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Dubai emerges as attractive hub for foreign students

International students from outside the UAE are increasingly looking at Dubai as an education destination, according to a student mobility report by QS Trends.

Dr Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director of Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV) and Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), explained the trends at the recent International Private School Education Forum (IPSEF).

“Since 2009, there has been up to a five-fold increase in global transnational education (TNE) considering the UAE as a study destination, which TECOM’s Education Cluster has directly impacted through a ten-fold increase in its student body to over 20,000 students since 2003, offering over 400 academic programmes,” said Dr Ayoub. Dubai’s emergence as a global study destination was linked with an expected increase in employment opportunities resulting from Expo 2020.

He also cited safety and cultural concerns, geographical position, ease of acquiring visas and global recognition of qualifications.

“The cluster will continue to drive the competitiveness of the UAE’s education industry by understanding its needs, and those of its international student population.” While the UAE has risen as a preferred study destination by TNE since 2009, the UK, the USA, Australia and Canada have all faced a 6 to 8 per cent drop in popularity, added Dr Kazim, quoting the QS Trends in International Student Mobility report.

Rhona Greenhill, co-founder of IPSEF, said: “The TNE market in Dubai is growing rapidly, with many prominent international higher education institutions already setting up branches in the emirate, and many more keenly looking at this market for future growth. Dubai has certainly laid the foundations for a strong proposition for foreign higher education institutions to come here and thrive.”

The UAE’s educational landscape is being shaped by a number of major macroeconomic factors that will affect demand for skilled graduates in the country, said Dr Kazim.

muaz@khaleejtimes.com