The impact of state funded higher education on neighbourhood and community in the United Arab Emirates

This paper focuses on the provision of higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the issues surrounding strategies employed by institutions to prepare tertiary level students for careers in the global economy. Dramatic growth and development in the Arabian Gulf region over the past two decades has made fundamental changes in the education system necessary. There has been a shift in focus from more traditional education and delivery methods, to contemporary approaches to support student learning with the emphasis on preparing students for careers in the knowledge economy. These changes in higher education, and its widespread provision, have impacted on the UAE and its economy in particular. This paper reviews the provision of higher education, its role in the rapidly developing society and economy of the UAE, and how the community is contributing to and benefiting from emerging partnerships.