UAE Digest March 09

March 2009 DH 5
ENTERPRISE
Spotting an opportunity
SPORTS
Living the dream
FOCUS
Intercultural living
AUTOS
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Pg 1-6 Content-Staff-fineprint.indd 2 3/12/09 2:02:54‭ ‬PM

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Contents
22
On the Cover
Dubai International
Academic City (DIAC) is
contained within Dubai
Academic City (DAC).
DIAC is the free zone for
tertiary institutes. Primary,
secondary and K-12 schools
are part of DAC but not
DIAC.
12
10 Intercultural
Spotting an awareness
Just like onions can make eyes water, trees block a path
opportunity and icebergs rip ships apart, cultural misunderstandings
Dubai-based journalist and author Peter Cooper - the can make life a lot harder than it needs to be. Knowledge
success story behind AME Info –recalls his days of about your own and other cultures can help withstand
struggle and excitement in the fledgling website, before some of the challenges in a multicultural environment.
selling it off to become a multimillionaire.
52
14
Driving dreams
“These guys never thought they’d experience this. To race
Where there’s a Will there’s a way was a dream. It’s life changing for some of them.” They
find their way to the racetracks to wrench the kickback
Every adult irrespective of nationality or religion should into their lives; the excitement of the extraordinary, the
make a Will and review it regularly. gut-wrenching…
4 UAE Digest, March 2009
Pg 1-6 Content-Staff-fineprint.indd 4 3/10/09 12:39:01‭ ‬PM

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The blurring line between
ambition and greed
A
mbition plays no small part in man’s it or leave it’. The end user seemed to be
quest to better himself. All great nobody’s concern.
achievers have been highly ambi- Who couldn’t have seen the result of all
tious and conversely anyone not fired this, other than the foolhardy? A roundtable
by ambition can hardly be expected to excel of local experts in Dubai recently saw full
in anything. Yet unbridled ambition is a man’s expression of the disenchantment. It was
biggest enemy and can cause his undoing. quite unlike the usual gatherings, where
Because the line that separates ambition and one is used to hearing hyperboles and
greed is so thin that one can easily take the hoopla more than anything else.
form of the other, unless there is constant vigil. The discussion, centering on how to
When that happens, you don’t need to look for By K Raveendran maintain Dubai’s pole position in the wake
disaster anywhere else. of the current economic crisis, was led by
If you want to be the richest person in the Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim,
world, you must at least be rich. A rich man seeking Chief of Dubai Police. He underlined the need to rede-
to become super-rich is understandable, but a person fine the concept of luxury and prosperity. Luxury and
with no means whatsoever aspiring to achieve that feat prosperity are not about setting high rents and having
overnight is simply outrageous. The crisis that we are individuals suffering to maintain their basic needs, he
facing today has been the result of such savage tenden- was quoted as saying. “It’s about maintaining economic
cies. and social stability for the entire segments.”
As the academics get on with their task of tracing Shaikh Khalid Bin Zayed Bin Saqr Al Nahyan,
the genesis of the current global crisis to a problem Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Dubai
with the sub-prime credit market, the penchant for Economic Council, highlighted the need for a balance
consuming more than what was being produced and between services offered and costs and noted that the
owned, deficit financing and what not, there is a con- most affected people were those with low incomes and
sensus emerging that the crisis is the result of a whole this sector required support and attention.
generation being overcome with greed. “Prosperity and luxury have its costs and we have
There is no land, country or continent that is above been affected by greed,” said Sami Al Qamzi, Director-
blame in this abominable attitude; every one of us General of the Department of Economic Development
is responsible to some extent. We have been living (DED). He suggested there was need to reduce the
beyond our means, making money out of nothing, cost of doing business and maintain and stimulate job
building up assets that didn’t belong to us and trad- positions.
ing them off, abusing our position to derive maximum Marwan bin Ghalita, CEO of Real Estate Regulatory
benefit to ourselves, without a moment’s thought on Agency, said there was a limit to the extent to which a
what it would mean to posterity and finally creating all market can flourish. “You know if it exceeds this limit
this mess around us. the market will decline. The significant variation in
Take the case of the frenzy in the Dubai prop- real estate costs is not within the appropriate economic
erty sector this time last year. Developers with little equations,” he pointed out.
financial backing on their own were entering the fray Marwan stressed that the Dubai market was mainly
with grandiose schemes because they could sense focused into serving the needs of the rich and business
money floating around. Margin traders, masquerading classes, with more than 59 per cent of hotels in Dubai
as investors, were making a killing, trading off paper classified as five stars, having one of the highest profit
that supposedly represented properties waiting to be rates globally. “The cost of cars, housing, and rents
built; shopkeepers hiked prices on the most flimsy does not meet the living standards of the different
grounds, landlords fleeced tenants with no concern for segments of the society,” he argued, but noted that the
their ability to pay; and service providers, whether in global economic crisis will provide the opportunity to
the private sector or public, had not the least hesitation correct these aberrations.
to jack up rates because the order of the day was ‘take
Pg 1-6 Content-Staff-fineprint.indd 6 3/12/09 10:45:39‭ ‬AM

IN THE NEWS
hours on Sundays by three hours, (from 10am to 5pm).
Starting from March 27, the exchange will no longer trade
on Fridays. As a result, the trading hours of the exchange
will be 10am to 5pm from Sunday to Thursday inclusive.
These changes will enable Nasdaq Dubai to focus on
a full five-day trading week, like other international
and regional exchanges. The new opening times have
been designed to meet the needs of investors and
other participants in Nasdaq Dubai’s market, as an
exchange located in the Middle East.
The tanker being towed to Jebel Ali port RTA rejuvenates Salik portal
The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled an
Steps taken to protect enhanced version of the Toll Gate Portal (www.salik.ae)
marine environment
in a stylish design offering e-services in a smooth manner
with easily accessible information and a roadmap of toll
D
ubai Municipality has taken all necessary gates.
measures to protect the emirate’s marine It has a bilingual Front Page (Arabic and English) and
environment following a collision between a box to display the latest and key information, events
a container vessel and a gasoline tanker, and news of the system in the form of links, where
five miles off the Jebel Ali coast last month. The tanker users can toggle between them to access the required
contained light fuels which did not pose major hazards information or surf the news archive.
and the situation was brought under control immediately The website provides a host of modern services
by the authorities. This type of fuel evaporates very through several commands in the Mead Menu, including
fast and the smell and vapour from it was felt only in a Roadmap of the Toll Gates. This service enables surfers
the nearby areas or those in the direction of the wind. to know the locations of the toll gate system (Salik) in
It did not cause any notable damage to the marine high definition coloured charts with legends (explanatory
environment. symbols). Visitors can also inquire about infraction
A team of marine officers, inspectors, and monitors photos; a service enabling users to inquire about
from the Environment Department of the municipality Salik offences, review them and even get
was dispatched to the site immediately after the photo printouts.
accident to take stock of the situation. Dubai has The
formed specialised teams and task forces to deal with redesigned
marine accidents, comprising representatives from all website
government agencies concerned. Every one of them is enables
responsible for acting under its own jurisdictions. clients to
have direct
Last year’s tariffs this year registration
and
Marine terminal operator DP World’s UAE Region will subscription
maintain 2008 tariff rates this year at its flagship Jebel Ali to the system.
Port. It also reverts to providing 10 days free storage time Clients holding
for all local importers with effect from March 1. a Salik tag
Mohammed Al Muallem, Senior Vice President and can open a
Managing Director, DP World’s UAE Region, said: “We new account in
have listened to our customers, who are being impacted the system and
by the global economic slowdown, then made our add tags of new
decisions. This will give them a measure of relief as they vehicles to the
plan for the year.” account through
following few and
Nasdaq opening times easy steps to open
and activate
Nasdaq Dubai has announced amendments to its the account. The
opening times, after consultation with its members account could also be topped up, upon signing up to the
and other participants in its personal account, through several payment options such
market. Starting on March 22, the as credit cards, e-dirham or direct debit from the bank
exchange will extend its trading account in coordination with the Dubai e-Government.
Pg 7-8 In the News.indd 2 3/10/09 2:36:32‭ ‬PM

EVENTS
Giving
Middle East firms
the ride of their lives
Regional businesses to get clear steer from
Balanced Scorecard academics Dr Robert Kaplan and Dr David Norton
F
or Dr David Norton, cycling and Norton, pre- and post-forum timeline on it: 2012. These are
4,500 miles across America sessions, plus invaluable networking achievable and manageable targets.”
is a great way to unwind. opportunities. The two respected The Balanced Scorecard places
This monumental effort of academics will also unveil their latest significant emphasis upon effective
strength, stamina and willpower may book, The Execution Premium, leadership, a skill that is imperative
seem a tad energetic for most senior which demonstrates how the in today’s tough conditions. “The
executives set to attend ‘Balanced Balanced Scorecard is successfully leader has to have a sense of where
Scorecard’ in Dubai this month. But applied. we’re going. That’s a strategy. And
for 77-year old top US management Norton explains that the current that has to be communicated and
scholar Dr Norton, it’s the perfect economic malaise requires a novel inspire people. The leader then has
antidote to the stresses and strains of approach to commercial survival. to provide direction and motivate
commercial life. He says: “Instead of asking: ‘What people and provide a framework for
Hot on the heels of their strategy do I need to survive?’ you feedback.”
successful sold-out show last year, need to reverse the question. It Kaplan and Norton are set
Dr Norton and his professorial should be ‘How do I mobilise people to address high-level executives
colleague Dr Robert Kaplan aim in the current situation?’” between March 28 and April 2 at the
to provide hard-hitting advice and Norton argues that companies JW Marriott Hotel, Dubai. They will
recommendations to local businesses need a strategy all the time - be joined by leading executives from
anxious about the effects of the irrespective of the current economic well-established and industry-leading
spiralling economy. situation - and that strategies must regional business powerhouses
Using compelling examples from alter and adapt according to changing including AW Rostamani Group,
local and regional enterprises such as conditions. “You need to tell people Emirates Identity Authority, the
DEWA, the Abu Dhabi Government, what your strategy is and how to Electricity and Water Authority,
King Fahad Specialist Hospital and exceed it. That is definitely more Bahrain, Petroleum Development
Qtel, the engaging academics will important in the current conditions. Oman, Qtel and Tamweel.
show that applying their globally- Look at the US airline industry after International companies featured
respected management tool to 9/11 - some came out of the crisis include Australia-based management
corporate processes and procedures much, much stronger than they were consultancy Claritas and Addima
is the best recipe for galvanising before it. You need to know what it is Consulting of Lebanon.
businesses in the current crisis. you are trying to do.” Real life stories from the Balanced
The two respected professors will But a strategy is ineffectual unless Scorecard Hall of Fame will be
argue during their five-day forum that it is clearly defined. As Norton showcased along with the critical
satisfying stakeholder expectations elaborates: “There often is a gap role top management has to play
has become critical in a region where between where we are and where in the successful implementation of
prices for oil, real estate, commodities we want to be. For instance, the Balanced Scorecard.
and financial services have University of Leeds in UK aspired to The forum, www.
plummeted and securing meaningful be ‘one of the best’. But what does leaderspresents.com/bsc is
profit becomes ever more elusive. this mean? For them it meant being running in collaboration with
Using a combination of one of the top 50 universities in the Palladium and is sponsored by
workshops and forums, Balanced world in research and educational Addima Consulting, Microsoft,
Scorecard Forum 2009 will feature experience. They defined a niche. Iycon, QPR and Logic Management
live presentations from Kaplan Qualified their vision and put a Consulting.
UAE Digest, March 2009 9
Pg 9-Events-BSC.indd 1 3/12/09 10:47:37‭ ‬AM

ENTERPRISE
Spotting
an opportunity
Dubai-based journalist Peter Cooper - the success story behind AME Info –
while talking to Vanit Sethi, recalls his days of struggle and excitement in
the fledgling website, before selling it off to become a multimillionaire
While making no bones

about the fact that
his employers helped
him unintentionally
by firing him, he also
admits he sometimes
was too optimistic
about the success of a
new venture
Peter Cooper
S
tarting a new venture is Cooper has been on his own
always a very trying task, since he sold AME Info in 2006 and
depressing at times and is looking for a new business idea to
exhilarating at others, but take shape. With spare time on his
never without challenges and hands amid the market scenario not
opportunities. In a growing city too good in Dubai now, Cooper is
like Dubai, there can never surprisingly cheerful but stoic and
be a single dull moment in a unassuming at the same time. He
startup. And so it was with talks about his book, AME Info, and
Peter Cooper, a Dubai-based Dubai with a strong passion that
journalist who launched saw him through tough times earlier.
AME Info – a financial Starting off his journalistic career
news website that focused in Dubai as a launch editor with
on opportunities in the Motivate’s Gulf Business after being
Gulf market. His book made redundant in London by
Opportunity Dubai hit Emap plc, Cooper returned briefly
the UAE bookstores early to London in 1999 to complete
last month. his first book, a history of the
Pg 10-11Enterprise.indd 2 3/12/09 10:49:08‭ ‬AM

ENTERPRISE
Bovis Construction Group. Coming

back to Dubai in 2000 (“the lure of
Dubai was too great”) to become
an internet entrepreneur just as the
dotcom boom at the fag end of last Working in AME Info had not been all
century collapsed, Peter has had
his fair share of ‘troubled times’. work and no play. Peter did take his
Ironically, it was the hard times
that led him on to greater success
summer vacations in different countries,
in his ventures. As he states in the especially to Russia and the UK
‘Acknowledgements’: “Of course, I
would never have moved to Dubai
in 1996 without first being made
redundant by Emap plc and then
hired by that publishing dynamo
Ian Fairservice (Managing Partner of capitalist came forward to spend on perhaps has to realise when one’s
Motivate Publishing). And I would something few people understood time is up. In the sense, this was
not have joined AME Info and in those days. But Peter was helped time for a bigger player to take over.
benefited from the sale back to Emap by Dubai government and the We brought it to this stage. Now, it
plc if I had not been fired by Ian.” leadership’s push to encourage was time to make an exit.” And who
While making no bones about entrepreneurship through the setting wouldn’t like to make such an exit –
the fact that his employers helped up of free zones. “Actually, it was with wads of cash in your pocket for
him unintentionally by firing him, he good in a way we didn’t get pots of the next holiday around the world.
also admits he sometimes was too money from a VC to set up our site, However, working in AME Info
optimistic about the success of a new because most startups squandered had not been all work and no play.
venture. By his own calculations, their money in lavish buildups and Peter did take his summer vacations
AME Info should have been raking very little work was getting done.” in different countries, especially to
in the moolah after its “first difficult Lack of funds meant they had to Russia (his wife Svetlana is from St
year”, but it actually took four long generate their own resources and Petersburg) and the UK (where he
years before Peter and his business look for innovative ideas to sell the comes from), while he worked on the
partners Klaus Lovgreen and Lars site. But Dubai was growing, its site, filing fresh reports from abroad.
Nielsen were able to breathe a little property market was booming and Curiously, the idea of starting a
easy. During that time, Peter had people were hungry for information website too emerged from a holiday
to keep himself strongly motivated that would help them ride the tide. in Australia when he spotted a news
to see his dreams come true. That AME Info started special reports item mentioning a dotcom firm being
meant being up in front of a monitor and columns on various topics like sold for $50 million.
at 7.30 in the morning in his pajamas. property, finances, banking, industry From one holiday to another with
Of course, one of the advantages focus and economic outlook of plenty of work in between – it has
of the internet was that you did not various Gulf countries. not been a bad deal for the modest
have to work from an office after In 2006, when the time was ripe, journalist turned millionaire. After
spending the good part of the day Peter Cooper - along with Klaus all, he met his life partner during
travelling. and Lars - sold off AME Info to those years.
Peter recalls the joys as well as Emap for a neat sum of $27 million, Now, he is busy freelancing and
the frustration of the earlier years leaving him a multimillionaire. It writing “whenever the opportunity
of AME Info throughout his book. was strange irony or sweet revenge arises” and offering financial
When I asked him if there were that the wheel had come full circle information and advice on his blog
times when he felt like giving it all from 1996 when Cooper was sacked www.arabianmoney.net. Besides,
up and going back to a regular job, from Emap. A roller coaster ten-year he is planning another book, which
he replied that the question did ride that saw AME Info and Cooper’s should be out by the year-end, if all
not arise, as there was no going dreams bloom along with Dubai’s goes well.
back. He had decided to make a boom time. The current recession has
success of AME Info and he was What did it feel like selling off constrained his plans for a new
not going to quit in losses having something that you’ve given birth to business venture, but he is certainly
spent so much time and energy on and grown along with? In his book, not resting on his oars. His never-
the financial portal. Incidentally, Peter mentions about the emotional say-die spirit seems to pull him
he had to borrow money from a bonding with his ‘baby’, so to say, through any downturn. Whoever said
bank and invest some of his savings but all the same he is quite matter- “tough times never last, tough people
into the website, as no venture of-fact and practical about it. “One do” could not have been more right!
March 2009, UAE Digest 11
Pg 10-11Enterprise.indd 3 3/11/09 10:30:23‭ ‬AM

IN FOCUS
Intercultural
By Helena Axelson Fisk
awareness
There are many ways to describe culture: Culture is:
• What we believe in: (world views, values, ethics
and morals)
as an onion, ever-changing tree or an ice-berg; • The way we do what we do: (how and what we
its biggest part unseen. eat; how we organise and perform the necessary
tasks in society; when and where we sleep; how,
when and with whom we socialise; how we form
family units; how and where we give birth; how
we pay our final respects to someone; how we
view and manage time, and so on)
• How we communicate: how our mother-tongue
has framed our mind and how we speak (volume,
gestures, eye contact, conversational pacing,
degree of directness, markers of distance/respect
and so on.)
And just like onions can make country and a different language. create a better whole for everyone,
eyes water, trees block a path and Culture shock is an identity including business.
icebergs rip ships apart, cultural crisis. Knowledge, beliefs, opinions, Here’s a short list of how to go about
misunderstandings can make life communication styles and even it:
a lot harder than it needs to be. emotions are suddenly questioned 1. Learning about yourself:
Knowledge about your own and or even frowned upon. After the Culture is like water to a fish; we’re
other cultures can help withstand brief honeymoon period, when so used to it that we don’t reflect
some of the challenges in a everything seems fresh and new on it and can’t describe it. Learning
multicultural environment. and exciting, the challenges of why you feel and react the way you
Most of us live interculturally, everyday life begin to surface and do makes it easier to be flexible and
one way or the other. Tourists travel; comparisons are made with ‘back understanding. Read travel guides,
expats, emigrants and immigrants home’, where people knew what articles, anthropologies and studies
move from one country to another; they had to do and how to do it. about your country and culture.
corporations go global; and satellite Unless and until the traveller learns You’ll be amazed!
dishes give us access to far away to cope, understand and appreciate
places with far-off values. And his or her new surrounding, s/ 2. Learning about others:
every time we encounter something he will struggle. For married Reading is a good way to start,
new, we interpret and evaluate it employees, the culture shock is asking questions is another, and
according to our worldview filter and amplified by the number of family mimicking is the most profound.
values. members. In the volatile Gulf labour 3. Realising why certain
Culture shock is a natural reaction market, companies often have to behaviours make you feel one
to a strange environment. There take care of employees in different way or the other:
is culture shock the first day of stages of this shock. A buddy system You might find that you have
school or on a new job; when can help ease the transition, as well a hard time trusting or liking
moving between towns in the same as intercultural training. someone who comes late to your
country or when holidaying with Living interculturally can meetings. Realising that punctuality
the partner’s family for the first time. also be making the best of all equals reliability and respect in
But the reaction is sharper and may worlds; picking and choosing and your culture, but not necessarily
last longer when moving to a foreign synthesising from everywhere, to in others, you can override your
Pg 12-13 In Focus-Intercultural.indd 2 3/10/09 11:16:18‭ ‬AM

IN FOCUS
initial reaction (distrust, feeling have them do unto you,” has long fewer circles when addressing each
disrespected) and judge her on what been discarded by experts and other, but both values exhibited,
s/he does rather on when s/he replaced with the Platinum Rule: i.e. politeness and honesty, are
appears. “Treat others as they want to be important.
4. Learning to be flexible treated, regardless of what you Cultures differ with regards to
Few behaviours in the professional would prefer for yourself.” This is not time-focus; past, present or the
culture will directly conflict with easy to do in a place like the UAE future, deadline-flexibility and
our innermost values, so there is in which representatives from more whether it teaches multi- or single-
plenty of room for flexibility. The than two hundred countries reside, tasking. People who are time-flexible
more behaviours you have at your and no clear majority culture exists. are often grounded in cultures
disposal, the more efficient you will To further complicate matters, with long memories. They know
be in an intercultural environment. the common language of English that today is just one of the many
is neither the Queen’s nor the possible days for action. Present- and
5. Finding principles that everyone President’s. Native English speakers future oriented, on the other hand,
can agree on: must learn to speak international perceive time as a limited resource,
Knowing that reliability, trust and English if they want to be something that must be used to the
respect, for instance, are equally understood; using less dialect, maximum in order to succeed.
important in all cultures but humour, expressions and historical/ Time-flexible people are often
established and shown in different literary references and an easier good at multi-tasking; they talk on
ways makes it easier to keep an open vocabulary. Non-native English the phone, greet friends, answer
mind and react and behave suitably. speakers must learn to ask for co-workers’ queries all at the same
Different values operate at clarifications. time. Time-stringent people prefer
different levels. A conflict will often Finally, for a little added stress, doing one task at the time: they
illustrate two values that are equally people are coming to and leaving greet someone after they properly
important, but seem to contradict the workplace and the country, concluded the phone call, they ask to
each other. The art is to synthesise experiencing culture shock or get back to their co-workers with the
these two values, spin them into a dealing with detachment, both of correct answer, and they keep very
positive spiral and thereby create a which make it difficult to concentrate tight schedules.
better workplace/company. on the tasks at hand. In egalitarian societies, the ideal
6. Recognising and preparing for What to do: Simply acknowledging is to treat everybody the same way,
different kinds of intercultural that culture matters can be stressful. regardless of name or position.
encounters: Knowing it and accepting it, you can Generally, the more egalitarian it
• To establish a company in a deal with it. Observing and asking is, the less specialised a society is,
different country demands the questions instead of expecting, i.e. any one person can do many
willingness to learn and adapt in anticipating and interpreting, can things and perform many roles,
order to sell. help you avoid disappointments and which saves manpower. Egalitarians
• To properly welcome and frustrations. may come across as sloppy dressers
introduce a team member with a Different communication styles without manners, using first names
different cultural background into embody different values. The without hesitation and showing little
a majority culture-team demands politeness indicated in discreet insight in how to address whom.
knowledge about both. speech (a flowery speech where In-egalitarians might be perceived
• To move between majority a differing opinion is softened by as snobbish and aloof, attaching
cultures requires curiosity, referring to the other person as great weight to dress, accessories
flexibility and a readiness to someone worthy of great respect; and titles, talking to some with great
unlearn and learn anew every few and ‘no’ is always introduced as a deference and to others with seeming
years. ‘yes’ with certain qualifications) is disrespect.
• To successfully run a multinational probably preferred by the individual Reconciliation lies in moderation:
corporation takes finding the speaking that way; and the In a team or a workforce, how
right balance between global straightforwardness indicated by the people are treated can sometimes be
rules and regulation and local direct speech is probably a reflection as important as how much they are
circumstances. of the person using it. paid.
• To live and work in the Gulf, According to the Platinum Rule, Learning to recognise and
with its nebulous multicultural we should try to give people what reconcile cultural differences can
character, demand all of this and they want rather than what we give your intercultural living a
more. want, meaning, in this instance, positive, profound tinge, and make
Challenges in the Gulf The golden that the straight shooter shoots less your company even more attractive
rule is: “Do unto others what you’d straight and the circumspect makes and effective in the market.
Pg 12-13 In Focus-Intercultural.indd 3 3/10/09 2:38:20‭ ‬PM

IN FOCUS
Where there’s a Will

there’s a way
Do I need a Will as an expat? The simple
answer is “Yes”. Every adult irrespective of
nationality or religion should make a Will
and review it regularly. If you have no real
estate property or any sizable amount of
money in a local bank here, you should still
make a Will while living in the UAE.
M
ost employees will receive a sizable
amount of money simply from company
and government payouts upon death.
Your company will end up holding
onshore up to three times your salary when company
life insurance on your individual name pays out. In
addition your company will hold your end of service
gratuity, your last month’s salary and any unspent
holiday pay.
Finally, if the death was caused by another person
unintentionally, or by accident, he or she has to pay
your estate blood money, known locally as diya. This
blood money is to be paid to the victim’s estate as
compensation and the amount is given in accordance
with Sharia.
When you calculate it all up, this money locked
away often runs into many thousands of dirhams
for the majority of well-paid expats, and a property
Pg 14-16 In Focus.indd 2 3/10/09 11:18:42‭ ‬AM

IN FOCUS
drafted Will can help the probate process and secure

the final issue of a Sharia Court Order, which is the final
document required to unfreeze or release funds.
If you have a Will it should be reviewed regularly If the deceased has a partnership
particularly if your circumstances have changed; you may in a company, the account remains
have recently married, had children or divorced. In fact,
it is important to note that marriage invalidates any Will
closed and inaccessible by any
(unless the Will is made in contemplation of the marriage) partner until the deceased is
but divorce does not revoke a Will. severed from the trade license and
If you own real estate in the UAE, the safest way to
ensure it is given to the beneficiaries of your choice and any partnership contract.
not distributed in accordance with Sharia law is to place
the real estate property, known as immovable property,
into an offshore company. Owners of property in certain
European countries will be very familiar with this method applied to your estate should you not have a properly
of asset protection. drafted Will, further complications may arise. Members
For certain nationalities such as Indian citizens, the of your family that you would not have included in
Will must include a full list of real estate properties your Will, may have a legally recognised claim against
owned and their postal addresses in addition to other your estate after your death. If your home country law
liquid assets details. is applied, this may include dependant children not of
The United Arab Emirates is essentially a civil law your own blood or a divorced spouse that still has a
jurisdiction heavily influenced by French, Roman, dependence on your income.
Egyptian and Islamic (Sharia) law. Principles, such as If you die in the UAE your local bank accounts will
adopting previous court judgments as legal precedents, remain active until a death certificate is issued. A notice
are generally not recognised (although judgments will be issued from the Ministry of Health should the
delivered by higher courts are usually applied by lower death be a natural one, or the Ministry of Interior if
courts). in the opinion of the courts, the death has suspicious
If you die without a valid Will, you are said to circumstances. At this point in time, all your local
have died “intestate” and instead of your estate being accounts including joint accounts will be frozen.
distributed as you would like, your property (which If the deceased has a partnership in a company, the
includes real estate, possessions and cash) will be subject account remains closed and inaccessible by any partner
to the law of intestacy of the deceased home country. until the deceased is severed from the trade licence and
If you die without a Will this will apply to your estate any partnership contract.
outside of the UAE; for your estate within the UAE, Sharia It is important to remember that in the case of joint
law may be applied by the local courts. In this case, accounts (husband and wife), the remaining spouse will
your family will probably receive a very different amount be left with no means of financial support unless he/she
under Sharia law. Sharia law favours the males of your has access to offshore accounts. An offshore account held
extended family and lesser shares of your estate are given in both husband and wife’s names can be legally accessed
to the female members. For example, your wife may only after death of one of the account holders by the other.
receive one-eighth of your total estate, while children The deceased’s accounts remain frozen until further
receive one-sixth of the share. notice is received from the courts. The accounts can only
Sharia law also requires that for every share received be opened by a Sharia court order allowing the heirs
by a daughter, a son receives twice the amount. In to withdraw money or a representative with a power
addition, should Sharia law be applied to your estate, as of attorney from the heirs after the deceased person’s
the males of your family are favoured more, the females debts are paid. Having a Will prepared before you die
may find that certain males within your extended family will ensure that the local courts are informed of your
will receive more of your estate than your wife. beneficiaries and your executors.
Apart from the problems related to which law will be Your executors are your appointed representatives
to administer the instructions and wishes of your will.
They are often given power of attorney to administer
your affairs in the UAE, which includes payment of all
outstanding debts prior to the lawful distribution of your
Sharia law requires that for every estate.
If the person has a partnership in a company the
share received by a daughter, a account remains closed and inaccessible by any partner
son receives twice the amount. until the deceased is severed from the trade licence and
any partnership contract.
Unfreezing of local bank accounts can only be carried
Pg 14-16 In Focus.indd 3 3/10/09 2:40:06‭ ‬PM

IN FOCUS
out by order of the Shariah Court once it has made a

decision based on an attested Will or Sharia law. This
The deceased’s accounts remain
process aims to safeguard any payments that need to be frozen until further notice is
made after an expatriate has died, such as outstanding received from the courts. The
loans and any debt payments.
Milind Gokhale, an advocate and member of The accounts can only be opened by
Society of Willwriters, is one of the legal advisors for a Sharia court order allowing the
Expat Wills, a specialist Will writing company based heirs to withdraw money or a
in Dubai. Milind says that to help expats overcome
the problem of frozen bank accounts, Expat Wills representative with a power of
are currently giving informative, free of charge, joint attorney from the heirs after the
presentations with leading international banks, to the
senior management of expat companies, on the need for
deceased person’s debts are paid
employees to have a properly executed Will and offshore
banking.
The most common reason for making a Will is to death. “Most people really don’t want to think about
ensure your assets are distributed to the family and dying, but a professionally drafted Will is just good
friends you want. A properly executed Will can ensure financial sense and planning, and all expats should have
family members and children are fully protected against one.
every eventuality should anything happen to you. A Will The company specialises in protecting the families
should also take due consideration of any inheritance tax and financial assets of most nationalities and religions
that your estate may be liable to pay after your death. residing in the UAE. They have both non-Muslim and
Executors are appointed who are representatives to Muslim clients that use their specialist services to
administer your instructions and wishes. They are often safeguard their property held in the UAE and other
given power of attorney to administer your affairs in the locations in the
UAE, which includes world. It prepares
payment of all Wills that are
outstanding debts tailormade to suit
prior to the lawful each individual
distribution of your client’s financial
estate. and personal
If you have situation. They
children under 18 are professionally
years of age then a drafted to reduce
Will is the only way the amount of tax
that you can appoint your estate may
guardians to take have to pay. Expats
care of them should should be aware
anything happen that although they
to both parents. may reside in a
You may consider tax-free country,
placing some or all their home country
of the residue of government often
your estate into a takes into account
trust fund for them. their worldwide
Everyone has heard of millionaire beneficiaries of trusts assets for the purposes of calculating inheritance tax.”
funds such as Paris Hilton, but in the world of the average Milind continues: “If you have an existing Will, we
expat, putting money into trust funds for family members also offer a free review service to ensure it complies with
is a very common method of protecting the future of the any current changes in the law. We will check that it
family you leave behind. includes the beneficiaries that you still want, the required
You may also give specific gifts in your Will. These guardians for your children and that it does what you
don’t have to be limited to material possessions, as you want it to do.”
can give cash gifts to anyone you want. After gifting
material items and cash you are left with what is known
as the residue of the estate. You must then decide what Should you require further information and want
you want to do with this residue of money. to take advantage of an Expat Wills free review of
Milind explains that expats are usually very good at your existing Will, contact:
planning for retirement, but rarely consider planning for Sue Mason at 04 3397244, [email protected]
Pg 14-16 In Focus.indd 4 3/10/09 11:18:42‭ ‬AM

EDUCATION
A city for learning

By Linda Benbow
I
n the old days, i.e. last century, maintaining cultural and social British University of Dubai, and
the 1990s and before; families values. Zayed University.
in the United Arab Emirates DEC was also set up to further Also, in 2004, the Dubai School
enjoyed a life together – until develop educational institutions in of Government in cooperation with
the children reached the age of order to create a knowledge-based the Harvard University’s John F.
18. Then it was chucking out time, society. This it did in 2006 when Kennedy School of Government was
leave the nest time, call it what you it announced that Dubai Academic set up. Its long-term objective is to
will – although most people called City would be built on acres of become a knowledge centre in the
it “University days”. Children of all sand somewhere off the Dubai-Al Arab world. The Harvard Medical
nationalities had to leave the family Ain Road. A lot of development School Dubai Center (HMSDC)
home, get on a plane and fly off has happened since then and what Institute for Postgraduate Education
to countries afar to further their used to be a trek out of the city is and Research has been established
education in their chosen universites now an up-and-coming academic as well in Dubai Health Care City.
because there were very few further destination for students at branches Since autumn 2008, Michigan
education facilities in this country. of world renowned universities and State University has been offering
For some time, Knowledge institutions. undergrad and graduate degrees in
Village acted as a base for branches A sizable number of foreign Dubai.
of universities from overseas. accredited universities have been The number of colleges and
Gradually, parents learned to send set up in the city over the last universities in Dubai has grown
their children there, although there ten years. Some of these include significantly in the past 20 years, and
were a few incidents of learning the American University in Dubai every year, the number of their staff
programmes being abruptly stopped (AUD), The American College and students increases by about 30
due to lack of finance. That brought of Dubai, SP Jain Center Of per cent. Most of them are affiliating
to light the question of which Management (part of India’s reputed themselves to prestigious institutions
institute was actually accredited to Business School SP Jain Institute abroad, and many of them use
carry out the teachings for which of Management & Research), XLRI English as a tuition language. A
money had been collected. Dubai Campus for Management large number of Dubai’s universities
We all gazed in awe as an (in collaboration with Al Abbas also offer various Master’s and PhD
aeroplane was constructed out Institute of Technology), Al postgraduate programmes.
of bricks and mortars near the Ghurair University, Birla Institute National Institute for Vocational
roundabout at Garhoud. Emirates’ of Technology and Science, Education (NIVE) was established to
Teaching Academy is an in-house Heriot-Watt University, Middlesex provide students with an opportunity
training centre for the airline’s cabin University Dubai, SAE Institute to gain specific job related skills to
crew, engineers and other associated Dubai, the Higher Colleges of meet the current market demand. A
jobs. Unfortunately, the roundabout Technology, Dubai Women’s College DEC initiative, National Institution
gave way to a huge flyover system and Dubai Men’s College campuses, Vocational Education was formed
and the beauty of the building can University of Wollongong in Dubai, to provide specialised vocational
now only be glimpsed between Dublin’s Dubai Business School, education for UAE nationals. The
bridges. European University College vocational education is benchmarked
Distance learning has always Brussels-Dubai, Mahatma Gandhi according to professional standards
been available at The British University, Manipal University, of the industry and takes into
Council. This was often a preferred Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto account the growth of UAE and the
method for vocational qualifications Institute of Science and Technology, region.
relating to jobs and companies,
paid for, usually, by multinational
companies here in Dubai and
headquarters in other countries.
The gradually expanding
patchwork of education changed
dramatically in 2005 when the Dubai
Education Council (DEC) was set
up to enhance the education sector
in Dubai at all levels and to bring it
up to international standards while
Pg 17 Education-Introduction.indd 1 3/12/09 3:07:52‭ ‬PM

EDUCATION
Company policy
Y
ou might want to read a tradition with Hewlett Packard. When Tecom inaugurated its
up on your prospective Right from the time it has been training centre in Knowledge
employer’s education and established, Bill Hewlett & Dave Village in 2007, Abdullatif Al Mulla,
training policy before Packard strongly believed in CEO of Tecom Investments, said:
accepting that job offer as research employee development through “We consider people as our prime
shows that level of staff training can on-the-job learning, job rotation, assets. Our success depends on
determine a company’s long-term short-term project assignments, how effectively these professionals
prospects. William Collier, Frances in addition to classroom training. comprehend and adopt our core
Green, John Peirson and David Continuing on the same tradition, values. We have established
Wilkinson presented a report at the and in keeping up with technology, this facility for their continuous
Royal Economic Society in 2003, HP today has also added development as we believe
maintaining that a 20 per cent rise in e-learning and virtual classroom learning is vital to achieving the
non-manual worker training reduces training as vehicles for employee organisations’ objectives.”
the probability of forced closure development,” writes HP on its According to the British report,
by six per cent. They also said that website. sales, clerical, secretarial and
small establishments that train a Shell echoes that sentiment: “We professional workers should be
larger proportion of their workers, recognise that people are behind trained first and foremost. Training
stand a better chance of surviving our success, we’re committed to can focus on new technology,
required skills and knowledge,
legislation and safety procedures for
instance; or they can be ‘soft skills’
such as communication, decision-
making and risk analysis. Skilled,
knowledgeable staff perform better
and bring in more money per capita
to the company and the employee
gets a heavy dose of personal
development for free.
Almost every new venture
comes with a lesson plan for its
workers attached, but old industries
are being transformed as well.
Phil Grange, Safeguard Risk
Management Safety Engineer at
Boots & Coots, an oil well control
company, explains: “For many of
the physical aspects of our work, a
university degree is not necessary,
but the Petroleum Industry is
changing. Our clients require well
educated personnel.”
Boots & Coots’ world used to
the vicissitudes of the market. And providing the training they need be a physical, hard environment,
in January 2009, a report claimed to fully optimise their skills and where brawns were as important
that companies that invest in training potential. That’s why we offer as brains; on-the-job training was
now stand a bigger chance to a huge range of training and the only one that mattered, and you
survive and recover from the current development activities. On-the-job proved your mettle to your peers
crisis. learning; training for recognised before anyone else: “A few decades
Training is an attraction and a professional qualifications; personal ago, a new guy would start right at
sign of affection. The big companies development programmes and the bottom (in the workshop, out
already know this; HP, for instance, direction and support - from in the field.... hammering iron and
takes great pride in its training ‘buddy’ schemes, mentoring pulling cables.... hard, hard physical
programme: “Focus on employee and regular appraisals with line work), he would move around the
development and training has been managers.” various work and skill aspects of
Pg 17-19 Education.indd 2 3/10/09 11:32:11‭ ‬AM

EDUCATION
our profession and provided he providing an across-the-board/all

learnt well, he would move on. This skill training programme to their
process could take 15 years or more,” entire workforce, worth around $20
says Phil. million a year,” says Phil.
In light of an ageing cadre and For many high tech companies,
fewer employable applicants, fifteen every sold product or project is a
years is getting too long to wait potential risk: A client who cannot
for employees to become experts, get the investment to work properly
and for that reason, Boots & Coots will be a grumpy, non-returning
has developed a proper training client. That is why hardware
programme. Due to the nature of companies have developed their
the job, Boots & Coots personnel consultancy departments, and
need to be up to date on a number sales with tags for training are
of certificates at all time: Offshore fast becoming the norm in some
Sea Survival, Helicopter Escape, industries. A study conducted by
Advanced Fire-fighting and Well Expertus and Training Industry,
Control and Operations, among Inc. in 2008 found that more than a
others. Typically, certification lasts third of the respondents benefitted
for three years and must then be strongly in terms of customer
renewed by completing a refresher satisfaction, revenues and customer
course. retention. A company that lacks a just like a prospective employer
A logical offshoot of Boots & well developed strategy for training would be right to ask how far you
Coots’ main activities is their client might not be the one to join if there are willing to stretch yourself, you
training programmes, and training are other alternatives out there. should ask how far they are willing
can be a lucrative business: “We As with customer service, there to pull you.
offer training to clients in a wide will always be a need for training.
variety of subjects/topics. Anything New products, new technologies,
from Basic Industrial Safety to new knowledge, new emerging
Skilled, knowledgeable
Confined Space Rescue to Advanced markets create an incessant demand staff perform better and
Oil Well Drilling Methods. Currently, on both companies and people to bring in more money per
one of our major clients has us engage in life-long learning. And,
capita to the company.
On-the-job learning interested in pursuing a career at DUBAL send your

By Linda Benbow resume to [email protected]
• Emirates has post graduate programmes for its
During the initial job interview is the time to ask about employees, such as MBA (Aviation Management), MBA
a company’s training opportunities. Some of the bigger (Logistics & Supply Mangement) and MBA (Information
multi-national and government influenced companies Technology Mangement). It also offers BSc top-up
will willingly train you to do their job properly, from Aviation Management Programme, along with on-the-
relevant courses to higher education degrees. Whatever job and classroom training by its own professionals.
the industry, ask questions and find out what is available. • Jumeirah has its own in-house chef and hotel
Show that you are a forward thinker who wants to learn management courses at its Emirates Academy of
how to be the most useful – someone they should emply, Hospitality Management. In academic association with
in fact. the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, it offers degrees in
• Shell doesn’t recruit into a generic graduate scheme. hospitality management and professional development
Instead they match each individual to a particular role for the travel, tourism and hospitality service industries.
based on their skills, potential and personal skills. • Emaar Education has opened its dedicated hospitality
If you’re studying for a BA, MA or advanced degree, training school at The Raffles Campus School
or even if you’ve already graduated, in Shell’s eyes, of Hospitality offering Hospitality Management
you’re a graduate. There are alternative routes into the programmes in collaboration with Australia’s Box Hill
international company including visiting on The Shell Institute, one of the premier multipurpose Technical
Recruitment Day, taking part in a business challenge, and Further Education (TAFE) institutes in the world.
and internship for 8-12 weeks. Visit www.shell-me. All programmes offered here adhere to the guidelines
com for more information. and standards laid down in The Australian Quality
• Dubai Aluminium Company Ltd. (DUBAL) provides Training Framework that ensure high quality skills and
scholarships to eligible students, enabling them to competency based education and training.
pursue higher education at university level (with • Banks, PR companies, retailers, schools, government
preference being given to UAE Nationals). After and quasi-government bodies offer updated courses
completing their studies, students are committed to and training. Private companies will give specialised
remain with DUBAL for a period of time equivalent training to their staff in order to remain competitive
to the period of the scholarship received. If you are and one step ahead.
Pg 17-19 Education.indd 3 3/10/09 2:41:50‭ ‬PM

EDUCATION
Window to the world

By Vanit Sethi
Eventually, Dubai Knowledge Village will remain a training centre for corporate
establishments as well as housing some training institutes and academic support
services with city branches of some educational institutions in Dubai Academic City
W
ith Dubai’s fast pace of city branches of some educational international prestige and reputation.
growth in the realty and institutions in DAC. But most importantly, the conveniences
hospitality sectors during As of now, a number of institutions and facilities offered by the Dubai
the early 2000s, plus the are still operating out of DKV. The government to institutions setting up in
influx of a huge number of expatriates current recession has slowed down DKV are too attractive to ignore. Since
of different nationalities, a strong need plans of shifting en masse this year, DKV is part of the TECOM freezone, it
was felt for developing educational as those plans may take some more offers 100 per cent foreign ownership,
institutions where the children of time to materialise. At present, 16 total exemption from taxes and 100 per
expats could study without having universities and 200 other educational cent repatriation of assets and profits,
to leave for their home countries. In institutions are in various phases of besides easy and effortless visa issuing
addition, the growing ambitions of development and relocation. The procedures.
UAE nationals to educate themselves in universities are from a number of The one-kilometre long
prestigious world universities without countries including UK, US, Canada, compact campus has – apart from
having to leave their homes was the Australia, India, Pakistan, Iran, France, interconnected buildings housing
driving force behind the setting up of Russia, Ireland, Belgium etc. colleges, universities and institutes –
the Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV) The institutions that have set up food courts, retail shops, auditorium,
in 2003. shop in DKV have done so for a libraries, hotel, clinic, leisure and
Since then, DKV has grown in variety of reasons. One important recreation facilities along with
student strength and number of consideration is to reach out to beautifully landscaped walkways and
institutions to about 450. In 2007, their nationals in the emirate who fountains. In the DAC, most institutions
Tecom Investments – the parent would like to have education of a will have their own bigger, well-defined
company of DKV – launched the Dubai standard that is on par with their campuses in several buildings along
Academic City (DAC). Many institutions home countries. The presence of the Emirates Road. In DKV, the older
– like BITS Pilani and MAHE Manipal these institutions in a thriving emirate establishments like MAHE Manipal,
– have already moved there with their like Dubai also enhances their British University and the University of
own campuses, while several others Wollongong have already made a name
are in the process of doing so. for themselves in Dubai and the UAE.
Eventually, DKV will remain Newer institutions like Herriot-Watt
a training centre for corporate University, Michigan State University,
establishments and also house some Murdoch University and Middlesex
training institutes and academic University are already in the DAC in
support services with probably various stages of development.
Pg 20-24 Education- 5 pgs-Coaching etc.indd 2 3/12/09 10:51:41‭ ‬AM

EDUCATION
Here is a list of some institutions, including the courses Information Technology

and degrees offered by them. Website: www.cambridgecollegeinternational.com.au
2. Dublin Business School (Ireland)
UNIVERSITIES Courses: BA (Hons), SAT, GMAT.
Website: www.dbsdubai.ae
1. British University (UK) 3. European University College Brussels (Belgium)
Courses: Business, Informatics, Education, Engineering. Courses: BBA, MBA, Language and Communication Skills.
Website: www.buid.ac.ae Website: www.ehsal-dubai.net
2. Islamic Azad University (Iran) 4. Manchester Business School (UK)
Courses: Engineering, Business Management, Dentistry, Courses: MBA and DBA.
English Language, Law, Psychology. Website: www.mbs-worldwide.ac.uk
Website: www.iau.ae 5. Zayed International College (UAE)
3. Mahatma Gandhi University (India) Courses: Business Sciences and Information Technology.
Courses: Business Management, Commerce, Information Website: www.zu.ac.ae/international
Technology, Computer Science, Fashion Technology,
Tourism Studies. INSTITUTES/ACADEMIES
Website: www.mgudxboc.com 1. Birla Institute of Technology and Science (India)
4. Michigan State University (US) Courses: Computer Science, Engineering, Biotechnology
Courses (Bachelors): Child and Youth Development, (all BE Hons.).
Computer Engineering, Construction Project Management, Website: www.bitsdubai.com
Early Childhood Education, Media Management and 2. Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training (UK)
Research. Courses: Aviation, Hospitality and Travel Management.
Courses (Masters): Educational Technology, Retailing, Website: www.frankfinn.com
Advertising, Human Resources & Labour Relations, 3. International Institute for Technology and
Packaging, Supply Chain Management. Management (UK)
Website: dubaimsu.edu Courses: BSc in Finance, Banking, Business, Economics,
5. Middlesex University (UK) Management and Mathematics; Diploma in Accounting,
Courses (Honours): Accounting, Finance and Economics, Finance, Banking and Management.
Biological and Health Sciences, Business and Management Website: www.iitmedu.ae
Studies, Communication & Media Studies, Computing and 4. Institute of Management Technology (India)
IT. Courses: MBA.
Courses (Masters): Human Resource Management, Marketing Website: www.imtdubai.org
Communications, Management (MA, MBA, MSc). 5. Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and
Website: www.mdx.ac Technology (Pakistan)
6. Russian University (Russia) Courses: Business Administration (BBA, MBA), Information
Courses: Russian, Arabic, English, French. Technology (BSIT, MSIT), Media Sciences (BSMS).
Website: www.rudubai.ru Website: www.szabist.ac.ae
7. UAE University (UAE) 6. Universal Empire Institute of Medical Sciences (India)
Courses: Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Courses: MBBS, BDS.
Education, Business and Economics. Law, Food Website: www.ueims.com
and Agriculture, Engineering, Medicine and Health Science, 7. JSS Academy (India)
Information Technology. Courses: Software Engineering, Healthcare Management,
Website: www.uaeu.ac.ae Jewellery Design.
8. University of New Brunswick (Canada) Website: www.jss-academy.com
Courses: Representative office for MBA programme in 8. K12 International Academy (US)
Canada. Courses: Home schooling.
Website: www.unbdubai.com Website: www.k12.com/int
9. University of Phoenix (US) 9. Manhattan Film Academy (US)
Courses: Only online courses offered in Dubai. Courses: 4-month course in film making.
Website: www.phoenix.edu Website: www.mfacademy.com
10. University of Wollongong (Australia) 10. Manipal Academy of Higher Education (India)
Courses: MBA, Commerce, Computer Science, Information Courses: Information Technology, Biotechnology,
Technology. Management, Engineering, Media and Communication,
Website: www.uowdubai.ac.ae Fashion Design, Interior Design.
Website: www.mahedubai.com
COLLEGES/SCHOOLS * For details regarding fee structures (semester, annual,
1. Cambridge College International (Australia) coursewise), courses and degrees offered, check the individual
Courses: English Language, Business, Financial Services, websites of institutions.

EDUCATION
Moulding
excellence
By Manju Ramanan
Away from the city buzz, Dubai International Academic City

readies itself to be a premier space for higher education
A
submarine shaped building universities of higher learning from not offer expertise or advice in course
catches your eye as you diverse regions including USA, counselling.
enter the precincts of Dubai Australia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, The DIAC shall have several
International Academic City Belgium, UK and France operating facilities to benefit students and
from the Emirates Road. The Zayed out of DIAC, catering to over 12,000 academics. There are plans to have
University’s striking shape quite marks students. These include Michigan State a well-developed student union to
the area that devotes itself entirely to University from USA; The University facilitate extra-curricular activities
higher education. Sprawled over 25 of Wollongong in Dubai and Murdoch, of the student community, the pre-
million square feet, Dubai International both from Australia; Middlesex requisite for a well-rounded education.
Academic City houses several University Dubai Campus from UK; This will include facilities like lounges,
educational institutes from all over the and S.P Jain Centre of Management wellness centres, dining facilities and
world. from India among others. These entertainment venues including movie
But so do areas like Knowledge institutions offer programmes that theatres, gaming centres etc. DIAC will
Village near Dubai Internet City, and range in duration from one year to four provide on-campus accommodation
Dubai Academic City. How are they years. Major academic programmes on with all the modern conveniences and a
different from each other? offer include engineering, computer lifestyle comparable to the very best in
While Dubai Knowledge Village is science, fashion and design, media the world. The accommodation facility
the hub for professional training centres studies, environmental studies, child will provide modern apartments in a
and HR companies, DIAC is positioned development, quality management and safe environment with a wide variety of
as the regional hub for international business management programmes. sizes and prices for students to choose
universities. Companies based in DKV For enrolment in a university in from. Stylish interiors in each of the
provide executive-level education DIAC or a certain programme of study, apartments will be complemented
and HR services, DIAC houses universities need to be contacted by the latest technology. Broadband
international universities that provide independently. However, the Student internet connection is only part of the
vocational, undergraduate and post- Hub ([email protected]) does overall facilities offered. There will also
graduate education. A regional base for guide students in providing contact be facilities for indoor and outdoor
premier international higher education information for all universities, but does athletics.
institutions, DIAC is the world’s first
dedicated tertiary cluster development
and is spread across an area of 25 The three cities
million square feet. The benefits for Dubai Academic City (DAC), was established between the Dubai-Hatta
DIAC partners include 100 per cent Road and the Dubai-Al Ain Road after the successful development of
foreign ownership, 100 per cent tax-free, Knowledge Village near Dubai Internet City. The intention is for Academic
100 per cent repatriation of profits. City to be a base for schools, colleges and universities, while Knowledge
Located in the vicinity of Village will house training institutes and educational service organisations.
International City, the DIAC can be The DAC area is expected to cover 129 million sq ft and will be completed
called its backyard and several students by 2012.
live in the area that is upheld as the Just to confuse you, Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) is
world’s only free zone dedicated to contained within the DAC. DIAC is the free zone for tertiary institutes.
higher education. Situated away from However, primary, secondary and K-12 schools are part of DAC but not
the city buzz, the quiet environment DIAC. By 2015, DIAC expects to have almost 40,000 students attending 40
of the Academic City is extremely different institutes.
conducive to research and study. Knowledge Village is near Dubai Marina, between Palm Jumeirah and
There are currently 32 international Dubai Internet City.

EDUCATION
For a cutting edge

By Ambily Vijaykumar
Coaching institutes offer much-needed fuel to

propel students into the top league
A
s a student, one of the toughest decisions to be programme for students who aspire to take up
made is the direction in which one is heading engineering as a career.
with regard to studies. Whether the subject that Career Launcher helps students prepare for the IIT-JEE
has been chosen is in tune with your liking and (Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Exam), the
aptitude is a constant worry for not just students, but also AIEEE (All India Engineering Entrance Exam) as well as
their parents. But once that decision is made,
the next big question stares you in the face.
Anees Hussain
Which is the best institute that can offer you
the course you wish to do? Even after having
overcome that problem, there is the biggest
hurdle to be overcome. How to qualify for the
course in the institute of your choice? This is
where coaching institutes step in.
Apart from your regular studies, these
institutes prepare you for various entrance
examinations for admissions into premier
institutes and universities across the world.
One such institute is Career Launcher. Already
a well-established name in India, the institute
began its Dubai operations in 2004. It began
with a web service programme for students
of standard XI and XII before launching its
full-fledged two-year competitive engineering

EDUCATION
SAT (Scholastic Aptitude test and the college that

Test) for admission into the student is targeting for
various colleges in the US admission. The course fee
and BITSAT for admission is about Dh5,000. For the
into the prestigious Birla GRE course, the duration
Institute of Technology in and rate is similar to that
India. Admissions at Career of GMAT.
Launcher are currently on TOEFL and IELTS
till the first week of May. courses are two months
The two-year engineering long and the fee is
programme begins in April Dh4,800. For the rest of
of a given year. The fee India. the courses, students need
for the two-year course is Dh16,000. Excellence in Education, Anees to shell out Dh200 per hour since
Coaching goes on even during the Hussain’s Way, is another coaching they are offered individual coaching.
summer break for preparations for institute operating from Knowledge Admissions to the institute are open
competitive engineering entrance Village that offers coaching “twelve months a year, seven days a
exams. The courses are held at its for various entrance exams of week,” says Hussain.
centre in Knowledge Village. universities across the globe. They As a part of the institute’s attempt
“We have close to 200 students for offer ‘partly individualised coaching’ to gauge the student’s ability, there is
this course at the moment and are for entrance exams like the SAT, a diagnostic test conducted prior to
expecting to enrol more for the batch GMAT, GRE (Graduate Record admission so that the institute “gets
beginning in April,” says Saurabh Exam), TOEFL and IELTS. This an idea of the student’s starting band
Varshney, Academic Head of Career apart they also offer subject-specific and weak areas.”
Launcher India Limited. coaching for high school students The faculty is led by Anees
The faculty for this programme and language courses. Hussain who has twenty years of
are IITians who come from India to The CEO of the institute, Anees teaching experience behind him. He
Dubai to teach aspiring engineers. Hussain, says: “I have always wanted claims he has, in this period, helped
Though the engineering programme the highest standards for education about 20,000 students get admissions
attracts the maximum number of for children. For me, it is not a job, into various prestigious colleges
candidates, Career Launcher also it is a mission to open their minds, across the world. Apart from studying
offers short Term training for GMAT motivate them, inspire them and at Columbia University, he has also
(Graduate Management Aptitude make those who hate the subject served as a professor there for six
Test) for entrance into various love it, get them self-propelled and years before moving to Karachi to
business schools. working.” start his coaching institutes.
“There are two different Hussain underlines the need for The remaining faculty has
programmes for GMAT; a weekend personalised coaching because, been largely drawn from various
programme in which we offer classes “the school environment here is not prestigious institutes in Pakistan.
on three Fridays and Saturdays of good, parents do not pay attention “I have been extremely
a month. Students, who are mostly to their children, and kids are not disappointed when I tried to recruit
professionals, are given six-hour guided in the right direction.” He from the Dubai market. I have not
classes during these exhaustive claims that students who have grown as fast, because I am very
sessions. The second is the seven- studied under him have made it to demanding as far as teachers are
day intensive programme with seven the top universities across the globe concerned, because they should be
hours classes daily. This is coaching like Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge motivated like me. They must be
for admissions to MBA courses in and MIT, among others. “No other dedicated to teaching, and hence it is
various universities across the globe. institute in Dubai can boast of an not easy to find such people. I don’t
The course is run in association with average of 2,000 for SAT,” claims want to recruit people who come in
Veritas Testprep US,” informs Saurabh Hussain. and do their hours of teaching and
Varshney. The fee for this course is The institute has been operating go back,” states Hussain.
Dh7000. from Knowledge Village since It is this that Hussain feels
The institute is also working on 2004. The courses offered include separates his institute from the rest.
offering full-fledged coaching for SAT, which is a ten to twelve-week The ‘close supervision’ of students
medical entrance exams. However, it course with a total teaching time of that he offers is lacking in many
is in the initial stages. All this apart, about 100 hours. The course fee is schools in Dubai, claims Hussain.
they also offer test series for CAT Dh5,500. The GMAT course duration And until schools here fill that
(Common Aptitude Test) exams for varies from six weeks to twelve vacuum, Hussain feels coaching
admissions into various B-schools in weeks, depending upon the entrance institutes like his will thrive.

EDUCATION
Superior Medicare
Gulf Medical University, Ajman
L
andscaped to perfection, Certification Programmes in MDT. facilities, which include lecture halls,
nestled in a sprawling The university, that offers laboratories and departments that are
campus, away from the din of admissions to boys and girls, has well equipped and staffed by highly
cityscape, is the Gulf Medical infrastructure and facilities, on par qualified and experienced faculty.
University in Ajman. A year ago, the with some of the established medical There are adequate facilities for
college-following a decree issued by institutions in the world. Apart from curricular and extracurricular activities
the Minister of Higher Education and the academic programmes, it is in the campus. The GMU also has a
Scientific Research, His Excellency in the forefront of the Continuing health communications division, the
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Medical Education and Continuing apex body which coordinates all the
Nahyan - was officially approved Professional Development CME/CPD programmes at the college
as the Gulf Medical University. Programmes. It has been organising and the hospital. Its quarterly health
Thumbay Moideen is its Founder- well acclaimed international and magazine is published by students.
President and it is promoted by the regional conferences and symposia The college has links to some of the
Thumbay Group UAE. The group and publishes a quarterly health leading universities and institutions
is involved in various sectors, apart magazine - GMC Health Journal. across the world for online video
from healthcare - education, real Its courses range from Bachelor interaction with experts. Additionally,
estate, turnkey projects, information of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery the university encourages sports and
technology, consultancy, timber, (M.B.B.S) to Post Graduate/Diploma games with basketball, volleyball
shipping, and import-export et al Programmes , Masters Programme courts, tennis courts, cricket and
The focus of the Gulf Medical in Clinical Pathology, Doctor of football fields which have been
University is in three core areas Pharmacy - Pharm.D, Doctor of located in the campus. Separate
of Medical Education, Healthcare Dental Medicine (DMD),Bachelor of indoor table tennis facility for male
and Research. The Gulf Medical Physical Therapy (B.P.T). and female students is provided.
College- as it was called earlier, The University is listed in the Separate hostel facilities for male
began with the MBBS programme WHO World Directory of Medical and female students are provided
and the Bachelor of Physiotherapy Schools and IMED under the on request. Resident wardens in the
programme. Today has several new auspices of Faimer. hostel take care of student needs.
feathers to its cap. The Ministry The sprawling college campus Indoor games and Internet facilities
of Higher Education and Scientific has excellent infrastructural are available for recreation and study.
Research has permitted the university GMCA has over 30 transport
Convocation ceremony at Gulf Medical University
to foray into newer programmes vehicles to cater to various transport
in Pharmacy-D, DMD, Masters requirements of students and faculty
Programmes in Clinical Pathology, from hostel to college and GMC
Toxicology, Public Health and Hospital. The transport facilities are
Primary Care-the University has provided for students coming from
also implemented the fellowship Dubai and other northern emirates
programmes of the Royal Australian too.
College of General Practitioners Contact : Phone: (+971 6) 7431333
as well as the McKenzie Institute E-mail: [email protected]
Gulf Medical University
The Thumbay
group, that owns
The Gulf Medical
University, also
owns the Gulf
Medical Hospital in
Ajman.
Pg 25-27 Education Pune-Gulf-RAK.indd 1 3/12/09 12:57:27‭ ‬PM

EDUCATION
Tradition of Excellence
University of Pune, from India, opens a chapter in RAK
By Manju Ramanan
O
ne of India’s top-ranked UoP currently has around 650,000 enterprise software and eLearning
state universities, the students studying on its parent markets. As Regional Sales Manager
University of Pune campus and affiliated colleges (Middle East, Africa and India) for
(awarded five star and has the highest number of Edinburgh Headquartered Interactive
ratings by the independent National international students among higher University, Riaz was responsible for
Assessment and Accreditation education institutions in India. identifying and winning some of the
Council of India; also honoured by company’s major sales opportunities
the University Grants Commission aren’t really situated in London. RAK and is instrumental in setting up
as a University with Potential for has an ideal academic climate, is cost Herriot Watt University Dubai
Excellence, has opened its branch at effective and the students can easily Campus in 2005.
Ras Al Khaimah. negotiate the traffic.” “The UoP campus will initially
Dubai-based Edulink Consultants, As for the UoP, RAK curriculum, operate from the Al Naeem Building
that has been instrumental in roping Riaz Bava, MD of Edulink (Dubai Bank Building) location in
in several international universities to Consultants states that the RAK the Nakheel area and will eventually
the region, facilitated the venture. “We campus will offer undergraduate, move to its own buildings situated
met the visionary HH Sheikh Saud, graduate and post-graduate close to the George Mason University
Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of courses, and is currently accepting Campus. We have requested for
Ras Al Khaimah in November and he applications and registrations for 25,000 sq ft of space near the George
agreed to our proposal,” says Misho their opening in April 2009 for post- Mason university Campus,” states
Ravic, CEO Edulink Consultants. graduate level, and in September Ravic. As for the teaching staff, most
Ravic, who has been in Dubai for the later this year for undergraduate, readers and professors employed
past two decades, has been involved post-graduate courses in sciences, in Pune University and its affiliated
in establishing and running a number management, engineering, colleges will come to RAK for a
of educational institutions in Dubai, commerce, pharmacy and other duration of six months. “We also
Canada and the UK. His most notable subjects. have plans to invite people from the
achievement has been The English “UoP’s main advantage is its cost- local industry,” he adds.
College Dubai, and the Middlesex effectiveness. The annual cost of an With a vision to create an
University campus in Dubai. He is MBA degree per year amounts to educational hub in RAK where
also CEO of Dubai London Clinic. Dh20,000 which is quite affordable,” students of the region gather, the
Ask him why he chose RAK as he states. Bava is a seasoned UoP seems to be just the beginning
a base for UoP and he states that, technology specialist with extensive of new successful stories to come.
“Educational institutions need not links across the UK, Middle East,
Edulink shall shortly bring to RAK,
be in big cities. Even in the UK, the Africa and South East Asia with a
a well known school from India.
well-known universities and colleges track record of mobile computing,
HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah,
at the press launch held to announce the setting up of University of Pune (UoP) campus in RAK

EDUCATION
RAKMHSU campus
Dr Gurumadhava Rao-Vice
Chancellor of RAKMHSU
Inspired to Excel
Ras Al Khaimah Medical and Health Sciences University
resolves to improve the quality of healthcare professionals in the region
O
ne of the premier state-of-the art facility that extends who guides the students. Through
universities in the to an area of 10.2 acres and is well this exercise, students get to discuss,
Northern Emirates landscaped. The university building tolerate other’s mistakes and develop
devoting itself to medical extends to 60,000 square feet and a good team spirit,” he explains. The
health, the RAK Medical and Health the total built up area extends to faculty also undergoes teacher training
Sciences University (RAK-MHSU) was 250,000 square feet. It is a G + 3 programmes. The university conducts
established by the Ras Al Khaimah floor structure with all facilities Institutional Research Surveys about
Human Development Foundation that include medical, nursing and performance of the faculty and regular
(RAK – HDF) under the leadership pharmacy colleges. It has 10 lecture student assessment too.
of His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin halls, around 10 labs including the RAK MHS University’s Student
Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and clinical skills lab, rooms for small Council ensures a speedy
Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and group discussions, a big library acclimatisation of new students to
Chancellor of the University. RAK- containing 5,000 books and 1,000 RAK MHS University by promoting
HDF is a joint venture of the Ras Al online journals. The University also healthy friendships. It holds regular
Khaimah Government, Al Ghurair has a sprawling auditorium that has a meetings to organise activities
Investments and ETA Ascon Group, seating capacity of 650. such as orientation, sports, cultural
Dubai. It is accredited by the Ministry “We have a strength of 230 programmes, competitions and
of Higher Education and Scientific students across 30 nationalities in our magazine publication. The university
Research, Government of UAE. five programmes that include Medical, also organises social, cultural and
Its soft-spoken yet dynamic Vice- Dental, Pharmacy and Nursing. In entertainment programmes.
Chancellor is Dr Gurumadhava Rao, Nursing, we have the BSc programme Housing facilities-separate for
who has resolved to create quality as well as the Bridge programme male and female students - are made
healthcare professionals for the UAE where diploma holders in Nursing can available upon payment .Within each
and the world outside. upgrade their diplomas to degrees. housing facility, both single and
“All of us want a doctor who Our staff totals 103, out of which 60 sharing options are available.
is caring and compassionate, are full-time lecturers
understands your problem, diagnoses and professors. We also
The minimum requirements for applying to the
your illness and provides you with have 35 non-teaching MBBS programme in RAK MHS
suitable medical treatment. At staff members,” he adds. University are an aggregate of 80 per cent in Physics,
RAKMHSU, I am aiming to do that,” The curriculum Chemistry and Biology in 12th grade/UAE National
he states. With 29 years of experience encourages problem General Secondary School Examination (NGSSE) or
behind him in one of India’s premier solving. There are its equivalent with minimum of 70 per cent in Physics,
institutes-Manipal University - Dr Rao sessions where students Chemistry and Biology individually. Proficiency of
English equivalent to a TOEFL score of 500 in paper
arrived in RAK to start this job at are split into groups based, 173 in computer-based, or 61 in internet-based
RAKMHSU. of 8-10 and given a tests/ its equivalent in standardised tests such as IELTS
The new RAKMHSU building problem to solve. The score of 5.0. (For more details, log on to their official
that he has recently moved into is a teacher is the facilitator website ww.rakmhsu.com)

EDUCATION
Heriot-Watt University
By Linda Benbow
H
eriot-Watt University- employers worldwide,
www.hw.ac.uk/dubai,- and their more than
was the first overseas 60,000 alumni are
university to set up working in key
in Dubai International Academic positions around the
City, offering top quality British globe.
education to students and executives All their courses
from around the Gulf and further are taught by
afield, explained Professor Brian G. their own faculty,
D. Smart, Deputy Principal of the many of whom
University, Executive Dean and Head are permanently
of the Dubai campus. The eighth located in Dubai,
oldest higher education institution supplemented by
in the UK, Heriot-Watt was invited visiting experts in
to Dubai in recognition of its global key fields. Students
reputation and international reach gain a degree that is
in the fields of engineering and taught and examined
management. to the same exacting
Its purpose-built Dubai campus standards as their
offers an ever-expanding range campuses in Scotland.
of British degrees with courses The degrees are also in the global textile and fashion
ranging from Masters programmes accredited and approved by Royal industries and has established a
in disciplines as challenging and Charter in the UK. reputation as one of the world’s
diverse as Petroleum Engineering, It has an international leading design institutions. Two
Construction, Management, Energy, perspective in the approach to of the school’s fashion courses are
Information Technology (Software built environment education. Its now available at Dubai, with the
Engineering), and the world- courses cover the four disciplines of option of transferring to the UK
renowned Edinburgh Business architectural engineering; civil and campus for a part of the degree. The
School MBA, to undergraduate structural engineering; construction dynamic Fashion programme allows
degrees in Management, management and surveying; and students to experience a broad
Construction, Quantity Surveying urban studies. They hold the knowledge of the fashion industry
and Engineering. appropriate accreditation from the while undertaking specialist study
The university offers courses relevant professional bodies: the in a subject specific pathway, either
delivered in the evenings, weekends, Chartered Institute of Building Fashion Design or Fashion Marketing
and daytime, and provides a (CIOB), the Royal Institution of & Retailing.
supportive and positive learning Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and
environment. With a range of the British Institute of Facilities
support options available, together Management (BIFM). In addition, Open Days
with guaranteed fee packages, students completing the MSc in We are but one provider in the
opportunities for scholarships, Quantity Surveying may apply for worldwide higher education
assistance with visa applications, and RICS membership and can achieve marketplace. You have a choice
the option to transfer and undertake full chartered status on completion and we want you to opt for
a part of your degree at its home of the Assessment of Professional Heriot-Watt. You are welcome to
campus in Scotland, Heriot-Watt is an Competence. visit us prior to making such a
ideal choice. key decision about your future.
The Dubai Campus is located
With strong links to industry and Textile design
business, the university prides itself in Dubai Academic City, 20
Since its beginnings in 1883, the
on developing and educating future minutes from Dubai city centre
School of Textiles and Design
leaders, managers, and innovators and welcomes prospective
at Heriot-Watt University has
in every field in which they excel. students on Friday May 1, June
specialised in the education of
Graduates are sought after by 19 and August 14, 4-8 pm.
professionals and practitioners
Pg 28-29 Edu-Heriot-SP Jain-.indd 2 3/10/09 11:47:09‭ ‬AM

EDUCATION
S. P. Jain
at DIAC
Prof. Christopher Abraham, Senior
Vice-President of S.P. Jain, talked to
Linda Benbow on campus
S
P Jain Institute of as we do in India. The Singapore comprises a full building covering
Management was started government recognised us a quality 60,000 square feet spread over three
with an endowment in 1981 entity, visited us in Mumbai and floors. On the ground and first
by a great humanitarian, Mr Dubai, and invited us to set up a floors are housed the classrooms
S.P. Jain. It started off in a small campus in its country too, which for the long duration programmes,
manner, then picked up when Dr we have done. Now, we offer a an auditorium, a recreation hall
Manish Srikanth, a Harvard graduate one-year Global MBA programme with canteen facilities and offices.
and famed industrialist, became an spending six months in Dubai and On the second floor is the Centre
honourary Dean for S.P. Jain. There six months in Singapore. This is for Executive Education with a
has been no turning back since then. followed by 100 per cent placement unique décor and custom designed
In 1993, we became autonomous in one of the three countries. In classrooms. The entire campus is
after having been affilitated to the past few years, we have had wi-fi enabled and adopts the latest
Mumbai University before. up to 10,000 applications for 250 technology for classrooms and
In 2000, we started to think seats for this programme. We audio-video equipment.
‘global’ and dreamed of spreading recently tied up with a university in S P Jain has unique educational
Indian excellence in business Toronto, Canada, to share students programmes combining teaching
management abroad. In 1993- to give them business experience in with practical exercise to provide
2000, we were ranked among the different countries. students an invaluable real-life
10 business schools in India (from Our clientele are mainly Indians. experience of the workplace. The
the 1,400+ accredited business We have decided to expand this institute’s learning centres use state-
programmes in the country). and offer a full tuition scholarship of-the-art technology, and through
In 2004, the Dubai government for international students who fulfil high-speed Internet connection, hold
set up the Knowledge Village and our entrance criteria. We currently global classes, encouraging students
were looking for partners. We were have seven nationalities from to interact across the world.
looking to move abroad (having various parts of Asia and the Far At S P Jain, what is conventionally
looked at Mauritius, Africa and Asia) East, and hope to attract more. termed as a classroom, morphs into
and plumped for Dubai with its large For the Masters degrees, we a Learning Centre. The classrooms
multi-cultural population. We were usually do a week of courses are designed as auditoriums,
one of the first partners to move in. followed by a week off. This helps with step-up seating to facilitate
We started the first MBA programme to fit in with working professionals. discussions, and are equipped
here. A residential one – another Last year, AC Nielsen,-the world’s with state-of-the-art facilities like
first for the region. most respected analysis firm-did projectors, cameras and audio/video
“We believe in the phrase a survey among corporate bodies equipement. Most sessions are
“breaking mindsets” and like to asking their opionion about various recorded for review, reference and
think alternatively sometimes. business schools and their quality. reflection in the future. The campus
“We have a very good reputation S.P. Jain came out on top. has the best of videoconferencing
in India for placements of our In December 2006, S P Jain technology for conducting interactive
students, and the same thing relocated its campus to Dubai guest lectures with international
happened here. When we put the International Academic City. It faculty and industry heads.
results on our website,
we saw an immediate
response with a
flood of enrolments.
People realised that
we were doing the
same good job here,
MARCH
29
Pg 28-29 Edu-Heriot-SP Jain-.indd 3 3/10/09 11:47:15‭ ‬AM

EDUCATION
BITS, Pilani-Dubai
B
ITS, Pilani - Dubai (BPD) was established in All the programmes
September 2000 in response to the growing need are of four years duration
for quality engineering education among Middle and include an internship of
East residents. seven and a half months in
“It is the only international branch campus of BITS, reputed industries. There
Pilani and was setup in association with ETA-Net, a are nearly274 companies offering
member of the ETA Ascon Group. Over a period of eight internship to the students currently with many more
years, BPD’s student strength has grown to about 1,750, companies coming forward each day. Students are also
with the majority of students coming from UAE and GCC; paid stipend during this internship.
around 27 per cent of these are girls,” explains Dr. M. Nearly 110 graduates have obtained admission to
Ramachandran, Director, BITS, Pilani – Dubai, who, before Masters and PhD programmes at reputed institutions in US
establishing the school in Dubai, was a Professor and Dean and Canada. The remaining students are well placed in
(R&C) at BITS, Pilani, Rajasthan, of which he is currently a highly reputed companies.
member of the Board of Governors. BPD has established academic collaborations with
BPD offers engineering programmes at the reputed American universities for the benefit of its
undergraduate level in seven different specialisations. The students. The scope of collaboration includes preferential
following were offered for the Academic year 2008 - 2009: admission into graduate programmes, joint research
• B.E. (Hons.) Computer Science activities, credits transfer etc.
• B.E. (Hons.) Electrical & Electronics Engineering BPD is located at its new permanent campus at Dubai
• B.E. (Hons.) Electronics & Communication Engineering International Academic City and offers world-class,
• B.E. (Hons.) Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering state-of-the-art facilities with well-equipped labs and
• B.E. (Hons.) Mechanical Engineering workshops, separate Library Block, Academic Block,
• B.E. (Hons.) Chemical Engineering Sports Complex, Canteen, Clinic, Grocery, Gymnasium,
• B.E. (Hons.) Biotechnology and Hostel blocks.
The campus has attached to it the following labs of international

standards: Manufacturing Process, Engineering Graphics & CAD, ‘A’ grade
Computer Networking, Measurement Techniques in Physics, BITS Pilani-Dubai has been awarded grade ‘A’ by the
Measurement Techniques in Chemistry, Measurement Techniques in National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), the
Biology, Measurement Techniques in Electrical & Electronics Engineering,
Measurement Techniques in Chemical & Mechanical Engineering, autonomous grading body of the University Grants Commission
Digital & Analog Electronics Lab Communication, Instrumentation, of India. The NAAC Peer Team visited the sprawling BPD
Electromechanical Energy Conversion, Microprocessor Programming
& Interfacing, Production Techniques, Transport Phenomena, Prime campus in Dubai International Academic City and initiated its
Movers and Fluid Machinery, Heat Transfer Operations, Selected assessment procedures based on criteria such as curriculum,
Chemical Engineering Operations, and Process Control Lab teaching-learning and evaluation, infrastructure and learning
resources, student support and progression, governance
and leadership, innovative practices etc. They inspected all
departments, laboratories, the library, sports centre and
student facilities like the clinic and canteen, followed by
extensive interactions with the faculty, staff and students.
An important observation was that BPD graduates are well
placed at various centres of excellence around the globe - be
it corporates like Microsoft, Oracle, Larsen & Toubro, Dell,
Panasonic and Siemens or universities of the stature of
Stanford, Cornell or Purdue for Masters and PhD programmes.
Pg 30-33 Edu-BITS Pilani-Murdoch-.indd 2 3/12/09 2:50:07‭ ‬PM

EDUCATION
Murdoch University
launches new programmes
T
he Murdoch University International Study Centre Dubai,
established in the UAE since March 2008 and based in
Dubai International Academic City, has launched a number
of new courses to commence in August this year. The new Is the degree obtained at MUISCD
undergraduate and postgraduate programmes include the Bachelor of equivalent standards to the one
of Environmental Management, Bachelor of Science (Information obtained by students studying in
Technology), Masters in Human Resource Management and Postgraduate Australia?
Certificate and Diploma courses in Journalism, Public Relations and The degree awarded in Dubai is exactly
Media Production. the same as awarded in Australia. Both
The Bachelor of Environmental Management course, one of its kind campuses have the same admission
in the UAE, is set to cater to the growing demand of graduates in the requirements, follow an identical academic
field of environmental sustainability in the region in line with the Dubai curriculum, use common faculty and
Strategic Plan and the UAE government pursuit of concerted efforts with offer the same career service and student
the private sector to move towards a more sustainable development. service support.
The course is designed to prepare students to become fully trained What are the credentials of MUISCD
environmental managers who will receive a strong grounding in science- lecturers? How qualified are they?
based theories of the total environment, and are able to translate them Lecturers are carefully selected from a
into practical management decisions and solutions. pool of experienced and highly qualified
MUISCD Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor John Grainger said: “Graduates professionals. Murdoch Australia approves
will play a part in finding solutions to the environmental problems all lecturers before they are allowed
that are currently facing us, not only in the UAE but on a global level. to teach in the programme. Usually,
Murdoch University, whose Research Institute for Sustainable Energy they are academics from local tertiary
(RISE) in Perth is renowned for its efforts in the field, has a long tradition institutions or practitioners with extensive
in research and teaching in this area, and we believe the expertise experience from the industry. They must
the university is able to offer will be beneficial to the UAE, and also hold a recognised Master’s Degree and
the Middle East as a whole. By linking management to local, regional above in order to undertake any Bachelor
and global sustainability, graduates will be equipped to develop clear programme.
management alternatives for a viable future. With increasing pressure on Student Visa
all aspects of industry and development to factor environmental costs Murdoch University International Study
into their bottomline - the role of environmental managers will continue Centre Dubai sponsors residency visas
to rise.” through Dubai International Academic
The new postgraduate courses in the fields of Journalism, Public City for all students attending a course on
Relations and Media Production, introduced to complement the campus. Residency visas are required for
undergraduate programmes in Media and Mass Communication already all international students and residents
offered by MUISCD since August 2008, are designed to further contribute over the age of 18 who currently reside in
to and strengthen the skills of media professionals in the region. Dubai.
MUISCD Campus Open Day

will be on 7th May at MUISCD campus (Dubai
International Academic City, Block 10, fourth floor).
There will be campus tours, information on courses,
and presentations by the academics.
Experience the real life studio conditions by
trying out light-hearted media competitions such as
‘The Best News Anchor’ competition and ‘The Best
Radio Presentation’ competition
There will also be a Digital Fiesta Exhibition
with the best works of students in the fields of
photography, website design and videos, as well as
the best entrants of its up-and-coming high school
camera phone competition.
Pg 30-33 Edu-BITS Pilani-Murdoch-.indd 4 3/12/09 10:54:42‭ ‬AM

EDUCATION
Phoenix University,Dubai
By Linda Benbow
T
he University of Phoenix was you may be having a problem, they gently
introduced in 1976 in Arizona encourage you to explain/work/discuss. They
as a traditional bricks and even praise. Maybe, there was a technical
mortar campus, explained Raj fault. The counsellors can report it to the
Kapoor, University of Phoenix’s Dubai professors so that there is no hassle about
Student Service Centre Director. “Our unfinished homework. We provide support
founder, Dr John Spurling, has always in all ways for the 1,000 or so students in this
followed a non-traditional model, region.
believing that there is a niche for those We teach Business programmes and all
who had not been able to learn at the its facets–management, marketing, finance,
same age as others, mature students accounting, IT, health administration,
who want to improve themselves, etc. education – all following the American
The online segment took off in 1989. curriculum. We cater for Bachelors, Masters
We do both campus teaching and and Doctoral levels – although we don’t enrol
online teaching, half and half. There Raj Kapoor doctorate students here, we do put them in
are currently 200 campuses in US and touch with our counsellors in Phoenix.
Canada and one in Rotterdam, UK. We are not authorised by the Ministry
“Today’s students are typically multi-tasking adults of Higher Education here in the UAE, as it does not
(with job/business and home, spouse and children) and recognise 100 per cent online programmes. We are
they want to get a Bachelors degree now when they have very upfront in providing this information – we are very
more time. We provide an online training scheme, which comfortable with who we are, and are accredited by one
is tremendously rigorous. More than they think at first. of the six accrediting authorities in US – Higher Learning
But it does enable learning at home, with back-up by the Commission of the North Central Association (who
professional staff that is here in the Knowledge Village accredit Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia, among others).
office. The Knowledge Human Development Authority
“We offer Masters degrees in various programmes for (KHDA)will come up with criteria for online learning;
those who have passed their Bachelors, and are in middle I am confident that when they do, we will get UAE
management. accreditation.
“We have always had students in the Middle East and Classes are paid for when they are taken. If there is a
Asia, but by opening this office in October 2007 in Dubai, need to take a break due to work commitments or similar
we are a little closer to our students. We served them problems, then payment can be held over until the next
well from Phoenix, but now we can advise face-to-face class is taken.
as well as online. There are admission counsellors here We recently entered a partnership with the American
as well as academic counsellors, a team of 35. They are College of Dubai (ACD), which may not have happened
your best friends throughout your course. They keep an if we had remained in Phoenix. They (ACD) train up to
eye on students’ progress, and note whether assignments an Associate level, and now their students can take their
are being posted on the web on time. If they think Master’s degree with us.
Staff and counsellors at the

University of Phoenix
Articulation agreement with American College
of Dubai
University of Phoenix (UOPX) and the American College
of Dubai (ACD) have formed an articulation agreement
that will provide students who have earned their
associate’s degree the opportunity to transfer credits and
pursue a university bachelor’s degree with the University
of Phoenix.
The agreement between the two post-secondary
institutions is effective immediately and allows qualified
students who have completed transferable credits or an
associate’s degree through American College of Dubai to
transfer degree credits to the University of Phoenix.
Pg 30-33 Edu-BITS Pilani-Murdoch-.indd 5 3/12/09 10:56:15‭ ‬AM

EDUCATION
Online
qualifications
Bilal B. Sabouni of U21Global replies to questions posed by UAE Digest
U21Global (www.u21global.edu.sg) is an online graduate time of economic crisis. Fear of job loss has led many to
school backed by an international network of leading revisit the aspect of their education and education levels.
research-intensive universities from around the globe. It
Do you have an office/campus in this country?
offers flexibility not normally available to those seeking
U21Global is an e-learning institution, so we don’t use
enhanced educational qualifications. The course can be
typical physical university infrastructure such as campuses
undertaken on a full-time basis but it also provides the
and classrooms. Our presence here in the UAE is based
opportunity for those juggling travel, work and personal
on the establishment of our regional headquarters
commitments to extend their career opportunities through
which is based in Dubai Knowledge Village. Our global
part-time study – at any time or place. Students are
headquarters is located in Singapore.
working professionals, typically in their mid-30s, with an
average of 9 years work experience. Which type of students do you have (i.e. young,
mature, professional, etc)?
How long have you been accepting students from
The vast majority of our students are professionals from
UAE?
various backgrounds, cultures, industries, and geographic
We have been accepting students from UAE and all
locations. We offer flexibility not normally available to
over the world ever since U21Global first opened its
those seeking enhanced educational qualifications. Our
virtual doors in 2003. Our Dubai regional headquarters
programmes can be undertaken on a full-time basis but
was established in February 2004 and ever since then,
they also provide the opportunity for those juggling
the interest and student intake numbers have gone
travel, work and personal commitments to extend their
from strength to strength. We anticipate even stronger
career opportunities through part-time study – at any time
enrolments from this market in the next few years as
or any place. Our students have on average of nine years
individuals realise that the strength of their education may
work experience and approximately 70 per cent of them
be one of the only factors available to help them sustain a
Pg 34-35 Education U21.indd 2 3/12/09 2:52:08‭ ‬PM

EDUCATION
travel frequently for work. They average between 35-40 important to note that our programme is not a self-study
years of age and presently come from over 65 countries programme. All our students are placed in virtual classes
across Asia, Australasia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East of approximately 25 students that are led by a world-
and the United States. renowned professor. The class moves together through
various class content, readings, exercises, group work,
What type of courses are on offer?
and projects. Thus, the pace of the classes is not set by
U21Global offers Business and IT Management courses
the student, but rather by the professors and the study
at the highest quality levels while maintaining the full
schedules in place.
flexibility of the online learning environment we operate
in. We also partner with leading institutions of the world Do you advise students on what to do and where to
to offer joint programmes, such as our collaboration with go after they have passed their exams
the University of Nottingham to offer a Master of Science Due to the fact that the vast majority of our students are
in Tourism and Travel Management. In addition to the executives and working professionals, we do not get many
broad range of publicly available masters, postgraduate requests for advice on what to do or where to go after
diploma and certificate programmes, we have also their studies. However, a career guidance facility is in place
developed a number of highly customised programmes for our students and alumni should they wish to avail the
for select corporate clients. By repackaging existing services at their disposal.
materials and adding new ones, we are able to create
What differentiates your programmes and
a unique customised learning experience for corporate
management style from others on offer?
and institutional clients. To date we have partnered with
At U21Global, e-learning is student-centered, flexible and
many leading private and public sector companies to
convenient. With the ease of online delivery, the emphasis
deliver customised executive education programmes to
in the educational process shifts from teaching to learning.
their employees. Some of these organisations include
Our graduate programmes draw upon the best practices
EmiratesNBD, Acer Middle East, Wipro, IBM, Tata Motors,
in online learning and focuses on learners and learning so
Citibank, Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), Indian
that each and every course (subject) specifies at the outset
Oil Corporation Ltd., and Aditya Birla Group, to name a
the learning outcomes that are expected and these are
few.
reinforced in each module so that the student continually
Where does the certification come from (US, UK, knows why they are learning and how each segment fits
Australia, Europe, India, UAE, etc) into the broader course and programme environment. Our
We benefit from international accreditation by one of web-based resources are easy to use and offer dynamic
the world’s foremost accrediting bodies, the European and innovative learning designs. Students can access
Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). Our our integrated library links to mine the vast resources of
MBA has been awarded their prestigious CEL award the Internet. We also make extensive use of online tools
which recognises the high quality of management courses such as blogs, wikis, discussion boards, webinars, and
at U21Global and affirms our school’s benchmark-setting instant messaging (to name but a few), that allow students
standards in pedagogy, assessment, student services to engage in a more thoughtful, reflective and continuing
and learning outcomes. Till date, only nine technology- sharing of ideas.
enhanced learning programmes in the world have met Our programme offers a global management education,
the quality levels to receive this accolade. Furthermore, with students from over 65 countries who are active
U21Global is an international member of the Association managers in those countries, studying together in a vibrant
to Advance Colleagiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and virtual classroom. It offers a dynamic online learning
is a founding member of the European-based, Global environment, facilitated by quality faculty, and ensures
Universities in Distance Education (GUIDE). stimulating interaction among students and with faculty
Last but surely not the least, we also benefit from the through active discussion of the topics covered. This
backing and support of our affiliate universities from environment fosters development of global management
North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. capabilities and management competencies suitable for the
global knowledge economy.
Is there a strict timetable for finishing the courses,
or can they be done at an individual’s own pace? Do you offer help and assistance to those who need
Our unique study approach enables a student to balance advice with the coursework – i.e. a mentoring role?
a busy work schedule, social activities and travel U21Global’s Student Care team is on call 24/7 to assist
with serious calibre programmes such as our Degree with students who may require assistance – whether it is
programmes. There is an overall deadline to a student’s technical support, academic counselling, career guidance,
tenure with us, for example, a student is not allowed or general inquiries.
more than five years to complete the MBA programme. Those who require further mentoring can request for
However, day-to-day participation and timing of attending special support by their professors who are always happy
to classes is completely up to the best discretion of the to offer additional academic aid to students who may
student and his/her availability. Having said this, it is also struggle with new concepts or teachings.
Pg 34-35 Education U21.indd 3 3/12/09 10:59:46‭ ‬AM

FASHION
Sunset catwalk is blended with poetic elegance, divergent matte and
gloss finishes, presenting a contrast in light and texture.
S
plash’s Spring-Summer A subtle sheen is emanated with ‘rubberised silk jersey’
2009 Fashion Show and ‘waxed baby lamb patina’ outerwear, while ‘linen
was a quintessence voile’ shirts and washed silk’ tailoring soften senses for
of classic-luxe, haute spring. Handmade paint prints, embellish ‘cotton linen
couture and chic ensembles. canvas’ waistcoats and ‘jersey’ t-shirts. Madra check
At sundown, as the lights tailoring in ‘cotton silk poplin’ is paired with ‘washed
came on, attention moved silk’ bow ties, evoking an eccentric modernity. Available
to the catwalk built on the at the store in Mall of the Emirates, Emirates Towers
pool at Old Town Palace Boulevard, and Harvey Nichols store in Dubai. In Abu
Hotel. The glittering fashion Dhabi, it is available in Rodeo Drive store on Khalifa
finish witnessed 26 male and Street and Marina Mall.
female models sashaying the
runway donning Splash’s
SS09 collection which are
Chic Chic pearls and diamonds
available until June 2009. Stefan Hafner, the Italian jewellery
Super-trendy, cool and house of extraordinary calibre, unveils
sexy; the pop flavour of the ‘80s was reignited to suit Chic Chic which combines the timeless
the fancy of bad girls and geeky boys. Bold and loud elegance of pearls with the dazzling
style statements personified the Trash-Glam-Punkette mystique of diamonds in white gold
look in mini-skirts, neon tights, cropped jackets and settings, offering earrings, necklaces,
shiny leggings. This finally gave way to stunning party pendants and rings. Its riveting drop
wear with bold prints, graphic tees, and colour printed earrings feature a very interesting
distressed denim. floral design where round, pear
and marquise shaped diamonds
Exclusive timepieces on the wrists cluster together to form a six-
petalled blossom, sprouting
of sports celebrities amidst a rich foliage of leaves,
from which drops a sequence of four pearls
Perrelet, a most distinguished brand of exclusive in gradually increasing sizes. Available at the
timepieces founded by master watchmaker Stefan Hafner Boutique in BurJuman Centre
Abraham-Louis Perrelet, has charmed top and at select Damas Les Exclusives Boutiques in
sportsmen of the world such as international Dubai.
footballer Christian Karembeu and tennis
stars the Bryan brothers. Flagship of the
Perrelet collections, this complication e- site for superior shopping
is equipped with the exclusive Perrelet
P-181 movement. It has two perfectly
experience
synchronised twin rotors, of which one Damas has recently launched an e-commerce site,
is placed on the dial, thus allowing an www.mydamas.com which is expected to provide
unimpeded view of the winding mechanism superior internet shopping experience to its customers
at all times for the wearer, resulting in a more and showcase its international and in-house watch and
efficient supply of energy. Available at Saks Fifth jewellery brands. Customers can select these items from a
Avenue - BurJuman Centre, Dubai Mall, Mall range of options and pay safely online
of the Emirates and select Damas Les Exclusives through the
Boutiques in Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain and Riyadh, Saudi Mashreq
Arabia. Bank
secure
Worldly sensitivity and payment
gateway.
masculine strength Presently,
the site
Z Zegna, the younger and more will allow
adventurous line of Ermenegildo delivery
Zegna, the men’s luxury fashion only within
brand has launched its Spring/ the UAE, but
Summer 2009 collection. Z is expected
Zegna is the urban reality of the to provide
modern man; it is a balance of international
worldly sensitivity and masculine shipping
strength. Soft structured tailoring shortly.
Fashion .indd 2 3/9/09 5:38:04‭ ‬PM

WELLNESS
The Spa
By Linda Benbow
P
ulling the thick voile curtains away
from the floor to ceiling windows,
I looked down onto a view of
modern designs in Old Town. A
lake (recently filled with water) sparkled
under a bridge, joining buildings of many
heights, walkways and Mediterranean colours. Hot weather treatment room with heated bench/table to lie on;
colours. The sandy yellows, browns, creams, oranges explained about aromatherapy massages and the Espa
and terracotta reds that is flourishing in Dubai. I was in range of products that is used here. Knowing the quality
the relaxation lounge at The Spa at The Address hotel at and prices of these products, sold in Harvey Nichols
Downtown Dubai, about midway up the building. and other premier outlets, helps you to relax even more,
Having turned left when exiting the lift and walked anticipating the luxurious oils, lotions and potions that will
down a darkish corridor with low lighting to the soon be making you feel like something special. And yes,
receptionist desk, I asked for the lighting to be raised so after an hour of gentle massage into muscles and joints, you
that I could read the medical form which had to be filled in do feel more energetic - or relaxed – depending on the oils
prior to treatment. you chose in the pre-treatment consultation.
After changing into the big, chunky dressing gown that The Spa has separate rooms, and differing treatments for
was provided, I inspected the steam room and then the men and women. Men can have a Thai massage, Swedish,
relaxation area with its leather loungers, magazines and reflexology, sports and fitness; and regenerating and firming
buffet table carrying an assortment of healthy drinks, cereal eye treatment. There is also a purifying facial, shoulder and
bar nibbles, fresh and dried fruit. scalp massage – all for under Dh500. Pay some more for
The Australian masseuse who led me to a darkened stress buster treatment or Executive Grooming.
Pg 37 Wellness.indd 1 3/10/09 12:07:17‭ ‬PM

HOME & GARDEN
Mall furniture
By Linda Benbow
Interior of the Armani/Casa store
T
he sight of black and white balloons festooned two ‘jewels for the
around a doorway on the third floor of The Dubai home’ created in
Mall caught my attenition. Armani colours. Sure limited editions of
enough, I had walked into the official opening only 50 pieces, each
of Armani/Casa (the Armani Group’s Home Furnishings one a unique item
division) which was opening its first dedicated store in of furniture bearing
Dubai. the unmistakable
The store has an area of 330 square metres with a long signature of Giorgio
curved window that gives total visibility of the interior. But Armani. Antoinette
why window shop when friendly salesmen encourage you is the highly original
to enter and feel and touch the many items on display. So dressing table,
I stepped in, looked around the kitchen display and sat on intended for a sensual
the leather chair. A jiggle around on the ‘Otto’ seat had my and sophisticated
aching body comfortably positioned against the bendable woman who loves to
chair back. Yes, it really does move backwards with you. pamper herself. This piece is defined by its cylindrical form
The various displays create a distinctive atmosphere clad in a precious fabric in a pale shade of champagne.
through a combination of products that range from furniture When open, it reveals its function as a dressing table with
and furnishings to accessories, décor and fabrics – for a mirror and surface, and has a drawer created in a special
both day and night zones – carefully selected for their material that resembles mother of pearl, while the seat with
compatibility in terms of shape, material and colour, all its curved back is in the same fabric as the dressing table
within a bright but softly lit environment. It also offers and integrates into the main unit.
an exclusive Adelchi, restrained and charismatic, is a desk in
interior design the modern style featuring a wealth of highly prized
‘Otto’ chair with bendable back service in each craftsmanship: the satin-finish glossy metal tiles selected for
store providing the surface are applied one by one to deliver an impact that
made-to-measure is both visually satisfying and opulent. Adelchi, intended for
solutions for a man who prioritises minimalism and purity of style, is a
private clients desk fit for a study, and is itself a showpiece of beauty that
and property forcefully evokes a mood of modern luxury.
developers. The accessories are worth browsing through; cushions,
In Dubai, bathroom accessories, kitchen things and home knick
Armani/Casa knacks – all with that distinctive Armani look and
is presenting atmosphere. In case you are interested, yes, I did buy
Pg 38-39 Home & Garden.indd 2 3/10/09 2:54:40‭ ‬PM

HOME & GARDEN
something – as a birthday gift for a friend.

Just a few days later, the sight of blue and white balloons
caught my eye on the third floor, near the waterfall end of
The Dubai Mall. This time I had walked into the opening
of a new Bose® outlet, the others being at the Mall of the
Emirates, Wafi, Mercato, Deira, Dubai Festival City and
Marina Mall in Abu Dhabi.
This latest outlet in Dubai Mall is typical of Bose
retail design and décor and stocks its full range of home
entertainment systems and products. Friendly assistants
walked and talked me through the range of eye-opening
electronics. There was no need for the men in the family
to persuade me to buy, I was hooked from the moment I Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, Forbes, Terim, Ufesa, Vestfrost,
saw the small speakers that can be plugged into your own Wolf Power and Zanussi. It also offers an extensive range of
television to recreate a surround-sound atmosphere in your personalised luxury kitchens from Siematic.
home. And now, Better Life is showcasing Grundig products
And what was that stepping stool doing there? Actually it once again, having been associated with the innovative
is a weather-proofed outdoor speaker in garden green, that German designers since 1962. After a six year gap of
can be placed on the lawn, among the plants, etc so that it relations during which Grundig reorganised its company,
is not conspicuous. sorted out its financial difficulties and re-emerged
The sign said ‘noise cancelling headphones’ which meant successfully in European markets during the past three
that I immediately wanted to test them out for myself. They years, the two businesses are happy to once again be
have been designed to cancel out droning and background working together.
noise so the assistant kindly put on a tape of the droning Innovation is what keeps driving the consumer
engine noise on a plane as I put the headphones on. Quiet. electronics market forward, and Grundig has always been at
Peace. That would help me to fall asleep quickly on long the forefront of this movement. It was the first company to
flights. The headphones fold up and flat for easier storage develop the 100hz technology for television and continues
in their carry bag too. to innovate. The latest range features superior imaging
The store has a separate with forward technology pictures and Grundig’s legendary
room in which the Bose sound. A range of premium LCD televisions will make up
True to Life audio visual the majority of
presentation has been Grundig products
installed for customers to available in Better
experience the features Life stores. The
of Lifestyle Home televisions have
Entertainment systems. motion picture
Bose Corporation was improvement
founded in 1964 by Dr. technology which
Amar G Bose, professor at prevents motion
the Massachusetts Institute blur and ensures
of Technology. Today the a striking, high-
company is primarily known resolution picture.
Headphones for its research in acoustics, The ‘24p Movie
which has produced Mode’ provides for
inventions that have improved the performance of: the ultimate in film
• Loudspeakers viewing with a replay
• Home entertainment systems of 24 images per second.
• Automotive sound systems designed for the interior The televisions range from the entry-level Vision 6 series
acoustics of each car model (first introduced by Bose) to the top-of-the-line Vision 9 series. The Vision 6 model is
• Noise reducing headsets for pilots and the public (first high-definition (HD) ready while series 7 to 9 offer full HD
introduced by Bose) resolution. A separate home theatre system is unnecessary
• Sound in public spaces as the televisions have top-quality sound thanks to 16
• A new approach for the production of sound for inbuilt conical speakers with three-dimensional sound
musicians requiring electronic amplification of their projection. The high-performance Konus speakers generate
instruments sound waves which reverberate off the walls of the room to
Have you been to the Better Life store in Mall of the create a true home-cinema feel.
Emirates to see the range of quality, and slightly different The televisions are supported by a variety of stylish
appliances they sell? Dishwashers in drawers, jumbo sized accessories including digital video broadcasting (DVB)
fridges and an assortment of cookers are among the white receivers, Blu-ray players and DVD players. And for
goods, and stainless steel goods, that are on display. The consumers that want to make their sound a fashionable
company – part of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group – is feature, the retro-style Audiorama spherical speakers have
a distributor of high-quality home appliances with an made a comeback and can be set up as floor standing or
exclusive portfolio of world-class brands including Siemens, suspended from the ceiling.
Pg 38-39 Home & Garden.indd 3 3/12/09 2:53:57‭ ‬PM

FOOD
Gourmet sampling
at Taste of Dubai
By E.T. Outt
H
aving enjoyed ambling crowds and sharing their expertise mousse with coffee soil served in
among the tents and in the Chefs Theatre and, new for a swirling mist. It is a food lover’s
stands at last year’s this year’s festival, the Spinneys paradise, where they can plan their
events, this year I am Cookery School where visitors Dubai dining for the next 12 months
determined to allow more time to can learn how to cook a dish, or in just one evening.
chat and discuss culinary matters learn a new culinary technique. The Marketplace is expanded
with everyone I can. Sales people, Each student will have his or her and visitors can try and buy even
visitors, fellow diners, chefs and own cooking station, utensils and more gourmet food, beverages
celebrity chefs – yes, they really do ingredients, giving everyone a real and see the latest must-have
attend the event and don’t mind ‘hands on’ experience under close culinary equipment. Plus the MMI
chatting to you. Gary Rhodes is both professional guidance. Beverage Theatre offers visitors
knowledgeable and amusing. James The event is held on the lawns the opportunity to enhance their
Martin has a shy look but talks ten of Dubai Media City’s amphitheatre knowledge of beverages with a
to the dozen. Vineet Bhatia enjoys a and park. Entrance tickets, varying wide-ranging programme of tutored
good joke. from Dh50-300, include Dellas, tastings from leading connoisseurs.
Taste of Dubai is a celebration of which are the official currency of Live music from the Bandstand adds
the best cuisine the city has to offer. Taste of Dubai, and are used to to the festival atmosphere featuring
Visitors can mingle with celebrity buy dishes from the restaurants and artistes and bands from Dubai’s best
chefs and like-minded foodies to beverages at the festival instead hotels.
sample over 60 signature dishes of money. All food is served in Commenting on Taste of Dubai
from 20 award winning restaurants, sample-sized containers to enable 2008, Gary Rhodes said: “I think
try and buy delicious food and tastings of many gourmet dishes. Taste of Dubai is absolutely fantastic.
beverages in the marketplace, and Visitors are spoilt for choice It’s a great thing – a culinary
watch chefs demonstrating their with starters ranging from Rhodes education.”
culinary skills in the Chefs’ Theatre. Mezzanine’s famous white tomato Victoria Crick, Taste of Dubai
Evening sessions 11-14th March 2009, soup or China Club’s dim sum Event Director, said: “We have
afternoon sessions 13-14th March. followed by Verre’s braised beef focused on giving our visitors an
International celebrity chefs such or Legends’ Turf and Surf with a even better experience in 2009, for
as Gary Rhodes, James Martin, difference – kangaroo meat! For example we have 50 per cent more
Vineet Bhatia, Osama El Sayed, dessert there is Indego’s chocolate restaurants than last year. Our Chefs
Richard Sandoval and Phillipe samosa, Le Classique’s delicious Theatre programme is revamped
Gavreau will be mingling with the crepes suzette or Tang’s chocolate adding new chef challenges, and
Pg 40-41 Food.indd 2 3/12/09 2:56:56‭ ‬PM

the Marketplace is more than double Garnish:
the size of last year with many new 200 grams fresh strawberries
companies keen to get involved. (washed, hulled, and quartered)
We’re currently developing a special Method:
area for children, a sushi lounge and Crème Chantilly: In a small
even more features. In overall terms electric mixing bowl, mix together
we are offering visitors a unique the icing sugar and cream. Split the
afternoon or evening’s entertainment vanilla pod and scrape the beans
with a focus on great value for into the bowl. Whip to soft peaks
money.” on medium to high speed.
• Tickets available via Strawberry Sauce: Place the
www.tasteofdubai09.com. berries and sugar in a small
• Taste Timings: saucepan on medium-low heat.
• Wednesday 11th March - Bring to boil and simmer gently
7.00 -11.30pm until the berries are soft. Mix with a
• Thursday 12th March - hand blender until it turns smooth
7.00 -11.30pm and cool.
• Friday 13th March Noon - Dried Meringue Pieces: Whip
5pm* 7.00–11.30pm the egg whites until foamy and add His Excellency Wolfgang Amadeus Bruelhart,
• Saturday 14th March Noon - the icing sugar. Continue whipping Ambassador of Switzerland to the UAE cuts the
ribbon which Badr Farha holds helpfully
5pm 7.00-11.30pm until the meringue has doubled
*Only soft beverages served at the in size and reached the stiff peak Entrecote Café de Paris
Friday afternoon session stage. Spoon the meringue into It’s not only the steaks you go for at
a piping bag. Keep a baking tray this inimitable franchise restaurant
Taste Restaurants include ready, lined with baking paper. Pipe from Geneva, Switzerland – it’s the
Almaz by Momo London; The Harvey the meringue into stripes on the sauce that accompanies it. A buttery,
Nichols Restaurant; Benjarong, length of the paper. Bake at 1000C light and flavourful, delicate taste
Dusit Thani Dubai; Café Chic; Le for approximately 40-60 minutes. To that has something more-ish in it. It
Meridien Dubai; Certo; Radisson test for dryness, remove a piece of definitely has that ‘je ne sais quoi’
SAS Hotel, Dubai Media City; Elia; meringue from the tray and leave element to it, and so it should, as it
Majestic Hotel Tower, Dubai; Empire, at room temperature. The meringue contains a secret ingredient that only
Monarch Hotel; Indego, Grosvenor should crumble in your fingers. one person knows.
House; Le Classique, Emirates Golf To Serve: Place 50g of the The sauce ‘café de Paris’
Club Dubai; Legends, Creek Golf strawberries, two large spoonfuls developed by Madame Boubier in
Club; Magnolia, Madinat Jumeirah; of the crème chantilly and two 1930 to accompany the faux fillet
Maya, Le Royal Meridien; Minato, large spoonfuls of strawberry sauce steak (entrecote) at her restaurant
Radisson SAS Hotel, Dubai Deira in a small bowl. Add a handful in Geneva, Switzerland, enabled her
Creek; Ottoman’s, Grosvenor House; of crushed dried meringue. Mix to launch an astonishing concept
Pisces, Madinat Jumeirah; Rhodes slightly and spoon onto the centre offering a single menu formula that
Mezzanine, Grosvenor House; of your plate. Drizzle strawberry gained immediate worldwide fame
Sukhothai, Le Meridien Dubai; and sauce over the top and garnish with and success. The ingredients of
Sumibaya, Radisson SAS Hotel, Dubai strawberries and large pieces of this amazing sauce are still a secret
Deira Creek. dried meringue. till today. Mr Francois Vouillamoz,
the current owner of the original
Strawberry Eton Mess Entrecote Café De Paris restaurant
Receipe provided by chefs at in Geneva, is the only person in the
Rivington Grill world who holds the secrets of this
Ingredients: sauce, as originated in 1930.
Crème Chantilly: You can now taste the original
400 grams whipping cream sauce flown specially from Geneva
40 grams icing sugar at a franchise restaurant in Dubai
1 EA vanilla pod located at Dubai Mall (The Waterfall
Strawberry Sauce: – LG). The restaurant is trendy and
200 grams frozen strawberries inviting, and has prime location
30 grams caster sugar at the base of the mall’s indoor
Dried Meringue Pieces: waterfall, complete with transparent
100 grams fresh egg whites splashproof protectors for nearby
150 grams icing sugar diners. Open from 10am until 11pm.
Pg 40-41 Food.indd 3 3/10/09 2:59:30‭ ‬PM

HOSPITALITY
Mother’s Day Special
I
t is Mother’s Day on the 21st of this month. Apart Atlantis, The Palm for mothers to create their own special
from regular gifts, you could also look at surprising day of favourites. Families can be transported into a
your beloved mother by taking advantage of some of dazzling, imaginative world exploring the 17 hectares
the special packages on offer at various hotels. The of water themed amusement at AQUAVENTURE, with
Burj Al Arab is offering a special package for this special unlimited complimentary access. Or they can uncover
occasion. For all the mums who have been going through The Lost Chambers, bringing the myth of Atlantis to
the grind day in and day out for their families, the life through a maze of underground tunnels offering
Assawan Spa at the Burj is offering an Around the World underwater views into the boulevards of the ruins of
massage. You get to chose from a variety of massages, Atlantis.
followed by a facial, manicure and pedicure. If that is not
what you are looking at, then there is also a 55-minute
Wellbeing Massage followed by an oil and salt scrub on Aquaventure
offer. What’s more, all through this day, the packages
include complimentary use of the spa facilities including The Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club is offering a fishing
sauna, steam, cold plunge pool and also the infinity pools or cruising experience on the creek on their deep-sea
overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The Radisson at Media City fishing yacht and their sports boat. So you can either get
too wants you to make the day special for your mother. on to Sneak Away which is a fully equipped 32ft deep-
They feel that the best way to thank her is to pamper her sea fishing yacht which can carry up to six passengers
with their ‘Senso Touch’ package. It comes with a body comfortably with the rates including tackle, bait, fuel and
polish followed by a Swedish massage and a facial. But if crew. Alternatively there is the 33ft sports boat Creek
the tummy is the way to please mummy, then Holiday Inn Breeze which can take you cruising either up and down
in Dubai will appeal to you. Five lucky mums will also the creek or up and down Dubai’s coastline. The rates on
get a chance for a luxury makeover by an internationally this boat also include crew and fuel and it can include six
renowned beauty expert. Gift certificates are available at passengers.
Pg 42-44 Hospitality.indd 2 3/12/09 2:58:39‭ ‬PM

Norooz celebrations
The Iranian New year Norooz is being celebrated in the
last week of this month, and hotels in the UAE have
made arrangements to mark the occasion. The Iranian
restaurant Shahrzad at the Hyatt Regency in Dubai is
offering a special Norooz menu from the 20th of this
month to April 1. To top it all, there is also live Iranian
music to recreate the ambience of the rebirth of nature
all across the world along with a variety of dishes to
choose from including fish kebab, rice cake with chicken,
egg and saffron and beef kebab marinated in olive oil
and yogurt. Even the Radisson SAS Hotel at the Dubai
Creek is marking the spirit of the Iranian New Year from
the 21st to 31st. On offer at Shabestan is a set menu of
traditional Iranian cuisine for lunch and dinner. This
apart, an illusionist especially flown in from Tehran will
keep guests entertained. There is also Sufi music with
performance by Dervishes to soothe the ambience.
Golfing around
The Coral Beach Resort at Sharjah is offering a package of relaxing is spending time with the family, then you can
with what they call an ‘in-built’ value. Guests can head use the Day Use Package where your family can spend
for a round of golf at the 18-hole course after a night at the afternoon in a four-bedroom villa while having lunch.
the resort. The package includes a buffet breakfast after Talking about Golf, how about a chance for all you
the golf session. Then there is also the Bull’s Eye option golf-lovers to try out the latest equipment in the game?
on offer for those willing to try out their shooting skills. Because the Dubai Creek Golf Academy is offering an
Paintball is available. This apart there is a fast-catching opportunity to come and try their equipment as part of its
target game also available. A two-hour ‘hunting’ will have Demo Evenings programme. There is one on March 4 and
you shooting at static and moving targets. But if your idea another on March 25.

HOSPITALITY
A foodie’s delight dishes from Legends Steakhouse menu

as sample sized tasters for all to try.
Food lovers you sure don’t want to
Le Classique, the French restaurant
miss all the special promotions for
at Emirates Golf Club is open
this month. The Dubai Creek and
again after being shut for extensive
Yacht Club will be at the Taste of
renovation for six months. A cause
Dubai being held at Dubai Media
for celebration is that, considering the
City’s amphitheatre from 11-14
recession, a four-course meal here
March, showcasing three signature
now comes at a lower price.
Enjoy weekends at Hyatt Regency
Dubai with the new weekend brunch
package for couples. This special
deal includes an overnight stay for
two, Friday brunch, including house
beverages for two, and three hours of
babysitting for your little one.
For beef-lovers, J W Marriot’s
Steakhouse is hosting a promotion
all through the month. You can choose from a variety of preparations,
including 7oz of fillet wagyu beef marinated in Arabica coffee, and pan
fried in cocoa butter with white asparagus sautéed.
International flavours come together at the Views restaurant at Le
Meridien Al Aqah in Fujairah. Diners can choose from the Italian festival
on Saturdays, Asian Breeze on Sundays, Tour de France on Mondays,
Locavores on Tuesdays, Mexicana on Wednesdays and Sea View on Fridays.
The Healthy Juice menu at the Radisson SAS in Dubai Media City
is for those busy
professionals who
need a mid-day
energy boost. There
is a wide variety
to choose from,
including guava
mania, fruit salad
daiquiri, passion
sensation, fuzzy
grape and grapefruit
fling.
There’s something
fishy at the
Radisson Creek.
Till the 20th of this
month, the hotel is
celebrating the 20th
birthday of its Fish
Market. There is a set menu, especially prepared for the occasion, and also
the chance to win a round trip to Hong Kong.
... On the other hand
Crowne Plaza has launched a brand new service, Personal Hotelier,
throughout Middle East and Africa. Guests staying in club rooms or on
the Crowne Club floor can now enjoy the undivided attention of a hotelier
dedicated to catering to their every need. This initiative provides guests
with one point of contact, one face, one name and one telephone number
to call prior to and during their stay at the hotel.
Premier Inn, that launched in Dubai in April 2008 with a hotel at
Dubai Investments Park, has responded to market trends by reducing their
daily room rate from Dh495 to Dh350. The price is guaranteed until the end
of September.

REVIEWS
The journey within

By Vanit Sethi
D
elhi 6 is to Old Delhi what Slumdog Millionaire suspicion take over the city.
is to Dharavi in Mumbai – a glimpse into the Roshan decides to go back to America along with his
soul of the grandmother, but suddenly
walled city, realises he cannot live
warts and all. It’s about without Bittu, and so he
the return of a second- stays back, trying to reason
generation native settled with all his neighbours to
abroad. His homecoming is live in peace and get rid of
chaotic and cathartic at the superstitions.
same time. The constant Abhishek and Sonam play
melee of people on the their parts well, but there is
streets, the community nothing outstanding about
performances of Hindu both of them in this film.
epics, kite flying on Rishi Kapoor as Ali Baig,
terraces, surreptitious who loses the love of his
chatter across gaps in walls life to Roshan’s father, did
of divided families, the easy a creditable job. Waheeda
intermingling of Hindus Rehman too is good, but
and Muslims in cramped Om Puri and Atul Kulkarni
spaces, the encroachment (as Gobar, the dimwit) were
of technology, the perhaps the best. Music by
stronghold of tradition, A.R. Rahman is nothing
the lure of Bollywood exceptional.
music contests, the menace Delhi 6 held out a lot of
of a ‘black monkey’ – a promise as the ‘homecoming’
metaphor for the evil theme usually does, but the
within, sowing seeds of film lacks a strong storyline.
suspicion, and the outbreak While the first half is more
of communal violence. of a docu-drama, the second
It is a constant parade of half goes into an overdrive of
images and an “assault on unravelling hidden hatreds
the senses” (as one traveller beneath the show of love and
described India). compassion. It shows us a
American-born Indian, mirror where we see our ugly
Roshan (Abhishek Bachchan) returns to India with his realities. But the message seems to be somehow lost despite
grandmother (Waheeda Rehman) as she wants to spend the lead actor Roshan stating it in no unambiguous terms.
the remaining days of her life in her beloved country and Compared to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s earlier film
among her people. At first, India – especially walled Delhi Rang de Basanti (2006) which became a cult movie of sorts,
– is a culture shock to him, but he begins liking the easy Delhi 6 pales out. Though the theme is rich in possibilities,
warmth and camaraderie despite a host of problems. He the film loses out because it has too many characters,
keeps bumping into Bittu (Sonam Kapoor), the daughter with none of them – including the lead actors – being
of his neighbour Om Puri. Both get drawn to each other clearly etched out. Though it is difficult to live up to earlier
without realising it. successes, Rakeysh could have added more punch to this
The first half of the movie is more like a documentary movie without diluting the message. There is an ‘x factor’
showcasing Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk with all the missing in this movie that RdB definitely had.
crazy life that goes on inside its walls and cramped spaces. But the best scene of the movie is a montage sequence
It is in the second half that the film picks up steam through over a song which merges New York and Old Delhi –
a ‘black monkey’ – somebody dressed as a primate with the Statue of Liberty within walled Delhi, NY cabs and
electronic gadgets strapped to his black furry suit, emitting rickshaws of Old Delhi hitting the same streets, and NY
blinking lights and creating havoc. In the film, it stands glamour rubbing shoulders with the raw energy of Old
for a metaphor – the darkness within. When the evil Delhi or Delhi 6. Worth one watch at least for the curious
within comes out, all love and understanding, reason and and crazy mix of characters, plus the ‘innocent, impish
peace flies out of the window, while hatred, violence and beauty’ of Sonam Kapoor.
UAE Digest,March 2009 45
Film Review.indd 1 3/10/09 9:56:37‭ ‬AM

ART
Themes of reality March 1st and run until the 15th.
The show is titled Expressions and
training in art, yet she paints with
precision and conviction and has
A
will include over 30 paintings in a enjoyed considerable success. Born
n overwhelming sense of range of styles-from expressionist in Delhi, she began painting at the
reality pervades Archie narratives to portraits, abstracts, age of seven. She moved to Dubai
Sharma’s paintings, she landscapes and animals. in 1980 and has been a senior
who has quietly dedicated Archie Sharma’s works have a executive with various organisations.
the past decade to her art – away raw personal intimacy which is Her work commitments did not
from the limelight, despite her busy rare in modern times. From her allow her enough time to pursue
schedule. Her first major exhibition drawings, she appears as a fearless her hobby. However, in 2001, she
will open at Coral Deira – Dubai on explorer of styles and techniques. embarked on a daring exploration of
Rather, her what was then thought irretrievably
paintings portray retrograde: realist paintings. She
the versatility rejected modernism and chose
of an illustrator instead to embrace realism and the
or artist who is depiction of everyday life.
driven to find Archie is not just a dedicated
new forms for realist painter but also a disciple
new feelings. of abstraction – sometimes, both
Art lovers in at once. Recently, she began
the UAE will experimenting with big strokes
discover a too. Her broad brush strokes
unique artist and their sudden shifts function
who enjoys independently of her subjects. All of
varied challenges which figure almost obsessively in
and experiences. her new paintings. At times, colours
Archie is are applied with brazen abandon.
a precocious From earthy palettes of reds, browns
talent having and yellows to more cheerful hues,
had no formal there is a lot of contrast.
When numbers recount tragic tales

Arqam – an exhibition in Dubai – will showcase Numbers have always been used to discover and reflect
Iraqi artist Sina Ata’s representation of escalating the truth. And when numbers are statistical records of deaths
deaths and human suffering in conflicts. in various conflicts, the human sufferings and devastation
associated with them, the effects are far more
profound! Sina Ata has put together a series
of paintings that goes beyond statistical
records and confronts the audience with a
banal repetition of deaths through numbers,
evoking a deep emotional response.
Sina’s exhibition, Arqam (which means
numbers in Arabic), will be held at
B_ASEMENT Gallery in Al Quoz until March
8, 2009.
The exhibition - including paintings,
video art and other objects - takes a closer
look at the statistics of deaths in Iraq,
Palestine and other parts of the globe.
The conceptual artworks incorporate the
numbers as small individual squares, each
marked with an ‘X’. In the artworks, Sina
randomly cuts the squares and tosses them
in irregular grid rows, some squares falling
off the lines, and off the canvas.
Also on show is Sina’s video ‘Arqam
in Candles’ – a telling tale of 200 candles
slowly blown out by an unidentified force,
against a soundtrack of names of men,
women and children.
Pg 46-47 Art.indd 2 3/12/09 3:00:14‭ ‬PM

ART
Lebanon’s young artist brings her latest collection to Dubai

It is not often that the art world is sent into a frenzy with an
up and coming artist, but since having her work exclusively
available at Art Sawa, Zena Assi is the current name on buyers
and collectors lips with her inimitable style proving to be
extremely popular among Dubai’s art lovers.
Assi chooses to completely fill her canvasses with
interwoven lines set against bold fields of colour abstractions.
It is this unique style that has proven so popular among the
region’s art lovers, not only in her solo exhibition in Beirut,
but also as a resident artist at Dubai’s Art Sawa, where she
has been regularly featured during the gallery’s collective
exhibitions.
Born in Tripoli, Assi now lives and works in Beirut where
she creates her nonpareil works of art. As a relatively new
artist, she held her first solo exhibition, Cité et Citadins (City
and Citizens) in Beirut last year. The show featured various
paintings in mixed media on canvas and introduced her
distinctive style of elongated melancholic figures and cluttered
cityscapes.
The exhibition, open until March 10, is held at Art Sawa in
Al Quoz. A converted warehouse of some 12,000 square feet,
it promises to provide the perfect backdrop for Zena Assi’s
latest creations.
Timeless magical jewels

Van Cleef & Arpels unveils for the first time in the region its
patrimony exhibition titled The Art of Magical Jewels at Art The Art of Magical Jewels displays photographs featuring
Dubai, between March 19 - 21 2009 at the Madinat Jumeirah glamorous divas from the stage and the screen such as
Convention Centre. Princess Grace Kelly
The legacy of this company began in 1906 when the founder
couple of the house, Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels, plus her
brother Charles, joined to open a boutique in the most elegant
area in Paris, Place Vendôme. It is the beginning of a family saga
and a lifelong obsession for beauty and quality.
Precious stones in a piece of jewellery with no visible setting is
a remarkable technique created by the company in 1933, patented
in 1934 and perfected ever since (the most recent patent, using
diamonds, was obtained in 1990). A masterpiece of virtuosity, a
piece of jewellery involving the Mystery Setting requires months
of work by the House’s most accomplished jewellers, known in
the Van Cleef & Arpels ateliers as the “Grandes Mains” (great
hands).
The exhibition will reveal every aspect of this sparkling
journey through seven different themes: History, Nature, Couture,
Celebrities, Eclectism, Workshop & Mystery setting and the World
of Ballet, revealing one of its latest high-jewellery collection
Ballet Précieux.
The jewelled story is also that of the many unique women, be
they famous or not, who have worn its creations. The house has
often been associated with historic events such as coronations, or
famous love stories such as engagements or weddings. The most
celebrated actresses of the stage or screen, the most adored divas
have all coveted Van Cleef & Arpels.
This exhibition unveils some of the workshop’s best kept
secrets of creativity, thanks to the exceptional presence of a
jeweller and a designer from the original workshop in Paris who
will perform live and will be at the disposition of exclusive clients
who would like to place special orders.
Pg 46-47 Art.indd 3 3/10/09 3:01:04‭ ‬PM

AUTOS
Pajero’s sporty drive in the sand

By Linda Benbow
Prices start from Dh90,000.
D
on’t get me wrong, I’m not an activist or slope that had to be descended. The car handled it
feminist or anything like that, but when I was easily, and so did I.
asked to drive through the desert sand my first Whooping with delight I steered towards the artificial
thoughts were “but that’s what the men in the pool and wadi terrain imaging myself taking passengers
family do. I’m usually just a passenger.” Well this was through the Hajjar mountains. The high suspension and
a chance to put all that back-seat driving advice into use large wheels would ensure that no rocks or boulders
so I hopped into the front seat of the nice looking Pajero would stop me!
Sport SUV, slipped the gear lever into ‘D’ for Drive, and After producing one of the world’s most sought after
set off along the purpose built adventurous track that Al sports utility vehicle that has been a long standing
Habtoor Motors had constructed in Jebel Ali. winner in some of the world’s most gruelling rallies like
What an exciting roller-coaster ride! Over the the Dakar and the Italian Baja, Mitsubishi has added the
scrubland, tight turn to the left through the soft sand sleek Pajero Sport to its list of SUVs. This one promises
which was made easy as the car has a turning circle of a rugged, no-nonsense driving enjoyment on all kinds of
5.6 metres. paved and unpaved terrain.
A sharp turn on the gravel wasteland and head If the Pajero can be thought of as the lion, king of
towards the steel enforced hill built to resemble a very the jungle, then the Pajero Sport holds the position of
high dune. Put my foot on the pedal and kept it there the speedy and efficient cheetah. The high suspension
while the spacious and comfortable SUV easily climbed and large wheels give it an edge when covering rough
the approx. 280 gradient. The view from the top was off-road terrain, while the attractive form, seamless
enlightening, especially when I saw the equally steep construction,
extensive
styling and
amenities
make it
stand out
when driving
downtown as
well.
Pg 48-51 Autos.indd 2 3/10/09 12:17:35‭ ‬PM

T he tinkling sound of water
cascading into the lower
ground floor outside the
windows of the Toyota showroom
at Dubai Festival City (follow the
signs towards Khor Al Marsa and
then follow the road round into the
Auto Showrooms area) mellows
your senses and slows your step. A
relaxing sound like that requires a
slower pace and restful mind.
Then came the shock of a very
large vehicle hidden by a very large
silky cover, pulled the covers off
the vehicle to much clapping and
wonder. Both men work at the
nearby Intercontinental Hotel at
Festival City.
At the launch was Motoharu
Araya, the Chief Engineer from
the Toyota Vehicle Development
Centre in Japan, who led the team
responsible for the development of
the New Sequoia. Motoharu Araya
explained that he and his team had New Sequoia
Toyota’s biggest SUV
conducted extensive research in the
large US and Middle East markets
on the needs of SUV owners. This
consumer research showed that
there is a large and growing group By Raymond Seeng
of SUV owners with larger families,
who use their vehicle predominantly
for on-road journeys in the city, and in its class, with an exceptionally Consideration for the environment
between cities. These families want versatile interior that can be easily re- was an important priority in the
a full-size City SUV that is spacious organised to meet different travelling Sequoia’s development. Lead-free and
and comfortable, with a versatile requirements. easily recyclable materials have been
and useful interior, responsive The Sequoia also has a powered used throughout. And although it has
performance and handling, and tailgate window to allow easy access a large engine, it delivers high fuel
superior occupant safety. The car has to the luggage space without having efficiency and low emissions.
been designed to meet and exceed to open the tailgate in confined The well–equipped Sequoia is
these expectations. spaces. A boon to mothers doing the available in three models - the SR5,
The New Sequoia is named after school run, coping with a number Limited and Platinum, with 8 and 7
one of the largest trees in the world, of assorted bags and class projects, seat models, with prices starting at
reflecting it’s size, strength, durability stopping at the shops to buy fresh Dh149,000.
and imposing presence. groceries and having to cart all that Simon Frith, the Managing Director
The Chief Engineer explained – plus the children – to a variety of Al-Futtaim Motors commented:
that the key words underlying the of homes. No more trying to lift “While the global economic downturn
SUV’s development concept were the boot (or opening it wide) when has had a significant impact on the
Strong and Comfortable. To meet parked too near to another vehicle. automotive sector in the UAE, there
the key requirement of space for The functional interior has a is still consumer demand for new
up to eight people, it has both the wealth of storage compartments vehicles. Although the last three
longest and widest interior space in for cups and bottles, and the front months have been challenging, I
its class, providing an exceptionally console can store and charge a lap- am very pleased to report that our
comfortable and relaxing space for top computer. Toyota sales in 2008 were 23 per cent
all passengers. Efficient packaging Despite its large body size and higher than in 2007. The introduction
and design ensure ample seating, long wheelbase, the Sequoia is very of the New Sequoia will enable us
knee, leg and head-room so that responsive and easy to handle. to provide even more choice to UAE
even 190cm tall passengers can sit It has a class-leading minimum motorists. It is the first of several
comfortably in every seat. It also has turning radius of 5.9 metres, for easy new vehicles that we will launch this
the largest cargo-carrying capacity manoeuvrability and parking. year.”
Pg 48-51 Autos.indd 3 3/12/09 3:02:11‭ ‬PM

AUTOS
VW Tiguan finds its own parking spot

By Raymond Seeng
‘
A parking spot, I had to find
a parking spot soon, the
meeting was due to start in a
few minutes time. Wait, there was
one, but it looked a bit small, maybe
SUV in the world to be offered
exclusively with charged engines.
Forget buying tom-toms, pom-
poms and suchlike – this car has
an inbuilt navigation system for the
with maximum entry angle of 18
degrees.
They leave tough off-road duty to
the Tiguan Track & Field which was
designed especially for life outside
I should just drive around and find UAE. Streets are shown clearly on the paved trails. This adventure-
another gap? But wait, what was the big screen and when off-road, friendly version has a more extreme
I doing? I was driving a Tiguan, this latest radio-navigation system entry angle of 28 degrees in front.
Volkswagen’s first compact Sports (RNS 510) leads its occupants back The lower bumper area and engine
Utility Vehicle (SUV) which has a to civilisation using its off-road underbody protection therefore
Park Assist facility. Press the button function. exhibit a very steep angular
and let the car work out whether it The touch screen also acts as a profile. This is precisely why the
can safely fit into a parking space. mini processor with information vehicle can climb a ramp or level
The screen built into the dashboard available on tourist landmarks, embankment up to the specified 28
will keep you informed. weather and other helpful degrees without the front end of the
Drive slowly past a space; let information such as the view from Tiguan contacting this ramp when
the car and all its radars, cameras the various cameras built into the approaching from the horizontal.
and computer do its calculations; car. At all five seating positions
keep your foot hovering over the Looking at the front end of the on board the Tiguan occupants
brake pedal and take your hands car, this is a typical, trusted, friendly are equally comfortable in the
off the wheel while the car reverses Volkswagen. However, everything contoured seats. The rear bench
itself, backwards and forwards into is new, everything is different. The can be adjusted in the longitudinal
the space and parks itself neatly headlights are distinctive; they form direction and has an asymmetrically
without touching kerbs or bumpers. an integral unit with the grille and split folding section which can
Marvellous. Just the thing for those bumper. The engine hood is cut allow objects up to 2.5 metres in
that find reversing a little tricky and into the contour of the headlamps. length to fit inside the Tiguan.
not as easy as it should be. Shaped to be broad and powerful is The two-litre direct injection
Volkswagen Middle East recently the bumper beneath the headlamps, turbocharged engine accelerates
launched the Tiguan, which had and on the sides the fog lamps in the vehicle to 100 km/h in just 8.2
previously been introduced as a their distinctive frame complete seconds. Its top speed is 200 km/h.
concept car in Los Angeles. This this image. For the first time in the On average, it consumes 9.1 litres of
‘small brother’ of the Touareg can be SUV segment, buyers can choose fuel per 100 kilometres.
recommended to all those who enjoy from two different front ends. The
the individual visual appearance equipment version Sport & Style Tiguan is a combination of
and versatility of an SUV, but also was designed specifically for mostly German words Tiger (‘tiger’)
expect a premium level of comfort on-road duty. It reflects precisely and Leguan (‘iguana’).
and agility. The Tiguan is the first this goal in its classic front-end
Pg 48-51 Autos.indd 4 3/10/09 3:02:34‭ ‬PM

AUTOS
Responsible competitiveness
Carlos Ghosn, CEO/Director/President of Nissan Motor Company Limited
‘‘
and Renault SA, recently gave a speech at the Global Competitiveness
Forum explaining Nissan’s views on responsible competitiveness in a
rapidly changing world.
people inside Nissan.
M r Ghosn explained: ‘‘I think we

all agree that the environment
in which we operate – the global
Another lesson was the strategic
logic of globalisation. By this, I
am referring to the competitive
economy – is rapidly changing. We strength we gained through the
are in the midst of a financial and Renault-Nissan Alliance, which will
economic crisis, and, unfortunately, recognise its 10th anniversary in
have no guide book to help us March. In a global marketplace,
through it. the alliance serves as a strategic
The contraction in consumer tool to improve the performance
spending and slower growth and competitiveness of both Carlos Ghosn
is reflected in drops in real companies. We gain capital
gross domestic product growth. efficiency by sharing development your industry, if necessary. As
Developed countries are dragging and investment costs. For example, the president of ACEA (European
the emerging economies with them Renault takes the lead in developing Automobile Manufacturers’
as trade finance dries up. We may diesel engines, Nissan leads on Association), part of my current
not like this new reality, but we have gasoline engines; and each has responsibility is to collaborate with
no choice but to manage through access to the others’ technology and competitors to clarify, in good
it with a high level of caution and products. Our alliance provides faith, the effects of the crisis on our
lucidity. In practical terms, that a global framework for sharing industry.
means optimising profit and free components… for sharing know- It means protecting the
cash flow as much as we can in a how… for increasing the scale and environment – not just because it’s
recessive market while, at the same scope of our purchasing power. the right thing to do, but because
time, maintaining an adequate level I believe the basis of every customers expect companies to
of investments to fund our core commercial interaction can be practice good stewardship and to
business. summed up in one word: trust. For advance ‘greener’ technologies. The
History has shown that in times companies, a good reputation is Renault-Nissan Alliance is committed
of financial crisis, the likelihood for both a source of tangible value and to the development of zero-emission
industry consolidations increases. a reservoir of goodwill that could vehicles. Electric cars can help to
We have already seen this occur in be tapped if a company ever faces address the balance between the
other industries, and the same will a time of trouble. When corporate demand for more mobility and the
happen in the auto industry. For reputation is damaged or the trust need for a cleaner planet. We will
Nissan, the current crisis scenario of stakeholders is lost – through deliver our first all-electric cars in
brings a sense of déjà vu. Though unsafe products or shady business 2010, and will mass market them
the circumstances are dramatically dealings or fiscal irresponsibility or globally in 2012.
different, Nissan was in turmoil unethical behaviour – it can push a Currently, automotive
during the 1990s. Back then, the
crisis was largely based on problems
within our scope of control. Today,
however, it is mainly due to external
issues beyond anyone’s control.
Even so – speaking from my own
experience – managing through the
crisis of the 1990s reinforced some
lessons that are still valid today.
Times of crisis require clarity of
vision. In the early days of Nissan’s
revival, I recall that one of my
colleagues made a very insightful
comment. He said my biggest task
company on a downward spiral to
oblivion.
Reputation is important. Actions
have consequences. If a company
is serious about building trust and
a sustainable future, it will not
only follow the current rules and
requirements – it may go beyond
what is expected.
Sustainable business means
embracing diversity – not just to
follow regulations, but to reflect the
diversity of your customer base. It
means communicating with your
transportation is 99 per cent
dependent on petroleum-derived
we could reserve petroleum to be

‘‘
fuel, and 53 per cent of the world’s
annual oil consumption is used for
transportation. By finding other
options for powering vehicles,
used for important products, from

medicines to plastics to synthetic
fibres.
We know crises always come
to an end. If we use this time to
become leaner, more focused and
innovative, we may emerge stronger
was not to restructure Nissan. It stakeholders with transparency on the other side. The future will
was to restructure the minds of the – or serving as an advocate for belong to those who fight for it.
Pg 48-51 Autos.indd 5 3/10/09 12:17:39‭ ‬PM

SPORTS
Driving dreams
B
arry Hope is a silver haired bitterly at the furious engine roars hurts - while scoring. Barry main-
Santa Claus specialising in from the ‘drome. tains that the racetrack is the safest
delivering dreams to grown They find their way to the tracks road in Dubai, though. Here, he
men with lots of money. to wrench the kickback into their says, drivers develop skill, focus,
His North Pole is Dubai Autodrome, lives; the excitement of the extraor- concentration, precision, smooth-
his sleigh is a monster truck that dinary, the gut-wrenching; and they ness, awareness and discipline,
takes six Radical cars to and from are doing it: UAE Digest is invited especially the young ones:
racetracks; his wife and kids plus to ride with Carl Rolaston, a 40+ “Kids who learn how to race are
five other British motor heads are his businessman with his own logistics better drivers,” he says, “It’s the best
elfs, and they’re all in the business of company who’s been driving for family thing anyone can do!”
making dreams come true: about a year. “I’m slow!” he cau- The cars are fitted with cameras
“These guys never thought they’d tions before he hits the first curve, for instant, accurate feedback and
experience this. To race was a hard. The ride is a near-death expe- Barry or any of his crew will sit
dream. It is life changing for some of rience, enhanced by the realisation down with the drivers after the prac-
them.” that if one throws up, the helmet’s tice drives and discuss: “We hold
The ‘guys’ are what Barry calls visor will throw it right back down. their hands and train them,” says
gentleman drivers; accomplished “The Radical does 3Gs in the Barry with a smile.
businessmen in their 30s, 40s and curves,” says Barry, as means of A Radical sports racing car, which
50s (though some are younger – explanation, “An ordinary fast car only FIA licenced drivers can race,
teenagers), successful but no longer does 1G.” costs anywhere from Dh300,000 -
thrilled; moneyed but left unchal- It’s exhilarating and liberat- 600,000. Another Dh150,000 covers
lenged. They come through the ing, and that’s just riding shotgun, the costs to do a full race season.
has-been desert, on pre-crises road staying out of Carl’s way. To drive; Barry and his team organise the
projects, heading towards Arabian to wait as long as possible before Gulf Radical Cup - a race series
Ranches and the suspended-until-lat- braking for the curve, stand the with separate classes for the 252bhp
er Dubailiand; meandering through car right and then accelerate, using Radical SR3 and the 380bhp V8 en-
a building site that obscures every- every metre of blacktop and every gined Radical SR8 with an invitation
thing except the apartment buildings, inch of rubber to get ahead; must class for Caterham sports cars.
whose future tenants will complain be like kicking death where it really ”There’s a race on every other
Pg 52-53 Sports.indd 2 3/10/09 12:18:50‭ ‬PM

SPORTS
been a dyed-in- regularly; have done the Dubai

the-wool rabid Autodrome Race School about eight
car nut since I times; do track days quite frequently
was about six and go-karting now and then. I did
years old,” says the DAMC Sprint Challenge this past
Ryan, “but it summer as well - some pretty good
took a while to results there.”
get into proper Racing gives Ryan an opportunity
competition.” to spend quality time with his car,
‘A while’ a 2006 Mitsubishi Evolution 9 with
included twelve lots of bells and whistles on it, and
years to get a meet some nice people at the same
driving licence, time. But it’s the racing that makes
another six to him tick.
get a proper car “It’s not only the speed but also
(at age 24 – he’s the controlling and mastering the car;
30 now), fool as well as pushing your own limits.
around danger- There’s nothing like competing, re-
ously for a while ally - huge adrenaline rush. At the
week from October through April; and then finding Dubai Autodrome same time it’s relaxing - just you, the
two-day events.” Motorsport Club (DAMC) four years track and the car.
An ambulance and a fire truck ago, for some real, rewarding – and When Ryan’s not on the track,
are on standby, for any worst case responsible - action: “Only in a truly he’s in front of his screen, managing
scenario. Barry is meticulous about safe environment can you begin to web projects for Du, or in a sheesha
safety: “They’re putting their lives in test and develop your skills. Playing bar, enjoying a mu’assal. And that’s
my hands!” on the streets is reckless, dangerous pretty much it; the hobby eats the
Barry’s company, Gulf Sport Rac- and basically doesn’t count,” says rest, time- and money wise.
ing, LLC, www.Gulf-Sport.com does Ryan, and since he no longer plays “I spend far too much really! I’d
anything and everything race related. on the streets, he double-checks his bet that all racers would say the
Check them out! Come cheer for the racing calendar before he commits same thing. The investment depends
boys at the Dubai Autodrome! Cough to doing anything. He’s track-bound on what type of competition you’re
up some money and you too can and loving it. in and what your goals are: Some
kick death hard. “I started out doing guys spend hundreds of thousands, I
some EMSF Auto- spent tens of thousands last year.”
Track-bound cross races and I’ve Ryan isn’t looking to leave his day
Ryan Copeland is been doing autocross job or join the big races; he’s happy
Canadian by birth, ever since; now I’m doing what he’s doing - Autocross,
Dubaian by life and often around the top Karting and Trackdays: “It’s a great
car fanatic by genetic 5. I race in the DAMC crowd, great fun and relatively easy
composition: “I’ve Redline Challenge on the wallet.”
Pg 52-53 Sports.indd 3 3/10/09 12:18:52‭ ‬PM

SPORTS
Sporting activities
By Peter Potter
What a lot of sports there are to enjoy in this hot and sunny country this month. The end of
winter sees the barometer heading upwards – it’s the finals for some sports, i.e. horse racing
season, and the start of hot weather activities, i.e. boat shows in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
and the current and yachts from around the world.

IRB Sevens World Despite the widespread slowdown
Series leaders across many industries, the show
South Africa going will debut four superyachts and
head to head with over ten exclusive regional pre-
teams from afar mieres from world-class companies
afield as Uruguay, such as AMELS, Burger Boats, Emir-
Tonga and Japan. ates Yachting, Gulf Craft, Platinum
Among the Yachts, Sunseeker, and Western
women’s teams Marine.
will be tourna- As the consumer buying behav-
ment favourites iour adjusts in response to a chang-
England, New ing economic climate, international
Zealand, Australia boat suppliers will be offering prod-
and Canada, while ucts, packages and deals that are
aiming to make attractive and creative.
their mark on the Even non-marine luxury brands
world stage at the are seeking premium associations
inaugural Rugby with the Dubai Boat Show to lever-
World Cup Sevens age on its prestigious market con-
T
for women will be nectivity and exclusive access to the
he first weekend in March the likes of Uganda, affluent consumers in the region.
sees the Rugby World Cup Brazil and Thailand. Aston Martin, Damas, Lamborghini,
Sevens in Dubai for the The first week in March sees Range Rover and Tiffany will be
first time with 24 men’s and the 17th edition of the Dubai participating in the show.
16 women’s teams battling it out for International Boat Show at the The current construction of
the glory of being crowned world Dubai International Marine Club, marina projects across the region
champions, a prize that is only avail- Mina Seyahi from March 3-7th. The will see the opening of up to 30,000
able once every four years. Dubai Dubai Boat Show sets the momen- berth spaces and an additional 1,500
won the right to host the event by tum for a week
staving off some tough competition of excitement Dubai International Boat Show rises above economic challenges
from Australia, The Netherlands, as the leisure to present five major global launches and 22 regional premieres.
Russia and the USA and proved in boating frater-
November last year that it is a city nity focuses on
for the big occasion – with world the unveiling
record crowds packing into Emirates’ of at least five
purpose-built venue, The Sevens, for major global
the annual Emirates Airline Dubai launches and
Rugby Sevens. 22 regional
Fans will enjoy watching Sevens premiers of the
powerhouses New Zealand, defend- most spec-
ing men’s champions Fiji, England tacular boats
Pg 54-57 Sports-4 pgs.indd 2 3/10/09 12:20:39‭ ‬PM

SPORTS
kilometres of coastline over the next the region, whether for personal or clubs, luxury hotels and luxury retail,
five years. charter use. all surrounded by a world-class
Held alongside the Dubai Boat That is rapidly changing, howev- Formula One racetrack. Promising
Show is the Dive Middle East Exhibi- er, with billions of investment dollars never a dull moment, the island is
tion (DMEX) showcasing the very being sunk into the region’s marine sure to attract the world’s elite and
latest in diving equipment, supplies, industry. Along the Arabian Gulf, elicit envy from every corner of the
services and techniques. Comple- and Abu Dhabi, in particular, a fas- globe.
mented by live diving demonstra- cinating series of marinas are taking In an effort to target yacht en-
tions, the show will host a series of shape forging the way towards the thusiasts, The Abu Dhabi National
presentations on the latest dive gear, UAE’s capital becoming a charter’s Exhibition Centre (Adnec), with the
training programmes and projects paradise. Abu Dhabi, which is the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the
taking place around the region. largest emirate of the seven sheikh- headline sponsor, will host the up-
doms that make up the UAE, is the coming ‘invitation only’ Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi : The world’s world’s richest city, according to Yacht Show 2009 on March 12-14.
new Super Yacht CNN’s Fortune magazine. It will be the first yacht show in the
destination “With over 200 natural islands and region dedicated to super and mega
Owning a super yacht is more com- more than 700 kilometres of coast- yachts, and Adnec has commenced
plicated than one might think. Along line, few places in the world are dredging a 2.4 kilometre marina zone
with finding a qualified, dedicated as blessed with natural waterfront – featuring a 350 metre quay wall,
crew to operate one, there is also the as Abu Dhabi,” explains His Excel- suitable for stern mooring of over 20
question of where to put the yacht lency Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al yachts - to cater to the 30-100 metre
when not at sea. In the UAE, until Nayhan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi luxury yachts that will be on exhibit.
recently, acquiring a berth for super Tourism Authority. “Our coastline Gulf Bike Expo 2009 will take
yachts was limited to the number and abundant islands offer endless place at Dubai Festival City from
of marinas that could accommodate exploration and sporting options.” 19th to 21st March. The event will
large yachts that are 30 metres or Working to build a brighter future thrill bikers and enthusiasts in the
bigger. Owners of super yachts dock for the emirate’s yachting industry, Middle East with a complete action-
them where they would like to vaca- Aldar Marinas, a subsidiary of Aldar packed biking experience. Gulf Bike
tion; for the high net worth individu- Properties, has identified 16 marine Expo, the largest of its kind is set to
als enticed by the rapidly developing projects in Abu Dhabi, the most im- showcase the latest in bikes, ATVs,
cities and intriguing coastlines of the pressive of which is Yas Island. Oc- apparel, accessories, custom-de-
UAE, Kuwait and Oman - destina- cupying a total area of 10,000 square signed bikes and motorcycle-related
tions that offer a mix of exotic Arabia metres, the development will feature products from all major interna-
and 21st century modernism – there an awe-inspiring and futuristic mega tional brands from Europe, the USA,
simply were not enough berths to go yacht marina, along with a Fer- Canada, Italy and Japan.
around to keep their large yachts in rari theme park, a water park, polo Visitors will not only be able to

SPORTS
see a superb range of bikes and

products, but will enjoy a complete
festival atmosphere with profession-
al stuntmen demonstrating extreme
jaw-dropping manoeuvres, putting
on a spectacular show of skill and
precision. Bikers from around the
region will have the opportunity
to participate in the freestyle bike
demonstrations.
A purpose-built marquee will
display over hundreds of bikes,
clothing lines and accessories with
daily fashion shows scheduled from
participating fashion brands. An tions will target visitors at the show World Cup and FIM Cross-Country
entertainment area includes outdoor with prizes that include bike cloth- Rallies World Championship switch-
bars, dining and barbecue areas and ing and accessories. ing to the start of the motor sporting
is built with two live music stages Round one of the 2009 FIA season with the full backing of
which will be managed by Live Na- World Cup and FIM Cross-Country the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
tion and they will feature local and Rallies World Cup, the Abu Dhabi (ADTA) as the title sponsor for the
international bands and DJs who will Desert Challenge will take place first time.
be spinning the latest tunes revving for the first time on March 20-27, The Abu Dhabi Desert Chal-
up the crowd. Scorpion Customs Abu Dhabi, can become the motor lenge, a natural evolution of the
frontman, stuntman, and celebrated sport hub of Asia, according to the 18-year-old UAE Desert Challenge,
disc jockey; DJ GQ, will take to region’s captain of motor racing, is open to competitors driving cars
the stage to perform tunes from his 14-times Middle East rally cham- and trucks complying with FIA T1,
remixes. Movie enthusiasts will enjoy pion, Mohammed ben Sulayem. T2 and T4 technical regulations and
an in-show cinema, showing the best He said that this month’s challenge motorcyclists and quads running
of bike movies throughout the day, will begin a new era in Middle East under FIM auspices.
and the event will also feature the sport, with November’s Formula 1 The 2009 Dubai World Cup will
highly successful Dubai Bike Week Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand be held on Saturday, March 28. The
in cooperation with Harley David- Prix inaugural event in the UAE also world’s richest day’s racing will be
son. scheduled in Abu Dhabi at a pur- the highlight of 46 race meetings
Bike fanatics will have an oppor- pose-built F1 track on Yas Island. this season, hosted by three racing
tunity to admire the works of master Ben Sulayem noted that this clubs of the United Arab Emirates;
bike customisers on modified and year’s cross country event will see the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club,
transformed bikes. On-site competi- the traditional final round of the FIA Dubai Racing Club and Jebel Ali
Racecourse.
The 2009
Curlin, 2008 winner of the Dubai World Cup $6,000,000 Group 1
Dubai World Cup,
sponsored by Emir-
ates Airline, to be run
on March 28, holds
special significance as
it will be the 14th and
final renewal staged
at Nad Al Sheba race-
course before racing
is moved to Meydan
in 2010. Reflective
of the overwhelming
generosity of the UAE
and embodying the
warmth of traditional
Arabian hospitality,
contenders for the
purses are flown in

SPORTS
from all corners of the world and their posts as head coaches at the
horsemen enjoy generous travel International Cricket Council (ICC)
subsidies for their support of racing Global Cricket Academy, based at
in the UAE. Dubai Sports City, and are starting to
With a purse of $6 million to develop the accredited programmes
the winner, this year sees the 14th to help improve the game both in
running of the richest horse race in the UAE and among the other 103
the world. Classified as a ‘Group 1 ICC member-countries.
Flat Race’ on dirt for four-year-old Hadlee and Nazar, have joined
thoroughbreds and above, the Dubai the ICC Global Cricket Academy’s
World Cup spans a distance of two director of coaching, Rod Marsh,
kilometres. to help train and develop the best
Following the incredible number talent in world cricket. All three
of entries to last year’s BurJuman coaches will also work with inter-
Style Stakes competitions, we’re national teams and local players to
expecting the fiercely contested improve the standard of the sport
Dayle Hadlee, Rod Marsh and Mudassar Nazar
across the United
Models at the Oasis Fashion Show, Wafi, Arab Emirates. of new players signing up. The
wearing hats destined for the races Programmes are standard of play has, as a result,
being designed for been raised even higher with com-
schools and grass- petitive spirits rising to the challenge.
roots development ADNL has selected three teams
as well as bespoke comprising the emirate’s top players
training camps to represent Abu Dhabi at the Inter-
for international gulf Championships in Bahrain on
sides and coaching March 13-14. The championships,
education courses to acknowledged as the Gulf’s premier
make the ICC Global netball competition, attract teams
Cricket Academy a from countries all across the region
centre of excellence, including Oman, Bahrain, the United
innovation and Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and
education for world Saudi Arabia. Abu Dhabi has a for-
cricket. midable record in the event, having
The ICC Global been overall winner on four separate
Cricket Academy will occasions and coming runners up in
also have wickets The 2008 Championship Cup and In-
that replicate playing vitational Trophy. This year will also
2009 Dubai World Cup ‘Best Dressed conditions across the world. Soil mark the first appearance of an Abu
Lady’, ‘Best Dressed Couple’ and from Australia, England and Paki- Dhabi men’s team at the event.
‘Best Hat’ competitions to attract stan is being
even more contestants, as Dubai’s in- imported to
creasingly style-conscious racegoers offer the variety
battle it out for the fantastic prizes of wickets found
on offer. in different
countries.
24-hour kart racing The Abu
The first round of the 2009 Nivea For Dhabi Net-
Endurance Challenge will take place ball League
on March 27 & 28 at Dubai Kart- (ADNL), one
drome, part of the Dubai Autodrome of the capital’s
complex. Spectators are encouraged oldest sports
to cheer the relay teams of drivers clubs, contin-
who will soldier on throughout the ued to grow
day and night. Entrance is free, as it from strength to
is to all events at the autodrome. strength during
World-class coaches and former the 2008/09
Test cricketers Dayle Hadlee and season, with a
Mudassar Nazar have taken up record number
Abu Dhabi netball

TRAVEL
India
on the move
Young, energetic and dynamic, India,
The Gateway of India, Mumbai pulsates with a youthful energy that
infects you instantly
By Sankaranarayanan
Magic of Mumbai that start work inside local trains -

that form the heartland of Mumbai’s
shops and small enterprise. On the
other end are sprawling malls that
V
isiting Mumbai after a gap of working classes. Or the dabbawalas stack a host of world class brands.
5 years renewed my sense of who deliver lunch from one end of Towering among the group of
a city that is an epitome of Mumbai to another like an army of monuments in Mumbai are the Taj
activity and youth. The city ants. and Oberoi, both of which have
hits you with a positive energy the Pulsates with positive energy, stood the test of time despite the
moment you land there. The expanse you are left speechless looking at its onslaught of terror they witnessed
of people in Mumbai symbolise the diversity and entrepreneurial spirit. recently.
new India that is marching ahead The most expensive house ever made Business in the hotels are as usual
uninterrupted. This can be seen on earth – business tycoon Mukesh and in the main lobby of the Taj,
right from the start of the day - an Ambani’s home or the stretch of there is a small memorial dedicated
ocean of people of all age groups Asia’s largest slum Dharavi (that shot to the staff of the hotel who lost their
busy with their morning jog along to fame, due to the film Slumdog lives during the terrorist attack. It is
its various sea-sides. Energetic, Millionaire). Dharavi, must not be heartening to see nearly everyone
pulsating, dynamic and extremely mistaken as a
health conscious, the city vibrates with space for the
poor solely Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai
positive energy.
Despite various setbacks it has because the
faced, work continues unabated and area operates
the sea of people find ways and in contrasts.
means of working around situations Nearly every
for their daily survival. There is no home has the
crying over recession since there is facilities that
work to do and time is scarce. you’d seen
Mumbai’s entrepreneurial spirit in a middle
is legendary and can be seen in income group
its various aspects. Be it a young home. Several
newspaper boy, calling out the businesses
headline of the day while making flourish there,
his way through the maze of traffic be it leather
in one of Mumbai’s traffic signals or tanneries,
the various kinds of small businesses leather goods
Pg 58-61 Travel-India on move.indd 2 3/11/09 5:33:44‭ ‬PM

TRAVEL
stand by it for a minute, to pay

The Trident, Mumbai
homage to the deceased. The century
old Taj Palace stands tall and after
renovations, will soon be launched.
Ever since it opened in 1903 (even
before The Gateway of India was
built), The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower,
Mumbai has created its own unique
history. Maharajas, princes, corporate
heads, kings, presidents, CEOs, actors
and entertainers have frequented the
Taj group of hotels that has played
the perfect host. An architectural
marvel that brings together Moorish,
Oriental and Florentine styles,
offering panoramic views of the
Arabian Sea and the Gateway of
India, the Taj Hotel Mumbai, is a
landmark of the city, showcasing
contemporary Indian influences
along with beautiful vaulted alabaster
ceilings, onyx columns, graceful
archways, hand-woven silk carpets,
crystal chandeliers, a magnificent art
collection, an eclectic collection of
furniture, and a dramatic cantilever
stairway.
The Trident, Nariman Point on
the other hand is poised proudly
on the edge of the Arabian Sea,
overlooking the Queen’s Necklace
area. One of the country’s largest
hotels, it represents a contemporary
outlook and dynamism combined
with warmth and ethnic values.
Not only does Trident Club offer
the business traveller services to
make their business trip simple
and stress-free but also a multitude
of facilities, including the recently
introduced butler service, to make
The Mani Bhavan, Mumbai
The lavish interiors of hotel Trident
the trip a comfortable, relaxing and their catch.

memorable experience. Excellent Among Mumbai’s other popular
cuisine, be it Indian or world landmarks are, the Hanging gardens
cuisine, the Trident is a connoisseur’s above Malabar hill laid our in 1880,
delight. that covers Mumbai’s main reservoir,
Nearby, at the Gateway of India, the imposing Victoria Terminus
a monument erected to welcome or CST station and Mani Bhavan,
Queen Mary and King George V Mahatma Gandhi’s home in Mumbai
of England on their visit to India - a three storeyed structure, painted
in 1911, life goes on like before - in brown and yellow amidst a Parsi
groups of people feeding the birds, neighbourhood where he lived
yoga camps, people buying fresh between 1917-1934, now overseen
flowers from open scooters and in and maintained by the Gandhi
the sea, fishermen returning after Institute.

The Rajghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial, Delhi A CNG auto rickshaw in old Delhi
wide roads, well laid out green metres, Humayun’s tomb and the
spaces that adds to its glory Red fort that reflect the past glory
as the capital of India with its of India.
well preserved historic office Even in the outskirts of the
buildings and monuments. The city, you can see a change in the
majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan, lifestyles of people. There are
the imposing India Gate blends modern farmhouses and it feels that
with its surroundings that the richness of the city is flowing
include lakes, well laid our on to its outskirts. If Delhi has old
flower beds, landscaping and spaces like Chandni Chowk to shop,
lots of fountains – all of which, it has lots of world class shopping
any Indian can be proud of. malls stacking world class brands
The most beautiful part of for its richer segments of people.
Delhi is that, there are very few The city also has well known
skyscrapers. Beautiful villas educational institutions and a motley
with greenery all around, the group of young entrepreneurs,
The Red Fort, Delhi
city looks distinct and different. abuzz with exuberance and activity.
The serene bhajans at Rajghat, Apart from the fleet of expensive
cars one gets to see on Delhi roads,
Dynamism of Delhi Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial
transport you to a different world the city is gearing up towards the
and you are enveloped with a four wheeled culture teeming with
T he first thing I noticed about sense of calm and peace. It is sports cars. Restaurants by evening
Delhi was its flyovers, wide roads extremely well kept with its ever-lit is teeming with young groups of
and lots of greenery everywhere. lamp, flowers and the landscape. people including foreigners who are
In three years since I last visited the So are monuments like the Qutub enjoying the vast variety of Indian
capital, it has grown in beauty with Minar rising up to a height of 72 food as well as the opportunities
India offers them. The maximium
population of India consists of
young people and the youth
of India are moving forward
unchallenged.
A fact that can be seen in The
Taj Palace Delhi for instance,
that is majestic and awe-inspiring
and has several world celebrities,
corporate honchos, diplomats
and heads of state as its guests.
A place to bask in the warmth
of Indian hospitality and rich
Indian cuisine that
ranges from the
Taj Palace Hotel, Delhi Presidential Suite, Taj, Delhi well-preserved
recipes of the royal
Indian kitchens,
innovations by
well known
Indian chefs to the
choicest delicacies
the world over
be it Japanese,
Arabian, Chinese,
Mediterranean or
European food.

TRAVEL
The Taj Mahal, Agra
Allure of Agra era, another ethos. It is impressive

to see tour guides around that area,
gardens, the pillared halls, mosques,
marble trellises and geometric
The drive to Agra from Delhi speak a host of languages. They are gardens, the fort represents Mughal
showcased the rural wealth of India. highly educated and have an in-depth architecture at its best. The return to
After whizing past a belt of lush green knowledge about their professions. Delhi was through Kosi where we
wheat-fields, a marketplace or a huge The view of the Taj from Shah Jahan’s lunched at the Le Meridien. I leave
shopping mall is a common sight. room too in heartwarming because India with a sense of nostalgia and
And as you approach the legendary it brings back the story of love shared some fine memories. I fondly miss the
Taj Mahal, the mood gets different. between the Mughal emperor and his exuberance of JK Sharma, Approved
Located on the banks of the Yamuna, queen Mumtaz Mahal. The fort built Guide & Escort, Ministry of Tourism,
we saw the resplendent Taj by in red sandstone has water-cooling/ Govt of India who accompanied us
moonlight from Oberoi group’s Amar heating systems in its architecture and in the trip. His style of narration is
Vilas, where we were put up. ventilators that has an abundance of phenomenal and so is his cheery
Amar Vilas is located 600 metres natural light. Replete with gateways, ‘Namashkar’!
from the monument and though
the sky was foggy, the white A press trip to Delhi, Mumbai and Agra
marble of the Taj basking in the was organised by India Tourism’s Dubai
moonlight is a sight to savour. office and Swagatam Tours Private
Created like a poetry in stone, all Limited. Jet Airways flew the group
its rooms, suites, lobby, bar and and hospitality was arranged by the Taj
lounge offer breathtaking views and Oberoi group of hotels
of the monument. Built in
a style inspired by Moorish
Amar Vilas - Agra
and Mughal architecture, the
resort is a splendid display
of terraced lawns, fountains,
reflection pools and pavilions
with rich interiors that
take you back to an era
of emperors and princes.
Richly detailed interior s are
perfectly complemented by
a choice of international and
Indian cuisine that includes
Japanese, Arabian, Chinese,
Mediterranean and European
fare.
The romance of Agra
transports you to another

TRAVEL
Comfort in the Sky

Jet Airways’ advanced in- flight infrastructure adds comfort and luxury to travel
A
destination comes alive when the mood, as
well as the mode, of travel to a destination
is as exciting as can be. Enhancing both is
Jet Airways’ advanced in-flight entertainment
system installed on the new Boeing 777-300 ER and
Airbus A330-200 aircrafts, (functional since May 2007),
that continues to add a touch of luxury to travel. This is
part of the company’s comprehensive expansion plan that
includes launching new seats, new in-flight service, new
staff uniforms and a new corporate identity, as Chairman
Naresh Goyal states. He confirmed the deliveries for the
first of the 20 wide-body aircrafts last month. The 10
Boeing B 777-300ER and 10 Airbus A330-200 aircrafts are
valued at $2.1 billion. “Having changed the way people
fly in India, we will now take our own brand of service The same space converts into a comfort zone
and style, the spirit of new India, to the rest of the world,”
he adds. for instance. Entertainment is aplenty starting with a giant
Travellers can choose from three categories of travel 23-inch flat screen TV and you’ll find blockbusters from
- First Class, Premiere, and Economy. Each category is Hollywood and Bollywood, plus a whole host of award
designed ergonomically for maximum comfort, utility and winning TV shows. For music lovers, the Jukebox offers
luxury. Since the aircraft ply on long haul international audio CDs of Indian and international music. If work
routes, seats are designed differently. As the backrest is on your mind, you could tune in to the latest in the
reclines, the seat moves forward to create a recline world of business through SMS and email facility or stay
angle of 130 degrees to an ergonomically correct seating updated through Love Text News. As for services, the
position, reducing sinew, joint and muscle tensions. A crew ensures that you feel at home in the sky. You can
hammock style headrest cradles and supports the head also enjoy a limousine pick up to and from the airport to
and neck, while a net suspended below the seat, provides make the journey even more luxurious.
support for feet and ankles.
Premiere travel
Luxury uninterrupted Freedom of movement comes with every seat in the
If you travel first class, service starts even before you start Premiere section. You can work with a laptop plug-
flying. The moment you arrive at the airport, a concierge in socket as you fly at 35,000 feet. The section has a
escorts you to immigration and onwards to the elite First herringbone seat configuration that gives you an easy
Class lounge; a valet will check in your luggage while aisle access from every seat and features a lie flat bed and
you relax with a bubbly at the lounge or wrap up some a wall that offers you the comfort of personal space. You
work at the business centre. When it is time to board the can stay entertained with a personal 15.4 inch touch-
aircraft, you will be escorted to your exclusive private screen LCD
suite in the sky. TV, Hollywood A treat of world cuisine
With dual sliding doors, night sky mood and lighting and Bollywood
system - personal space and comfort is of prime blockbusters,
importance for first class travel. The specially designed TV shows and
space in your private suite lets you invite a companion business news
to join you at your table for a delectable meal or a and can even
confidential business discussion. As for food, get set call for popcorn.
to be treated to an array of culinary delectables – a Premiere flyers
personalised five-course meal from a selection of world can also enjoy
class cuisines and drinks. The suite even has a closet to the comfort of a
stay immaculate and comes with a personal amenities kit limousine pick-
that contains Bvlgari White Tea and eau de toilette spray, up.
Pg 62-63 Travel-Jet Airways.indd 2 3/12/09 3:04:43‭ ‬PM

TRAVEL
Jet Airways has Economy’s the word Roomy seats designed for comfort
recently signed a With state-of-the art, ergonomically designed seats,
purchase agreement exciting culinary delights and a world-class cabin crew,
for 10 Boeing B787 every seat in the economy range has a 10.6 inch touch-
Dreamliner aircraft with screen TV with ready on demand inflight entertainment,
deliveries commencing music, movies, songs, interactive games etc. For young
in 2011. The B787 order fliers, JetKids is a unique programme which includes
is valued at $1.6 billion. games, toys, contests and special offers for tiny tots.
Seats are designed to reduce pressure on your body and
Boeing B 777 is give the added support for long journeys. If you recline
configured into three on your backrest, the seat bottom will automatically
classes, eight First move into an ergonomically correct position. Other
Class, 30 Premiere thoughtful features include a reading light at the back
Class and 274 of the seat, a hammock headrest and unique foot net,
Economy Class seats designed to let you relax and arrive at your destination
and operates on the rested and refreshed. The food choices range from
Mumbai- London and Indian to continental cuisine.
Mumbai-Brussels
Destination India
and New York routes.
Jet Airways plans to
operate services to San
Fransico via Shanghai
with the oncoming After Slumdog Millionaire, tourist flow to India should increase
A
winter schedule. The
Airbus A 330 aircraft braham Joseph, Airways flights take them
is configured in two Senior General there. Jet Airways also has
classes, 30 Premier and Manager, Jet a code share arrangement
190 Economy seats Airways, Gulf, with Etihad Airlines. “We
and operates daily Middle East and North can sell on their flights and
Delhi-London services. Africa, is quite impressed they have a code share on
It will also be deployed by Danny Boyle’s our night flights,” he states.
on flights from India Slumdog Millionaire What about their travel
to markets such as
and feels that the film strategy for the year 2009?
Singapore, Kuala
will intrigue people about Abraham Joseph, Senior General “In the Gulf, we are in a
Lumpur, Johannesburg Manager, Jet Airways, Gulf,
and Toronto via India and they would unique situation. In many
Middle East and North Africa
Brussels. surely want to visit the places in the world, travel
country. is a luxury and is usually to
Jet Airways, along Ask him if the current situation has do with leisure and business. But here,
with JetLite (a wholly affected the airline (with airports full of people need to go back home regularly,
owned subsidiary of people returning home every day), he since most of the population here
Jet Airways India Ltd) has a realistic answer. “While a few of consists of expatriates. And they form
has a combined fleet Jet Airways flights to the US have been our major clientele. Their traffic will
strength of 109 aircraft put on hold, we are concentrating on the always be there,” he states.
and offers customers major routes that bring in the revenue. Are there any plans to tie up with
a schedule of over 526 Mumbai is a very busy route and our routes tourism departments in the world? “We
flights daily.
to Mumbai- Delhi from Dubai and Abu have plans for promoting tourism for
All passengers are able Dhabi, Cochin - Trivandrum - Mumbai from non-Indian tourists. We are doing a lot
to access some special Muscat, Mumbai and Cochin from Doha of promotions in April. The campaign
features that include and Mumbai and Cochin from Kuwait are will be called ‘Know Your India’ and
a library of over 100 doing extremely well,” he says. will promote travel to the country. We
management books, Jet Airways continues to have their are working with India Tourism to
the Berlitz World flights connect to a city in India every create that traffic.
Traveller, a programme four minutes in a day. Also, the airline’s But the Jet Escape packages that are
to help passengers Boeing B 777- 300ER and Airbus A 330- prevalent in India are not here. “We are
learn over 20 foreign 200, with newly introduced ergonomical participating with IPL, tying up with
languages from basic infrastructure fly from Dubai regularly. agents for packages of tours that involve
words to numbers Jet Airways has a code share with air tickets, accommodation and transfer,”
and sentences, and
Emirates airlines. While Emirates flights he states.
Relaxline, that helps
passengers relax. bring in people from the world to Dubai, Jet Airways has extended its Jet
for those wanting to travel to India, the Jet Privilege card, to this region too.
Pg 62-63 Travel-Jet Airways.indd 3 3/12/09 3:04:45‭ ‬PM

END PAGE
This scourge must be fought
M
arching into March, there seems to be the biggest slum cluster in Asia.
no end to depressing news. While it is Danny Boyle’s heartwarming tale of triumph
expected that the recession will deepen against adversity – based on Vikas Swarup’s novel
this year, what is adding to our woes is Q & A – reaped a rich haul of eight Oscars after
terrorism. Just when we thought we had enough of sweeping Golden Globes and Bafta Awards. As
gloomy news, comes a terror attack in Lahore against Azharuddin and Rubina Ali (the young Jamal Malik
the visiting Sri Lankan cricketers. In what seems like and Latika in the movie) beamed in front of TV cam-
a copycat of 26/11 in Mumbai, the attack shocked the eras, riotous celebrations erupted thousands of miles
world that woke up to the dangers of international away in Dharavi at the crack of dawn.
terrorism. The catastrophic combination of religious Dharavi became the centre of world attention.
revivalism, political paralysis, military machinations Even Vikas Swarup got a windfall from the movie’s
and financial freefall has made Pakistan truly the most dream run as his book flew off the shelves. All this
dangerous place on earth today. was for real. It seemed too good to be true. But
But the scourge of terrorism affects us all. No mat- dreams do sometimes take wings, believe it or not!
ter where it originates, it is the ultimate Frankenstein
that devours its creator. So, world leaders have to get Literally fabulous!
together to tackle this international menace just as Who doesn’t like to dream? Our imagination is at
they have joined hands to battle the economic down- its highest, however, when we delve into literature
turn. Unfortunately, few leaders agree on what con- written by great writers. We are transported to far off
stitutes ‘terrorism’ even in this day and age when the lands when we flip through the pages of a gripping
hydra-headed monster has demonstrated that it makes novel just lying in bed.
no distinctions whatsoever – even between the hand And if more than 60 writers converge at one
that feeds it and the one that bites it. Can we expect venue, giving a peep into their wonderful world over
that now the world will get its act together? One fails a span of three days, you cannot ask for more. The
to understand why terrorism is not being fought with Emirates Festival of Literature held in five different
the same seriousness as recession. Can we continue halls at Hotel Intercontinental of the Festival City was
on the path of progress – after we have found our the first-of-its-kind event held in the UAE. Writers
way out of the financial mess – if we leave interna- from several Arab countries, Western nations, the In-
tional terrorism and religious fanaticism unchecked? dian subcontinent, Far East and Africa held sway over
Clearly, this plague needs to be given equal attention a fairly large gathering of book lovers.
as the financial meltdown, if not more. Let’s hope for The festival was initially marred by a controversy
the formation of a broad international coalition against surrounding a book, which was thought to be banned
terror. A safe, secure and prosperous world should not here due to which Canadian writer Margaret Atwood
remain a pipedream. pulled out at the last minute but later participated
through a video link-up. Tickets were priced from
When dreams take wings Dh35 to Dh100 for talks, conversations, discussions
Not everything was gloom and doom in February. The and debates. It was heartening to see people actually
Oscars were packaged in a new format and the glitter spend money in these hard times to listen to great
of the event dispelled the world’s darkness somewhat. minds. What is more, people bought books and stood
What was most heartening were the smiles on the in long queues to get them autographed by writers.
faces of young children from the slums of Mumbai It seems the literature-starved people of Dubai
as they marched up on the stage in their smart little were waiting for such an event. Hopefully, it will be-
tuxedos and shimmering frocks to hold the prestigious come an annual feature – another interesting event to
statuettes. The night of February 22 in Hollywood look out for in Dubai’s cultural calendar. But it would
truly belonged to the stars of Slumdog Millionaire perhaps help the cause of literature much more if the
– a rags-to-riches adventure set in Mumbai’s Dharavi, tickets and books were more moderately priced.
Pg 64 Endpage.indd 2 3/10/09 12:29:39‭ ‬PM

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March 2009 DH 5

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Institute of Management Technology

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Pg 1-6 Content-Staff-fineprint.indd 6 3/12/09 10:45:39‭ ‬AM

8 UAE Digest, March 2009

Pg 7-8 In the News.indd 2 3/10/09 2:36:32‭ ‬PM

UAE Digest, March 2009 9

Pg 9-Events-BSC.indd 1 3/12/09 10:47:37‭ ‬AM

While making no bones

10 UAE Digest,March 2009

Pg 10-11Enterprise.indd 2 3/12/09 10:49:08‭ ‬AM

Bovis Construction Group. Coming

March 2009, UAE Digest 11

Pg 10-11Enterprise.indd 3 3/11/09 10:30:23‭ ‬AM

12 UAE Digest,March 2009

Pg 12-13 In Focus-Intercultural.indd 2 3/10/09 11:16:18‭ ‬AM

March 2009, UAE Digest 13

Pg 12-13 In Focus-Intercultural.indd 3 3/10/09 2:38:20‭ ‬PM

Where there’s a Will

14 UAE Digest,March 2009

Pg 14-16 In Focus.indd 2 3/10/09 11:18:42‭ ‬AM

drafted Will can help the probate process and secure

March 2009, UAE Digest 15

Pg 14-16 In Focus.indd 3 3/10/09 2:40:06‭ ‬PM

out by order of the Shariah Court once it has made a

16 UAE Digest, March 2009

Pg 14-16 In Focus.indd 4 3/10/09 11:18:42‭ ‬AM

A city for learning

UAE Digest, March 2009 17

Pg 17 Education-Introduction.indd 1 3/12/09 3:07:52‭ ‬PM

18 UAE Digest, March 2009

Pg 17-19 Education.indd 2 3/10/09 11:32:11‭ ‬AM

our profession and provided he providing an across-the-board/all

On-the-job learning interested in pursuing a career at DUBAL send your

March 2009, UAE Digest 19

Pg 17-19 Education.indd 3 3/10/09 2:41:50‭ ‬PM

Window to the world

20 UAE Digest, March 2009

Pg 20-24 Education- 5 pgs-Coaching etc.indd 2 3/12/09 10:51:41‭ ‬AM

Here is a list of some institutions, including the courses Information Technology

March 2009, UAE Digest 21

Pg 20-24 Education- 5 pgs-Coaching etc.indd 3 3/10/09 11:38:35‭ ‬AM

Away from the city buzz, Dubai International Academic City

22 UAE Digest, March 2009

Pg 20-24 Education- 5 pgs-Coaching etc.indd 4 3/10/09 11:38:37‭ ‬AM

For a cutting edge

Coaching institutes offer much-needed fuel to

March 2009, UAE Digest 23

Pg 20-24 Education- 5 pgs-Coaching etc.indd 5 3/10/09 11:38:38‭ ‬AM

SAT (Scholastic Aptitude test and the college that

24 UAE Digest, March 2009