The Institute is preparing to welcome around 50 female students from the UAE and Qatar to its 2011 Academic Training Programme (ATP) in Multiculturalism and Leadership.
This is the 11th such educational programme, including Summer Schools, organised by the Institute since the first in 2003 and takes the total number of students visiting Dundee for programmes at the Institute to over 400.
Students from the following educational centres in the UAE are heading to Scotland this month for a four-week programme of activities:
- Zayed University
- Higher Colleges of Technology (Dubai Women’s College)
- Abu Dhabi University
- British University in Dubai
- Qatar University
- United Arab Emirates University
- American University in Sharjah
- College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Dubai
During their stay – from January 23 to February 23 – the students will enjoy an interesting and stimulating schedule of social, historic and cultural elements.
The visit of the third and fourth-year students forms a key part of their degree course studies and the various activities arranged by the Institute have been tailored to advance their overall learning and understanding of Scotland and the challenges of global dialogue and exchange.
“There is a trend for an increasing role for Emirati women in today’s UAE where they are involved in Government, the law and politics – and that is strongly encouraged by their nations’ leaders,” said Institute Principal, Professor Malory Nye.
“There is no doubt that the Al-Maktoum Institute is playing a significant and on-going role in this development.
“Our ATP this year builds on the excellent work we’ve been undertaking at the Institute with young women regarded as potential leaders in their society.
“Here in Dundee, we are working to educate the next generation of scholars, both nationally and internationally, in the study of Islam and Muslims and multiculturalism to enable them to face the challenges and opportunities of today.
“We enjoy ATP students’ visits and the feedback from previous ATP graduands has been heartening.”
This year’s ATP students will visit the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, the University of Aberdeen, the House of Lords and Westminster Abbey in London.
They will also be guests of Ripon College Cuddesdon in Oxford – where students are preparing for the priesthood – and with which the Institute has signed a unique educational agreement.
This formal collaborative link between the two establishments recognises that priests, who will be working in a multicultural Britain, need to have a firm understanding of the Islamic and Muslim communities in Britain and the wider world.
Many visits and outings in the Dundee area are also on the itinerary – and, of course, time for shopping has been recognised, too.
“We’ve had plenty of snow in the past two months, so we cannot rule out more for our visitors” said Professor Nye.
“Whatever the weather we sincerely hope that this year’s ATP programme proves memorable in every sense.”
