Dubai

Canadian University Opens First Full-Time Office In Dubai

The University of New Brunswick (UNB) has opened a full-time representative office in Dubai. This office handles inquiries and applications from students in the Gulf wishing to apply to UNB.

Canadian Consul Chris Thornley remarked that the university’s e-commerce program, recognized as having one of the most business-centric approaches in the emerging field, is of particular interest in Dubai, which is aspiring to become the information technology hub of the region.

— Gulf News
March 4, 2001

Israel

University Presidents Threaten Shutdown over Budget Cuts

University presidents throughout Israel declared that the fall semester would not begin if the government proceeded with its $50-million cut (4 percent) in the higher-education budget, as proposed by Silvan Shalom, the finance minister. The cut has been justified as a necessary part of the overall budget reduction that would enable the government to remain within spending goals while increasing the defense budget to pay for the costs of the current conflict with the Palestinians.

University presidents consider it a violation of the government’s earlier promise to compensate the universities for the shortfall they will suffer this year from lower tuition rates, which were cut in half by former prime minister Ehud Barak.

— The Chronicle of Higher Education
June 11, 2001

Kuwait

Better Education Facilities for Kuwaitis

The chairman of the Kuwait Establishment for Educational Services Company recently announced plans to found a new university in Kuwait. The institution, to be called the Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST), will link up with the University of Missouri, St Louis, already affiliated with a university in the Sultanate of Oman, to develop an American-style curriculum.
Once the Ministry of Higher Education sets a start date, GUST will launch its four-year bachelor-degree program in business administration. Additional courses will be offered to meet the technology and management needs of the labor market. Students will be required to complete part of their coursework in Kuwait, but will be give the option of finishing up in Missouri, or transferring to any other American University. An initial two-year program in business administration will precede the four-year bachelor’s program. An MBA program will also be offered online.

The language of instruction will be English and GUST will offer preparatory, pre-university studies, focusing on English, mathematics and computers. The university will be open to all nationalities, but it will follow government rules and regulations, such as complying with the male/female segregation laws.
GUST is an independent private university. Government institutions fund 30 percent of GUST, and the rest comes from the private sector.

— FKUW
June 12, 2001