the UAE Vision 2021. Dewa has always been a leader in supporting universities’ initiatives to build a complete ecosystem of qualified National workforce in the UAE.”

“The necessary paradigm shift in the source of the energy we use and how we use it represents a truly global challenge, and our group, part of the worldwide network of expertise that Rochester Institute of Technology embodies and represents, is uniquely positioned to accept this challenge,” said Dr. Wa’el Abdel Samad, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at RIT Dubai.