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A GULF NEWS SPONSORED SUPPLEMENT
MONTHLY ISSUE 7 Monday, June 4, 2018
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PAGE 3 PAGE 5

Why online academic Indian colleges in high
enrichment is right for demand in Dubai
your child






GAIN A BIRD’S


EYE VIEW

THROUGH



INTERNSHIPS





Young students who complete an internship in
their chosen field have a much greater chance at
future success say experts — as well as gaining
invaluable life skills



BY EMMA PROCTER Employers rely heavily on
SPECIAL TO EDUCATION NOW! resumes that illustrate a rele-
vant background or work his-
tory, and this is where having
completed a formal internship
O drums young while in high school or college
ne of the conun-
can make the difference be-
face
people
when preparing
“Starting a career has never
to enter today’s tween success and failure.
ultra-competitive job market been harder; internships and
is the lack of experience. And traineeships help the youth
with unemployment rates use their own individual set
among the youth in the MENA of skills and ambitions to get
being almost twice the glob- their feet onto the first rung of
al average, things are even the career ladder,” says Jean-
tougher for new entrants into Michel Gauthier, CEO and
the job market in this part of
the world. Continued overleaf
iStock

2 SCHOOLS




BRUSH UP ON YOUR


SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE THIS SUMMER




The gap between school years is a long one — is it better for children to spend it their own way, or on structured study? Teachers tell



CATHERINE HARPER
SPECIAL TO EDUCATION NOW!


F or students in Dubai, those
weeks during the summer
holidays is a period to just
kick back and enjoy some
well deserved me time. Or is
it? No doubt there will be plans on the ros-
ter to include trips abroad, play dates, visit-
ing family… But many education providers
in the UAE offer summer courses as well.
Should students be sent on these courses
then, or should summer be one long, un-
broken session of fun? Education experts
say that while such courses do offer ben-
efits, achieving balance is crucial.
“There is a plethora of research to sup-
port the opinion that it’s important to keep
young minds busy over the long summer
holidays,” says Erika Elkady, Head of Sec-
ondary at Jumeirah Baccalaureate School
in Dubai. “I’m influenced by Malcolm
Gladwell’s book, Outliers, in which he pro-
poses that the main factor in educational
disparity is not a lack of resources but in-
stead a difference in the amount of learning
time. Students who are fortunate to be able
to enjoy summer camps and extra subject
classes are more likely to be successful than
those who are not because they have been
able to dedicate more time to learning and
to the retention of information.
“Summer holidays in the UAE are notori-
ously long and as an educator I notice the
difference between those students whose
brains are kept engaged over the break
compared to those whose haven’t — their
reading and thinking speed is significantly iStock
lower. We call this the summer slide.” Summer can be a great time for students to cover up deep-seated learning gaps in their curriculum
AN UNSOUND MODEL? the summer period,” he says. However, he students to have a taste of living semi- have time free from pressure to perform,
Mark Steed, Director of Dubai’s Jumei- notes this learning — and therefore consol- independently in a different country. and to organise their own play and activi-
rah English Speaking School, agrees. “Nine idation — doesn’t necessarily have to come Students normally enrol in these prior to ties as this develops important socialisation
weeks out of school is not an educationally from scheduled courses. finishing their IB diploma and starting a skills,” he explains. “This doesn’t happen if
sound model — it’s too long a break from “There should be no real educational university course; they have the unique op- they are forever subjected to adult-directed
learning, and can mean children slip back.” need for young people to enrol in enhance- portunity to see a different part of the world and adult-supervised activities.”
Elkady cites a primary benefit of subject ment courses over the summer; schools and meet people from other cultures, while Elkady agrees. “I’d highly recommend
enhancement courses as an opportunity can easily set summer work, and there are remaining academically focused.” So It’s students participate in subject enhance-
to either avoid falling back or to catch up Mark Steed many online platforms that can consolidate easy to understand why parents might con- ment courses if family circumstances allow,
if improvement is required. If students at- JESS learning,” he explains. sider subject enhancement courses for old- and students want to,” she says. “However,
tend a course in a subject in which they are Summer courses are a popular choice for er children, particularly those struggling in I’d also be mindful that it’s important young
struggling, she says, the resulting improve- parents with children following the Inter- key subjects or preparing for exams. people get a chance to rest over the holi-
ment in performance can boost confidence, national Baccalaureate curriculum, Elkady days too. Brains need a break and a chance
as can being up to speed on their return to finds, and she notes benefits beyond the HOLISTIC APPROACH to switch off. Young people need to engage
school in September. curriculum. So, does this mean all parents should be with unstructured time without turning to
Again, Steed agrees. “Enhancement “There are a wide range of quality sub- signing their children up for the summer? technology; boredom is important to fos-
courses may help consolidate school learn- ject enhancement courses abroad that of- A holistic approach is best, says Steed. ter creativity. It’s all about getting the right
ing and mean there is less lost learning over fer a fantastic opportunity for our older “Children need opportunities to rest, to balance for a student’s well-being.” n


Continued from page 1 “That is why an internship is absolutely
THE INTERNSHIP ADVANTAGE critical for a student to secure before they
start job hunting. They need to understand
what it’s like to be in a workplace, how office
co-founder of career platform Oliv (formerly dynamics play out, what the expectations are,
InternsME). what professionalism looks like and so on. My life as an intern
“Opportunities like these empower young Also, it’s good to know what they do and don’t
communities, and help businesses hire like, or what their own weaknesses are so Naimah Abbas, 22 | Marketing trainee with Colgate
the best emerging talent to grow, maintain they can work on them.” I spent six months looking for an opportunity right after I
a healthy talent pipeline, and reduce staff She added: “In my experience I have seen graduated, and I just wasn’t finding the right opportunity. I was
turnover.” students or graduates that haven’t done an aiming to gain experience at an MNC, but a lot of them tend not to
Oliv sees a growing number of companies internship really struggle when they are take a chance on fresh graduates for full-time roles. I figured that
across industries embracing internship pro- suddenly thrown into the deep end. This can getting experience through an internship was just as valuable as a
grammes. The obvious exception is the medi- Zabeen Ahmed Jean Michel Gauthier knock their confidence for years and leave full-time job, so I went ahead searching for internships instead.
cal sector since it is heavily regulated. Founder, Sevia CEO and them feeling vulnerable.” Interning at Colgate has been a great opportunity. I really love it
Co-founder, Oliv US human resources guru Penny Loretto here because I’m learning a lot and it doesn’t feel like an internship.
Students need to has written much on the importance of intern My manager is amazing and I’ve been given real responsibilities and
understand what A FRESH PERSPECTIVE programmes — and stresses the value for the tasks — I get to tap into projects that an Assistant Brand Manager
companies involved.
would be doing. I’m working on the Oral Care line, supporting with
it’s like to be in a workplace, In the UAE, companies such as Sephora, “Anytime you talk business with someone artwork, portfolio management and so on. I even managed my first
how office dynamics play Emaar, Danzas and Omnicom are well known outside of your industry, team, or day-to-day solo project; I was responsible for organising and running an internal
operations, you’re often surprisingly inspired
for having comprehensive schemes for stu-
product launch for the whole team. I got to take on the accounting,
out, what the expectations dents trying to get a foot on the ladder. by what you learn,” she wrote. “The same goes agency liaison, and creative sides of the project among other areas.
Zabeen Ahmed, founder of UAE consultan-
I thought it would be best to venture into a large MNC to get
are and so on. Also it’s good cy Sevia, advises companies on best practices for an internship program. By bringing in stu- my foothold into the industry and get the experience I needed
dents who aren’t inside your company every
to know what their own in recruitment and training. She says it’s im- day, they can offer a fresh perspective on your before my first, full-time role — but not all internships turn out like
weaknesses are so they can portant for students today to have real world business, strategies, and plans. To experience that. I’m hoping this turns into a full-time role, but I can also utilise
these benefits, make sure to include interns in
experience. “While learning in an academic
this experience to pursue an entry-level marketing specialist or
work on them.” setting does in theory prepare individuals, brainstorm sessions and encourage them to coordinator role.
it’s essentially not valid until they have the speak up in meetings. Attending brainstorms — As told to Emma Procter
Zabeen Ahmed chance to apply what they know out there in is often a favourite among interns, so it’s a
Founder, Sevia the corporate landscape,” she said. win-win for both parties.” ■
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SCHOOLS 3



NEW CONVENIENCES ADVERTISER’S CONTENT


SVS
WITH ONLINE CLASSES An academic programme



Six reasons why online academic enrichment is right for your child with a difference



IRISH MAE concerns. And, depending on ing budget-friendly, online
SILVESTRE the student’s profi ciency, par- classes add another level of
SPECIAL TO ents can also choose how many convenience: online payments.
EDUCATION NOW! classes they require. Gone are the days of making
trips to the bank since pay-
3. Flexible schedules. ments can be quickly and easily
processed online.
Online sessions work around
echnology has revo-
T lutionised the way the student’s busy life. Handy 6. Qualifi ed instructors.
students can catch
apps like WhatsApp allow them
up with their sub- to receive reminders, while Prior to online classes, stu-
jects. While traditional classes websites like Twiddla (an on- dents were limited to a pool of
were the norm, online sessions line whiteboard) make it easier local teachers. Now, that pool
have created a new level of con- to learn in a virtual classroom has widened to include instruc-
venience. From fl exible one- setting. Classes are also record- tors around the world. Students
on-one sessions to the freedom able – a handy feature that and their parents can now
to choose instructors, knowl- helps students in their revision. choose instructors by subject
edge enhancement services are and by expertise. In addition to
now simply a few clicks away. 4. Summer sessions. customised study plans, parents
School might be out soon can rest assured that students
1. Study from the comfort of but that doesn’t mean that stu- are getting the best service to
home. dents can’t stay on top of their help them excel academically.
Forget driving or running for studies. Classes can be booked For more information, visit
the metro; after school help on- around events and even fam- www.etutorhome.com
line eliminates the added stress ily holidays, ensuring that stu-
of traveling to and from classes, dents are well-prepared
while lugging around those and feeling confi dent
heavy textbooks. Not only does for the academic year
it save time otherwise spent ahead.
stuck in traffi c but it also cuts t South View School the British curriculum with highly play areas and social spaces for
transportation costs. 5. Money matters. (SVS), we offer an aca- trained native speaking English each of our age groups.
In addition to be- Ademic programme with a teachers. SVS is the sister school South View’s vision is to ena-
2. Parents can be difference. We strongly believe of Victory Heights and its repu- ble students to become responsi-
more involved. that student-initiated learning fa- tation has been highlighted re- ble citizens, confident individuals
Compared to con- cilitates all-round development. cently with an exceptional KHDA and successful learners, who will
ventional classes, We believe that students need to rating. SVS is clearly on the same have their eyes on the stars, with
parents can interact be given as many opportunities trajectory with the support of their feet on the ground. We be-
directly with instruc- to learn outside the classroom as the team that brought Dubai lieve it is our responsibility to em-
tors and bring up any within it. VHPS. As student numbers grow bed the love of learning and cul-
To this end, we plan to inte- we endeavour to provide mother tivate a passion for excellence in
grate a high level of language tongue language lessons to sup- all our students. We’re honoured
learning and competitive sport port families as they settle in to be opening our doors in Sep-
instruction into the school day Dubai. tember 2018 to a diverse, inter-
and to encourage students to Additionally our premium national community in Remraam.
participate. This will include the facilities include separate and We strongly feel that the South
use of our Fifa-rated pitch, mul- dedicated specialist science, art, View experience will closely re-
tiple sports halls, professional music, IT for foundation stage, flect the innovative, pioneering
tennis courts and six-lane swim- primary and secondary, in ad- spirit of Dubai and the cosmopol-
ming pool. SVS offers the best of dition to separate playgrounds, itan, inclusive ethos of the UAE.
iStock

4 HIGHER EDUCATION




NEED FOR DATA




ANALYTICS RISES MSC DATA SCIENCE
Where to study?


• Where Heriot-Watt University Dubai
• Fees Dh81,900 including VAT
• Duration 1 year (full time), 2 years (part
Higher educators tell us about the role of information sciences in the future, and the skills graduates will time)
be expected to bring to the table — both in study and employment • Scholarships Various scholarships are
available including an early application
discount

HINA NAVIN MSC ROBOTICS
SPECIAL TO EDUCATION NOW! • Where Middlesex University Dubai
• Fees Dh63,000 including VAT
• Duration 1 year (full time), 2 years
s the world enters into a futuristic pe-
(part time)
A riod of robots, electric cars, flying ve- • Scholarships 10 per cent scholarship plus
hicles and the internet of things (IoT),
early enrolment grants (if any)
there has been a massive growth seen
in data collection and storage happen- MSC IN DATA SCIENCE
ing across the globe. The trend of using artificial • Where University of Manchester, UK
intelligence is budding in almost all industries, and • Fees £18,000 (about Dh92,678)
with this the role of a data science and data analyst • Duration 1 year (full time)
professionals is growing high in demand in the re- • Scholarships N/A
gion and across the globe.
“We have moved into the era of smart sensors, IoT, BSC (HONS) DATA ANALYTICS
cloud storage, smartphones and social media,” says • Where University of Strathclyde, Glasgow,
Prof. Dr Fadi Aloul, Department Head, Computer UK
Science and Engineering, and Director of the HP • Fees £14,550
Institute at American University of Sharjah (AUS). • Duration 4 years
“A significant amount of live data streaming occurs • Scholarships Faculty of Science Elite
24/7 now, across all industries that were not seen in Scholarship scheme, which is £2,000
the past. The cloud services are further making it Shutterstock per annum
easier for the organisations to store information.
“The enterprise that needs to be at the top of the this data and deliver meaningful knowledge that University Dubai and several in-house training pro-
game has to become smart at collecting, storing, will add great business sense to organisations.” grammes for industry professionals, to teach the
securing, structuring, managing and analysing the Talking about the job role, he adds that this will foundation of data science using tools like R and SAS. artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, big data and
data. Therefore, employing a data scientist who can range from generating use cases for a given data Of the degree programmes, Nanath says, “We cyber-physical systems, enabling them to become a
intelligently extract correlations and observations set to working on products that deliver data science have a Data Science/Analytics specialisation for data scientist. And a three-day crash course certifi-
from the collected data is a growing requirement reports. “Some data science graduates can expect MBA to offers the data science skills from a busi- cation on using AI for Smart Cities is offered for the
to get effective and productive outcomes across roles that require great statistical knowledge, and ness mindset. There are various undergraduate professions in industry.
the UAE.” others can expect roles that demand IT and coding courses in the field of science and technology, while Heriot-Watt University Dubai launched its MSc
acumen. They could expect to work on tools such as postgraduate courses include MSc Engineering Data Science programme in September 2017. “The
SKILLS AND JOB ROLE R, Python, SAS, Tableau and others. Their daily jobs Management, MSc Network Management and Cloud course teaches the theory and skills needed to man-
A good data scientist has multiple skills from would be around three key areas: data extraction, Computing and MSc Robotics, which is a new launch age large, complex data sets used in various business
storytelling, business analytics to data engineer- data transformation (including algorithms) and data for September 2018.” and various government departments,” explains Dr
ing, says Dr Krishnadas Nanath, Senior Lecturer loading (visualisation and reports).” At AUS, the department of computer science and Hind Zantout, Director of Postgraduate Studies
— Computer Engineering and Informatics for the engineering has a computing school competition and and Programme Director for MSc Data Science at
School of Science and Technology at Middlesex Uni- UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES break camp for high school students, where students Heriot-Watt. “Data analytics and machine learn-
versity Dubai. Universities in the UAE offer degree curricula from schools all across the UAE are invited to par- ing knowledge gained by graduates throughout the
“The information that is captured makes sense and a range of programmes on data sciences to suit ticipate in a project with themes such as big data, course are particularly advantageous for rapidly
only if they add business value with the help of use students and professionals at various levels. For smart cities and AI. The bachelor in computer en- growing industries such as banking and finance, lo-
cases like predictions and classifications. For this, instance, for undergraduate students, there is an gineering or computer science exposes students to gistics, information technology, media, advertising,
the data science graduates are needed to help mine EMC-certified Data Science Course at Middlesex various modules like IoT, cloud, machine learning, government and the public sector in the UAE.” n


ADVERTISER’S CONTENT
A DAY IN THE LIFE SCHOLARS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY


OF A RADIOLOGIST Collaboration in the classroom



ducation today looks dif-
ferent from 30 years ago,
Dr Vijai Chandran, Head of Department of Radio Diagnosis and Eand with the fast pace of
Imaging at Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, tells Chiranti Sengupta technology and our world be-
coming more global, one skill
what helps him stay motivated in this demanding profession is emerging as the key to the
future: Collaboration. No one
knows exactly what colleges
What time do you wake up and what are the first however, the work of a doctor rarely fits itself into will teach, what offices will look
few things you do? such convenient slots. like, or which fields will have
I usually wake up by 6.30am. Once I’m ready, the most career opportunities,
my wife and I enjoy a spot of me time over a re- What do you like about your profession? but one thing that is certain is
laxed breakfast. A peaceful beginning usually Radiology is a lot like being a detective: you that those who are most able
makes for a great start for the rest of the day. look for clues from various angles — the patient’s to collaborate will be valued in
symptoms, clinical signs, lab reports — and then any academic and professional
What are the first few things you do in the office? look at the imaging and try to place everything in environment. At Scholars In-
Once at the hospital, I check my emails, and try such a way that the pieces fit together. It’s a heady ternational Academy (SIA),
to reply to as many as I can. Usually there is plen- profession, which never gets boring or repetitive. we see this as a key element
ty of admin work to be done, which I try to deal in the education of children Facilitated by teachers, even young
with as quickly as possible before immersing my- Where did you study radiology? today. Working with others is students at SIA can brainstorm ideas
self into patient consultations, interventional pro- I did my MD in radiology in the Armed Forces important for many reasons,
cedures, film readings, meetings and interviews. Medical College in Pune, India, which is one of the and the core skills involved are
premier academic institutions in India. I special- ones that can be practiced as emphasising diversity, it is not explain their thinking to class-
How long do you ised further in neuroradiology from Sree Chitra early as preschool. Teamwork simply because it is a trendy mates and practice listening to
work? Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Tech- leads to more sophisticated thing to do. It turns out that others. They have to synthe-
Doctors in my nology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. learning, a respect for diversity people who have opportunities sise information, come up with
hospital work and heightened communication to collaborate with others who plans, delegate responsibilities
in eight-hour How do you relax in the evening? skills, not to mention it creates are different from them develop and work together at every
shifts, extending Once home, I unwind with my wife and a cup of more memorable learning expe- a stronger sense of empathy step of the process. Learning to
from seven in the coffee. I never bring work home. We love our time riences. and are more open-minded in communicate in a group, even
morning to 10pm. together and we try to make the most of it. Children at SIA work in their approach to learning. They if it takes a great deal of teach-
Since I’m the only groups; they often come up also learn different ways to do er scaffolding in early years,
interventional Are you on call outside the office? with ideas that they would not things that can benefit them means that children can grow
radiologist in the Being the sole interventional radiologist in the imagine on their own. Facilitat- in future collaborative environ- to be thoughtful, flexible, confi-
hospital I work hospital means that I’m on call every evening, ed by teachers, even very young ments. In the classroom, chil- dent collaborators.
from 8am to 4pm. which can at times get a little tiresome. But then, children can brainstorm ideas dren who work collaboratively Lastly, beyond the benefits
These are the official it’s all part of the job. and then build sophisticated learn early on that there are of these skills, collaboration is
working hours, projects around a central con- many ways to learn and that usually a spirited exercise. Forty
What’s you advice to someone considering a cept. They use the ideas of oth- everyone has areas of strength. years of research has shown us
career in radiology? er students to inspire their own Working with others builds that when children are having
Go for a structured course at a premier institu- thinking, and they problem- their sense of self and makes fun, they engage more actively
tion. Your aim should be to build a solid foundation solve together. When children them more compassionate to- with the task at hand, and they
of fundamental radiological principles. You will be are working together towards wards others. remember the experience. So-
challenged constantly throughout your career as a common goal rather than As students move through cial interactions motivate chil-
a radiologist by highly accomplished colleagues in competing against one another, school, it becomes increasingly dren, and motivated children
all other specialties, and if you wish to contribute they see themselves as part of important that they become learn better. While we cannot
significantly to patient care you’ll need to possess a a group and have a better sense strong communicators, both in predict the future, we know
deep understanding of radiological fundamentals. of community. writing and in speaking. Collab- that a collaborative future is a
When we see schools, com- oration helps them develop this bright one. And that is what we
panies and other institutions skill early on. Children have to want for SIA students.

INDIAN EDUCATION 5




MORE DEMAND FOR




INDIAN COLLEGES IN DUBAI






Premier institutions many of its students from India
such as the as well as from the region.
The institute’s graduates se-
Indian Institute cure not only great internships
of Management in the Dubai offices of engineer-
ing companies such as Siemens,
Ahmedabad are but also end up doing their Mas-
seeking to set up ter’s programme from top US
schools such as Cornell, Purdue
base in the Emirate and Carnegie Mellon.
to meet growing FLYING THE NEST
For many Indian parents liv-
need ing in Dubai it is always satis-
fying to see their children close
SPECIAL TO EDUCATION NOW! at hand rather than send them
overseas at a young impression-
able age. Sometimes sending
t the World Gov-
them back to India is also not an
A ernment Summit option as many are unable to ad-
in Dubai earlier
just to cultural changes having
this year, The In-
the fee structure in the Indian
dian Institute of grown up internationally. Also,
Management, Ahmedabad, an- engineering colleges in Dubai is
nounced its plans to make a also much less than the US and
global debut, having signed an UK and most of all, it is the joy
agreement with the UAE-based of seeing children mature in a
BRS Ventures to set up its over- vibrant cosmopolitan city before
seas extension centre in Dubai. Gulf News Archives they fly the nest altogether. Like
The IIMA Dubai centre will be- BITS Pilani, Dubai is among a select list of premier Indian institutions to have set up base in the Emirate BITS Pilani, the Manipal Univer-
gin with an executive education sity, one of the largest private
programme and will include nipal University of Dubai, the corporations, the chairman of colleges prove to be a natural business organisations in other universities in India, has a pres-
both open learning as well as BITS, Pilani Dubai, Amity Uni- BRS Ventures, BR Shetty said choice as they provide a highly bigger economies such as the ence in the UAE since 2000. The
customised training. With this versity, the Pune University in the Indian management school’s supportive system of learning US, UK or Asia. institute is a pioneer in providing
partnership the IIMA becomes RAK or the XLRI Jamshedpur, extension centre in Dubai would and give them the opportunity For many Indian students liv- a PhD programme in biotechnol-
the latest addition to the grow- are preferred places to educate benefit the UAE’s economy, ex- to achieve their best academic ing in Dubai as well as for Indian ogy and houses an automobile
ing list of Indian higher educa- their child as they provide the ecutive skills and public policies. performance across a range of students in India it is often a huge lab sponsored by Arabian Auto-
tion institutions that have their right mix of cultural values and In the past the UAE-based Allied subjects such as engineering, challenge getting an engineer- mobiles and a research lab spon-
presence in the UAE. competitive edge for their chil- Institute of Management Studies management, science and infor- ing or medical seat in India as sored by Dubai Equine Hospital.
The UAE is home to more than dren. has also partnered with XLRI mation technology. there is huge competition among Be it research, hands-on train-
2.5 million Indians and there is a Jamshedpur to develop manage- Graduates of Indian higher students. In such cases many ing, a perfect academic environ-
great demand for Indian colleges DEVELOPING SKILL rial skills of Emiratis in line with education institutes also gain opt for campuses outside India. ment, and a good mix of theory
and universities that have set up SETS the UAE government’s Emirati- recognition and respect inter- The Dubai campus of the Birla and practice, Indian higher
their branches and campuses in While the IIMA’s executive sation programme. nationally and many students Institute of Technology and Sci- education institutes in the UAE
the UAE. For most Indian par- programmes are already high For most Indian children have gone on to become heads of ence (BITS) Pilani, a prestigious have always paved the path
ents, institutes such as the Ma- in demand across industries and growing up in the UAE, these several financial, scientific and Indian engineering college, has to excellence. n



ADVERTISER’S CONTENT


BITS PILANI DUBAI CAMPUS
Creating leaders in the field of technology


ITS Pilani, Dubai is the been recognised as the largest Campus, is a high-tech smart tion Centre caters to the entre-
branch campus of the in- student branch of IEEE in the centre of education. A Cisco preneurial spirit of its students,
Bternationally reputed Birla UAE. A testimony of excellent telepresence conference room which has led to the success
Institute of Technology and co-curricular activities is the and classroom, which has state- stories of several BITS students
Science, Pilani, India, a univer- creation of highly successful ro- of-the-art high-definition video winning business idea competi-
sity ranked among the top 200 botics teams, IFOR and IORTA, conferencing facilities compris- tions, creating start-up compa-
in the QS University Rankings and automotive research teams, ing large multiscreen displays nies and becoming successful
Asia 2018. It is the top private Gear Shifters and Formula 6 and high-fidelity multichan- entrepreneurs.
engineering institute in India Racing by the students who nel sound system, facilitates The graduates of BITS Pilani,
and among the pioneering in- have won laurels competing in- use of knowledge, skills and Dubai Campus are placed in
stitutions in Dubai, successfully ternationally. instructional expertise of the blue-chip organisations around
serving the student community With a highly impressive cam- faculty and professionals from the world and are living tes-
in the UAE and from other coun- pus comprising multiple aca- other universities and industries timony of high standards of
tries since 2000. demic blocks, separate hostels across the globe. teaching. Several meritorious
The Dubai Campus offers for men and women, an excel- A Creative Lab has been set students have won scholarships
bachelor’s, master’s and doc- lent sports facility, more than 30 up for encouraging students to for higher studies and secured
toral programmes in engineer- modern scientific and engineer- realise their innovative ideas admissions in universities such
ing and technology. Dedicated ing laboratories, smart class- with 24x7 working opportunity. as Stanford, Cornell, Harvard
to engineering education, BITS rooms, etc., BITS Pilani, Dubai The Entrepreneurship Incuba- and MIT.
Pilani is one of the largest edu-
cational institutions in Dubai In-
ternational Academic City. It has
achieved prominence among the
region’s educational institutions
by adapting itself to the diverse
milieu, the use of technology
and modern facilities.
Students enrolled at BITS
Pilani also have a unique ad-
vantage of undergoing a seven-
month internship programme
(practice school) in companies
as part of a schedule, providing
a great opportunity for them
to get hands-on experience
and real-life professional ex-
posure, helping them in a
smooth transition from the
classroom environment to the
professional world.
The institute has linkages to
more than 300 reputed indus-
tries in the UAE and India to of-
fer internship to students.
The institute has student
chapters of international pro-
fessional bodies such as IEEE,
ASME, ACM, SAE, ASHRAE,
DotNet and LUG. The IEEE Stu-
dent Branch at the campus has The mechanical engineering lab at BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

6 ENTREPRENEURSHIP




HOW CAN WE MAKE


INCUBATORS MORE EFFECTIVE?





While good incubators need to compete and find their place under the sun, there is a need for fresher concepts in the sector as well



versities lack connectivity even to their own
academic resources. Relatively few faculty
BY DR TARUN KHANNA are involved, and few students have just be-
gun participating. The incubation underway
is with outsiders seeking to leverage physical
facilities more than anything, and sometimes
niversities are also incubators,
U of ideas. The incubator net- with alumni of the university. Nothing wrong
with these constituents getting a leg-up in
work, to my mind, is part of the
so-called top layer of the pyra-
mid, the layer encompassing their efforts, but it seems that the lack of link-
ages between new ventures on the one hand
activities that we felt would yield short-term and faculty and research on the other is a co-
results (competitions and prizes are part of lossal lost of opportunity.
this layer as well). The university network
is more resilient to reform and change, with PROVIDING INCENTIVES
deep entrenched interests, so it is part of the So, how can we fire up the universities
middle layer where the country’s collective ef- more? This is what will take time, and we’re
forts will take longer to bear fruit. better off acknowledging it and working
on it steadily. Professors should have more
ENCOURAGE NEW MODELS incentives to collaborate with would-be
Let’s take incubators first. As in any new entrepreneurs. Students should receive credit
industry, there has been excess entry in in- in their coursework to give them the appropri-
cubation as well, that is, there are too many ate nudge in that direction. Since professors
incubators while we figure out which models do not usually have adequate experience,
work, which management teams (who run the university should actively recruit men-
incubators) are able to do so well, and so on. tors from the industry to work in the incuba-
They are competing now, and should do so tors, perhaps in the evenings or weekends, or
vigorously. Importantly, the ones that don’t on a project basis. Including such mentors
make it should not be propped up by implicit in this way will ultimately allow corporates
or explicit subsidies from the government, nor to become part of the incubation ecosystem
by automatic budgetary outlays that are not as well.
predicated on performance. The experiences iStock I’m sure the particular contours of what will
of the non-performers will be keenly watched pioneering an approach to curating ventures is kept out, I’m confident that incubation in In- work will vary widely from place to place. But
by the survivors, and the latter will improve. rather than waiting for teams to come to us dia will come of age very shortly. it’s not encouraging that the efforts at many
Meanwhile, we should continue to expect and with theirs. For example, in healthcare we re- incubators so far seem to me, perhaps a bit
encourage new entry as newer models of in- cently had doctors, scientists, medical device NEED FOR PARTICIPATION unfairly, to be all about sourcing some money
cubation are brought in. This continued entry professionals, caregivers, regulators, financi- Incubators in India are inadequately con- from the government and then documenting
and exit is a sign of dynamism at this stage. ers, and academics brainstorming concrete nected. First, they should be connected with how it got spent, with relatively little attention
I have much experience with incubators, ideas that we will then fund to get started. each other, at least loosely, so as to share on knowledge creation and deployment.
both by researching these in different coun- The point is that ours is just one concrete ef- ideas. This is a bit of soft-infrastructure that Anyone who has visited Bengaluru lately
tries — Chile, Colombia, Singapore and the fort. Let the market and society judge whether our committee would have looked favourably and contrasted it with what was going on
US, among others — as a member of the Har- our effort works. Ditto for others’ efforts. Of on as it can augment the results of any single there a decade ago, will agree that, when it
vard-MIT academic complex, which is swarm- course, part of the Darwinian process I’m ad- productive experiment. Yet, currently, each in- comes to incubation, entrepreneurship and
ing with world-class incubators, and as a co- vocating here is a shift of resources to the bet- cubator has exiled itself to its own silo. knowledge creation, we’re on the cusp of
founder of one in Bengaluru myself, Axilor. It’s ter managed incubators that show glimmers The other obvious connection is to proxi- something very exciting.
a riveting and fun experience to be in an incu- of success, as well to the newer experiments, mate sources of knowledge, the local univer- — The writer is a professor at
bator, infused with energy from youth cascad- away from those that haven’t worked out. As sities. I have been surprised that even the Harvard Business School and Director at the
ing in with new ideas daily. At Axilor we are long as the interventionist impulse of the state incubators launched within India’s best uni- South Asia Institute

EXPLORING athletes, sports enthusiasts and anyone with a pas-
sion for sports as a foundation for a career in sports
management.
“It is incredibly rewarding to see students grab a
UNCONVENTIONAL hold of their careers to develop, learn and grow, and
make choices that will make a positive contribution
not only in their lives but also those around them,”
says Alan Gordon, Honorary Chairman of EMDI.
CAREER PATHS “At EMDI we continually see this development take
place, as eager students bloom through the year’s
course, to eventually enter into the real marketing
world, hopefully armed with the tools they need to
succeed. The media and communication landscape
is an ever-changing scene, and students benefit
The EMDI Institute of Media & Communication in Dubai specialises in providing professional certified from understanding not only the latest hard techni-
courses in Event Management, Wedding Planning, Media and Sports Management cal skills but also the equally important softer com-
munication insights required to positively interact
within their marketplace. This is the reality. One
could say EMDI is learning for the real world.”
orn from a single idea to provide a
B structured framework in the other- NEW PLATFORMS
Jimmy Poon, Founder of Boqin, a sports manage-
wise chaotic world of events, EMDI
Institute of Media & Communication
says, “Matching your passion in any area of sport
found it’s roots in Mumbai, India. ment company operating in the region since 2008,
Travelling to Dubai with a view to with the willingness to educate yourself with the
opening its first international base in Knowledge skills needed to effectively operate in the business of
Park, it continues to be one of the leading institutes sport is crucial for anyone aspiring to break into the
providing dedicated courses in event management, industry. It’s exciting to now see platforms for provid-
wedding planning, advertising, public relations and ing this being developed here in Dubai, essentially a
new media. With time, the importance of fulfilling training programme for the industry, by the industry.
the need to provide professional courses in other As summed up by Arundhati Sen, Deputy General
fields that were still not viewed for mainstream ca- Manager on EMDI’s vision: “Through our current
reers was realised. model, we are consistently focused on providing
Over the past 14 years EMDI has proudly devel- quality content through our industry-led trainers
oped a global alumni base of more than 8,000 profes- who ensure our students are career-ready and have
sionals. In 2009 EMDI was integrated with Greycells the life skills to withstand the stressful, yet fulfilling
Education, a leading vocational education provider environment that they will inevitably be a part of.
across India and a listed entity on the Bombay Stock In an ever changing world, where the lines of how
Exchange, Mumbai (BSE). Catering to a wide range we do things are now blurred, we are seeing a slow
of individuals — be they 18-year-old fresh university trend of parents who tell their children to follow
grads, working professionals, stay-at-home mums, their dreams and take on the unconventional career
entrepreneurs and anyone who had the drive to up- paths of an events planner, journalist, wedding plan-
grade their skills — the classrooms formed a melt- ner or sports professional.
ing pot of varied nationalities, age groups and pro- “We do, however, struggle with a phase of un-
fessional backgrounds. awareness even today among the majority. That
said, what shines through is the single-minded pas-
COURSEWORK Students at the EMDI Institute of Media & Communication are taught by industry experts who get to share their sion of the individuals who want to pursue an un-
Typically ranging from six to ten months in work experiences, technical skills and trending concepts with students in real time conventional career path. Many of them pay their
length, the courses cater to the working profession- own bills, make tons of sacrifices and put in unim-
als. The students are trained by industry experts helps them acquire the critical work experience of year. With global sporting events ruling the events aginable will into being part of our training. They
and not by resident teachers or professors. The implementing classroom learning on the actual turf canvas in the UAE, there is an undeniable growing make the most of the various platforms we provide,
transfer of knowledge is real time as experts share outside the comfort of their classrooms. demand to create sports management profession- whether it is networking with industry experts or
their past and current experience, technical skills Over the past two years EMDI India has been als. The Sports Management programme gives an interacting with clients while working on site. The
and trending concepts, which are proven to be inval- successfully running the Sports Management Pro- insight into the limitless possibilities and provides only one qualification we ask for is their passion.”
uable for students. Completing full courses awards gramme with veteran Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri an international perspective of this $6-billion (Dh22- EMDI Institute of Media and Communication is
them with KHDA and Pearson UK certifications. as its mentor. Now taking the programme globally, billlion) industry worldwide. This course will be a now accepting admissions for the September intake
Students work on live events, intern with agencies EMDI Dubai is geared to launch its Sports Manage- ten-month programme coupled with relevant intern- in 2018. It can be reached on 04 433 2833 or by visiting
and freelancers as part of their training, which also ment programme towards the fourth quarter of this ships and live event work experience. It is ideal for the website www.emdiworld.ae n