When most people hear of Dubai what comes to mind is the sand and fun, the unimaginable buildings and hotels or the rugby sevens circuit held there annually. Dubai is like Las Vegas on steroids and is the most dazzling of the seven emirates of UAE.
But behind the glitz and glamour is a serious face of academia. Dubai pulls legions of scholars looking for quality education, some even as far as Kenya.
Carole Macharia is a third year student studying Computer Science in AUD (American University in Dubai) and she reiterates her business in Dubai starts and ends with what really took her there; education.
But she says even though the tag attached to Dubai is that of ceaseless fun and 24-hour festivities, it’s not all that for students.
“Being a Muslim country, it is far stricter than Kenyan schools. Alcohol, for example, is prohibited and so is cross gender visits in the halls of residents. The wall separating the female and male hostels is figuratively larger than the Berlin wall. Much as some of this can easily be done outside campus e.g. drinking, the fact is that it is not legal,” says Carole.
With regard to job and growth opportunities Carole laments prejudice is rife but it’s consummated with such a diplomatic approach.
“For example, all job opportunities at the headquarters of Du and Etisalat, the two telecommunication/mobile operators in the UAE are reserved for UAE Nationals. No matter how good one is, so long as one is not a local, getting any of the posts in these offices is a dream.”
Nevertheless Mary Mwende studying Economics and Finance, also in Dubai, thinks two decades of life in Kenya has prepared her sufficiently for the struggle and is ready to stick around when she graduates in 2013. “Perhaps for a year or two just to get the work experience here.”
Interestingly Mary is currently the president of the student government organization in AUD (American University in Dubai).
Mary and Carole are on full scholarships from the Clinton Global Initiative and they concur studying in Dubai doesn’t come cheap.
The cost of a basic undergraduate degree would depend on which university one is in and the course. In AUD, the tuition fees per semester would be 35 000 UAE Dirham (Sh840,000) exclusive of accommodation, books and other miscellaneous costs.
Other notable universities in Dubai or around the United Arab Emirates include New York University in Abu Dhabi, British University in Dubai (BUiD), University of Dubai and Al Ghurair University among others.
