Sheikh Hamdan’s college in Dundee: A college that inspires students to aim for the skies

‘Small in size but great in our ambition’ is the slogan that aptly sums up the Al Maktoum Faculty of Larger Schooling in Dundee, Scotland.

Funded primarily by the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who was Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, by way of the Al-Maktoum Basis, the faculty is an eye-opener to college students and guests.

I had the privilege of first visiting this wonderful haven for post-graduate training someday throughout the early 2000s. I used to be a visitor on the commencement ceremony of a Summer season batch attended by ladies from across the UAE’s many faculties, Malaysia, Indonesia and Bahrain.

Excessive-quality studying with multicultural perspective

Previously often called the Al-Maktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Research, the faculty was established in 2001, beneath the chairmanship of Mirza Al Sayegh, Director of Sheikh Hamdan’s Workplace and Chancellor Lord Murray Elder, a pleasant character who appears like a personality from the Harry Potter sequence.

Tucked away in a quiet facet of the seaside city of Dundee, the historic school is situated near the Metropolis Centre, Abertay College and the College of Dundee. It could possibly simply be accessed by college students who stay within the neighbouring city, school or guests.

Upon getting into previous its big oak doorways, you arrive on the lobby and reception space and is without delay taken in by its inspiring, stress-free and pleasant atmosphere, one thing that stands it out from different faculties.

One of many first rooms you'll encounter is the massive Sheikh Hamdan studying library, housed subsequent to a visitor room. I noticed a number of college students poring over books and making notes as they learn Islamic and world historical past.

Moreover the library, the faculty supplies the whole lot college students might have throughout their course. I found the Shaikh Maktoum Gardens, IT suite, Scholar Hub and Widespread Room containing a TV, seating, and merchandising machines throughout my tour.

One of many distinctive training options was that the faculty supplied personalised, face-to-face instructing.

There was a lot to love in regards to the place and its atmosphere, and it catapulted me again in time to my college and school days, bringing again great recollections of studying historical past, geography, science or arithmetic.

My host was Faculty Director Dr Abu Bakr Jaber, who wears calmly the difficult position of operating a campus the place a multicultural perspective enriches the high-quality instructing and studying to assist broaden college students’ minds and put together them for a future office.

I noticed ladies from totally different communities and understood that this was a spot that really surpassed background or ethnicity. Its goal was to develop leaders, one thing that was additionally near Sheikh Hamdan’s coronary heart and fuelled his need to put money into selling training to Arab ladies specifically, not simply in Scotland but in addition within the UAE.

The school focuses on training by way of tutorial, technical and customised programmes recognised by the Scottish {Qualifications} Authority (SQA) and the UK High quality Assurance Company (QAA).

Considered one of its principal goals is to construct bridges between western and Muslim communities, which was evident from my tour, the primary of many who I might take pleasure in through the years.

For a constructive change in societies

The school additionally endeavours to develop the following era of pros and students, each from the Emirates and different Muslim nations and whereas partaking with college students from Malaysia, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or Dubai

Whereas interacting with some college students, I found that almost all thought otherwise and have been working in direction of a constructive change inside their societies and communities.

Since its founding in 2001, the faculty has seen college students from over 30 totally different nationalities graduate by way of its stylised and up to date programs, which provide Larger Nationwide Certificates and Diploma (HNC/D) {qualifications}.

Moreover, the faculty is in partnership with the College of Dundee in launching Scotland’s first Grasp’s diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance throughout the 2019/20 tutorial 12 months.

Small in dimension however nice in our ambition — is certainly the essence of the Al Maktoum Faculty for Larger Schooling in Scotland.

Lengthy could it stay.

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