Vocational - The Business Year

Abu Dhabi must make sure it has the right infrastructure, curriculum, and mindset among its students to reach its goals.

Prof. Ghassan Al Qaimari

President, Emirates College of Technology

We work in close collaboration with ADEC and the Ministry of Higher Education to fulfill Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2020. We study all the ministry reports, ADEC reports, and those from other governmental institutions to see how we can contribute to Vision 2020, to see what market demand will be like in the future, and what changes are forecast in the economy in the coming years. We work hard to ensure all our programs are viable and realistic, and once we have that assurance, we can then submit our programs to ADEC and then to the ministry for accreditation. Our incursions into the fields of engineering, health services, education, and business, for example, represent our commitment to the government’s drive for diversifying the knowledge pool of our citizens and consequently the wider economy. We have plans to develop a center for innovation and entrepreneurship, which will be an important part of our future operations, especially after our move to Masdar.

Prof. Robert Milne

Vice Chancellor, Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE)

Incorporating innovation can be fairly simple. We have been using 3D printers, for example, to help with teaching methods. We look closely at all the developments happening in education but are also cautious before jumping into any new trends. We conduct extensive research and pool our collective knowledge with our peers in Europe, the US, and Southeast Asia. We also push for one-on-one interactions between teachers and students to help transfer skills and knowledge. Our main focus moving forward will be helping ADEC and the Ministry of Education to establish teacher licensing along with the professional development and the assessment methods that are required to support this initiative. This incredibly important project is geared toward making the teaching profession something that people can look up to.

Mubarak Al Shamsi

Director General, Mubarak Al Shamsi

In consultation with key stakeholders, ACTVET has built a flexible, responsive, and quality assured industry-led national vocational education and training system. In recognition of our progress, ACTVET became the official awarding body for the UAE in 2014, not including Dubai, in order to provide students with high-quality learning opportunities and the skills required to meet the labor market demands. Our achievements are directly linked to UAE Vision 2021 and Abu Dhabi Plan. The number of TVET institutions has increased and hence the student numbers. ACTVET has developed qualifications aligned with labor market requirements, and has increased the number of licensed training providers. In addition, the cost per student has dropped dramatically, reflecting efficiency in operation. Vocational certificates have been issued in alignment with the target of creating a diversified knowledge-based economy.