DUBAI: Half of all students on business programmes

Dubai's education bouquet just got bigger with 112 new programmes introduced by higher education institutes in 2009-2010. Business-related courses are again a big draw, enrolling half of all students in higher education, writes Afshan Ahmed for the Khaleej Times.

According to figures from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, of the 38,098 students studying in 53 higher education institutes in the emirate, 18,989 are enrolled in business, management and marketing programmes. The next most popular choices are courses in society, religion and law, taking in 5,819 students in 2009. Agriculture and natural and physical science enrol only 0.1% or 197 students.

Dr Jihad Nader, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at the American University of Dubai, which has registered 14 new programmes since September, said that though the academic scene is maturing with diversified offerings by universities, students' needs are still market driven. "Dubai is a financial centre, and in this day and age, everything is a business," Dr Nader says.
Full report on the Khaleej Times site