In this webinar, top UAE academics will offer advice on what students should consider before enrolling on the right course to ensure that they make the most of their UAE higher education ahead of the September intake.
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See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km
#education #Covid19 #webinar
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00:00:00Today we are going to continue our focus on education after looking at schools earlier
00:00:05on this week. Today we are looking at the topic of a revolution in learning higher education
00:00:10in the post-COVID world. I'm your moderator today. My name is Lachlan Kitchen, but please
00:00:15call me Kitch, easier for everyone, and I'm an Australian media presenter. I've been in the media
00:00:20for just under 20 years, but I did undertake my university studies here in Dubai as part of my
00:00:26master's seven years ago, so I'm personally very excited about today's topic. Firstly, let me
00:00:32introduce our expert panellists today who are going to be sharing their vast experience for
00:00:36today's webinar. A big hello to Mr. Vinu Chakraborty, who is the Head of Admissions and Marketing
00:00:42at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dubai campus. Dr. Kavita Shukla, the Assistant Vice
00:00:49President of Student Recruitment and Admissions at the Amity University in Dubai. Dr. Hussain M.
00:00:55Elmedi, who is the Dean of Academic Support Services at the University of Sharjah. Now, Dr.
00:01:00Hussain is having a bit of trouble logging in, so hopefully he will be able to join us halfway
00:01:05through today's webinar. Professor Mandla Ventkatramana, the Vice-Chancellor of the Gulf
00:01:10Medical University, and Dr. Rami Al-Khatib, the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs at
00:01:16the Canadian University in Dubai. Thank you very much for joining us today. This is going to be a
00:01:21lot of fun, so thank you. And as our topic today focuses on the all-important, I guess, employability
00:01:27and how to keep pace of employers' and markets' needs, we're going to be trying to cover as many
00:01:32of these aspects as we can over the next 45 minutes or so, then allowing us some time to get
00:01:38more of your questions. So please, if you are watching, we want to hear your thoughts, any
00:01:43questions. We also want to get your feedback from some of the polls that we're doing, and we also
00:01:47want to hear you, our experts, maybe challenge each other's thoughts. Don't be scared to speak up
00:01:53if there's perhaps a difference of opinion of someone. That's what we're here to do, really have
00:01:57some collaborative thinking. As we go around to everyone this morning, I'll start with you,
00:02:04Dr. Kavita. The post-COVID world, how is the new academic term going to look for UAE students
00:02:12due to COVID-19 compared to where we were this time last year?
00:02:18If I could ask you to take your mic off, please, Dr. Kavita.
00:02:22Yeah, thank you so much for inviting me for this webinar. It's always a
00:02:28pleasure to participate in these webinars with Gulf News. Now, the post-COVID
00:02:36scenario for education and learning will change a lot because of the digitalization.
00:02:46There will be a lot of blended learning component, and there will be online classes and
00:02:54face-to-face. There will be a mix of both, and a lot of digitalization and use of technology will
00:03:00come in the way we impart education. The higher education is going to change a little bit, but
00:03:10it will be a positive impact as far as the use of technology is concerned.
00:03:18Things are going to be a little different, but we hope that the educational learning
00:03:25outcomes will remain, and we will be able to achieve them. Dr. Rami, is it the same for you?
00:03:33Is this going to be the biggest change for students? Is the implementation of so much
00:03:37e-learning compared to this time last year? Good morning, everyone. Good morning, Kitch.
00:03:44I follow what Dr. Kavita has said. I mean, there will be a lot of changes, obviously.
00:03:50I think, in a sense, it's going to be a little bit easier this term because we were exposed
00:03:55to it last, as you know, since last spring term, last academic year. So we're just
00:04:02going to continue on this. We have already experienced all the, let's say, difficulties
00:04:08and all of this, so I think we'll be more ready and set to do it this semester. Plus, in addition,
00:04:13we have a blended learning now, so we're not relying 100% on online. There is some
00:04:19accessibility to campus, so that will definitely make it easier, I will say, compared to last
00:04:24semester when we had to start this. But yes, there will be changes, obviously, and as Dr.
00:04:29Kavita said, I hope definitely we will all maintain our quality and academic quality
00:04:35with the advanced technology that we have these days. Thank you, Dr. Rami. And Mr. Vanu,
00:04:41in regards to the changes for you, have you seen, with your role in admissions and marketing,
00:04:47has this been a big part of people's inquiries and students' inquiries when they are looking
00:04:52to register for university for this year? Hi, Keech. A big hello to all the fellow
00:04:57panellists and also the attendees. I kind of echo the sentiments of what Dr. Kavita,
00:05:03as well as Dr. Rami, has mentioned, Keech. It looks like a beginning of a new revolution in
00:05:09the academic delivery and education models around the world, and with respect to the UAE,
00:05:14there is no change. While the pandemic has posed many challenges to teaching and learning,
00:05:20it has also opened doors for many possibilities. About five months back, I think most of us had
00:05:26looked at online education or remote learning as kind of a secondary option to traditional
00:05:31face-to-face classroom education. In fact, online education was not even associated with
00:05:36quality in many of the cases. But today, in the current circumstances, people are more welcoming.
00:05:42I think we are getting into blended models of learning, like Monty had mentioned already,
00:05:46where there is going to be a mix of classroom education, there is going to be online education,
00:05:50and I feel personally that it is here to stay. And I think the educational institutions,
00:05:55and I know for a fact Manipal does it, I'm sure others as well, are spending a lot of time in
00:06:00getting the right platforms, investing the right technology, and to make this blended model a huge
00:06:06success. But a major challenge for the universities is to find the right mix of online and face-to-face
00:06:11learning for different type of streams and programs. And then there are extracurricular
00:06:16components. In fact, all the enquiries, the students who are existing, all the new prospects,
00:06:23their questions are around this. But having said all this, I feel the students will
00:06:28stand to gain the most. In fact, be fortunate to experience the best of both worlds.
00:06:35That's interesting what the students are asking for, and we will come to a lot of those additions
00:06:38later on in this morning's webinar. Professor Manda, good morning to you.
00:06:43Do you echo some of the comments from the other expert panelists that really this is,
00:06:49you know, we're going in here in a blended learning process between e-learning and
00:06:54learning at the university has really become the new normal for a lot of students?
00:07:00I'll just have to, I think your mic's on mute there, Professor Manda. We missed that goal
00:07:04that you just started off with? Yes, this is the commonest mistake we make during webinars.
00:07:09To keep the mic muted and, you know, talk. Thanks, Kesh, for this opportunity. Thanks,
00:07:15Gulf News, being the subscriber for Gulf News ever since I've been in UAE for the last 15,
00:07:2020 years. I beg to differ from the other speakers because I am from a health proficiency education.
00:07:29Now, I can't run an online clinical training program. We are preparing doctors, dentists,
00:07:37and health professionals, and they are the ones who are going to be in the forefront
00:07:41to treat the patients and treat COVID. COVID and not COVID. They have to be with the patients and
00:07:47start treating. Yes, we do have the didactic aspect of the teaching, which can be online,
00:07:54but our students from Gulf Medical University, whether it's the nursing or the medical,
00:08:01they volunteer during the most, you know, peak phase of COVID-19. So, for us, the clinical
00:08:10training will be with the patients, with all protection in place, right, and we are training
00:08:17our students to use the protective devices and also to be safe, not only for themselves,
00:08:23for others as well, but the didactic aspect of the medical program or the health proficiency
00:08:30programs will definitely be online, and it's made our life easier.
00:08:34Well, I'll stay with you, Professor Manek, because you made a great point. I personally
00:08:38wouldn't want to see a dentist who's only ever learned how to be a dentist over Zoom and never
00:08:43physically looked in someone's mouth. So, therefore, considering that there is obviously
00:08:50theory that you can do online, but there's so much practical teaching that you need to do,
00:08:55how are you implementing the safety of the students and, I guess, test patients and everyone
00:09:01else? What measures have you had to go to to adhere to the COVID-19 precautions?
00:09:07Absolutely. We have very clear guidelines from the Ministry of Health, right, so we have all of
00:09:13us have to follow the universal standard precautions, basically. So, all of us are in the,
00:09:19we have a responsibility to be safe and others also to be safe. Now, patients, of course,
00:09:24they are screened for fever, and then there are fewer clinics in our healthcare facilities,
00:09:29and if they are suspected, they are isolated, right? The others are treated in COVID hospitals
00:09:34and non-COVID hospitals. For our students, we are giving them, before they come into
00:09:39the clinical training, we already started giving them orientation programs, but all of them have
00:09:44to learn about proper hand-washing techniques according to the WHO and CDC guidelines,
00:09:50and of course, wearing masks, social distancing, all that is in place, right? So, it's important
00:09:56that they, and then we developed an online course to know more about COVID and the common
00:10:04causes and precautions you'll have to take for COVID, and then we almost had about 35,000 people
00:10:12taking that course and getting certified. So, this is one of our community engagement
00:10:17activities, being, we have to be socially accountable, being the health professional
00:10:22education university. So, these are some of the measures we have taken, and as I told you,
00:10:27the diabetic part, it's less, it's more of clinical exposure, and students are posted,
00:10:36as usual, in our own hospitals. The advantage of Gulf Medical University is that we have our own
00:10:43clinical training sites, we have our laboratories, we have our hospitals, we have our clinics, so we
00:10:49are able to post our students in these places for getting the training. Thank you, Professor Manda,
00:10:55I think that's a very, very good perspective to put to everyone. For everyone logging on
00:11:01and listening in and watching at home, thank you very much. For your questions, if we can ask you
00:11:05to address your questions to the question box at the bottom of the screen. A few people have been
00:11:10placing them in the chat, but if you place them in the question tab, that's the best way we can
00:11:14have our panel of experts answer your questions at the end of today's webinar. Dr. Kavita, you
00:11:20mentioned at the start, like many of our panellists, that we have had some sort of hybrid e-learning
00:11:27across the start of this year. Given you've had the summer break to really think about this
00:11:32and really plan for it, that it's now part of the normal, have you found any new opportunities or
00:11:37any ways to really enhance the student experience with e-learning, given you've had this time off
00:11:43to really plan for a lot of online courses? Okay, so Kish, we have had time to do a lot of
00:11:53introspection and plan for the upcoming semesters so that the student experience does not go down
00:11:59and we are able to achieve the learning outcomes and we are able to deliver
00:12:05what our objective of delivering was. So, we have experimented with a lot of
00:12:13digital platforms. At Amity University, we already had a very good learning management system
00:12:20which was internally developed and which supported us from March onwards when the last semester
00:12:26had to go online immediately because of the lockdown. So, this LMS system, we have upgraded it
00:12:34and the digital transformation has been amazing. Our faculty have been put on multiple training
00:12:42sessions to leverage technology in their teaching learning delivery and one of our biggest,
00:12:50I would say, challenge is always an opportunity also. We have a lot of technical programs that
00:12:58we run at Amity University, a lot of engineering programs. We have a B.Tech program in nanotechnology
00:13:06where labs are very, very important. So, in the lockdown period, we had the labs done
00:13:14by our staff. They were interacting on the Microsoft Teams to deliver the labs but
00:13:22now we have come up with some kind of solutions that how these technical
00:13:28aspects will be addressed and maybe the labs, as Dr. Manda also mentioned, that the labs have to be
00:13:37hands-on. So, we have created a plan which is up to KHD to approve us and so that this technical
00:13:48aspect of the learning is also delivered as per its requirement. So, there have been a lot of
00:13:58learnings and we are very, very well prepared now to deliver the next semesters in whatever mode
00:14:04that we get approval for. Thank you, Dr. Kavita. When we spoke earlier this week, we looked at high
00:14:11schools and it was amazing how easily five, six and seven-year-olds adapt to changing to these
00:14:17new ways. Dr. Rami, when it comes to adult learning, certainly at your university,
00:14:24what has been the hardest uptake for some of the students? I mean, is it hard to ensure
00:14:28that everyone has the correct infrastructure and has the correct access to technology? Or
00:14:34have you found that's not really been a problem in 2020, that everyone's accessible?
00:14:41I think you've still got your microphone on mute. I know you look like you're playing a video game
00:14:45with your headphones. Are you talking to me, Kate? Yes, I am, Dr. Rami. Sorry, for some reason,
00:14:51the voice is lagging. So, I can't hear the question. No, that's okay. Dr. Rami, we wanted
00:14:57to ask you, given how easily some school students adapt to working with new technologies, in the
00:15:03adult world, has it been hard for students to adapt to e-learning? Have there been problems
00:15:07with technology with students at home? Or have you found that in 2020, everyone's got access to
00:15:14I really apologize. For some reason, it's lagging. I can hear just bits and pieces, bits and pieces
00:15:20of the question. Yeah, okay. Maybe now, can you try it one more time now, maybe? Yeah, no problem.
00:15:27We really just wanted to ask, in the adult learning environment, how hard has it been to implement
00:15:32new technology with students at home and in the campus? Or have you found in 2020 that it's really
00:15:38been quite easy, that everyone has access to the latest technology? Actually, I think you started
00:15:45the question comparing us to high school or schools, if I'm not mistaken. Again, I'm sorry,
00:15:50I heard. The last part of the question, I heard it all. So, I believe for adults, it's much easier
00:15:55to manage, especially when you talk to primary school students and others. I mean, secondary
00:16:02school is different. But yeah, and most of this new generation is highly advanced, anyways,
00:16:08when it comes to technology. I think it was easier for them, maybe, than for us,
00:16:15for the students here. I'm talking about them, to get all our faculty and staff trained and
00:16:21to be up to date. Luckily, I mean, we started last March and we ran the whole,
00:16:28the rest of that term, including summer one and summer two, with online education. So, we had
00:16:34enough time for everyone to get trained, staff, faculty, and everyone. We did learn from
00:16:40whatever difficulties or mistakes we had, technology speaking, during the last
00:16:46few months to fix it and upgrade it to be ready, as we said earlier, this September. Again, having
00:16:53this blended learning will give us also some accessibility, which will make it less relying,
00:16:58I will say, on online and technology, although that will be still, I will say, the dominant
00:17:03factor of education or mode of education. So, back to the question, I think for adults, for students
00:17:09at universities, I don't think it's been, I mean, I'm sure it's difficult just to adapt to it, but
00:17:16knowing that this new generation is extremely advanced when it comes to technology and IT and
00:17:20computers and everything, I think it wasn't, it was not that bad. And I'm sure now it's
00:17:26going to run even smoother this year. And it may become a mode of education for the future,
00:17:32maybe this blended learning will become the standard or the new norm, let's put it this way.
00:17:39Yeah, I most certainly think it will. Mr. Vanu, if I can come to you, because at the start of a new
00:17:45academic year, it's always quite a nervous time for students. Everyone's always a bit anxious,
00:17:49you're thinking about your admissions, you're applying for different courses and subjects,
00:17:53and sometimes students can think so far ahead that if they don't get into the course they've
00:17:56dreamed of, their life is over. And that can always be so drastic at this time.
00:18:01For a student watching who's thinking about applying for a course, in your role at admissions,
00:18:07what are some of the key factors students should consider before they select a course that's right
00:18:12for them? In my view, students should always choose a program based on what interests them
00:18:22and what their aptitude is towards. Because the interest and aptitude, if both of them come
00:18:28together, then they will excel in whatever program they choose. I did not mention empathy as a key
00:18:34factor. Of course it is, but that shouldn't be the sole criteria when you choose a field of study.
00:18:39I see a lot of times students see what exactly they need to do to get the best job out there.
00:18:47It doesn't work like that. It's mostly in terms of whether it is pre-code or post-code.
00:18:53Students should look at their own interest and also their skill sets, their aptitude,
00:18:58like I mentioned, is very critical in terms of selecting the correct programs.
00:19:03Because by the time you graduate, after three or four or five years, there will be jobs that
00:19:07never existed when you first enrolled for your program. And especially right now with this
00:19:13COVID, with the new normal, like someone has mentioned, things are changing very quickly.
00:19:18So you need to focus on the area that interests you and you can excel in and then the rest should
00:19:24follow. Do you have any advice, Mr. Vinoo, in regards to, are there any courses that can give
00:19:32you the best chance of success in post-COVID? Are there any courses that can be really agile or is
00:19:37it really just going back to those principles of choosing courses and subjects that you're
00:19:42interested in? I think that's the way the student has to go, because we see a lot of times when the
00:19:51students are coming in, most of the time they follow what others do or what their parents say.
00:19:59And then I see that they kind of struggle. They don't do enough research in terms of
00:20:06what they actually want and what's the right university that can provide what they want.
00:20:12Yes, definitely, there are a few programs that are coming out quite big these days,
00:20:18I mean, especially with the current situation. In fact, the situation has completely disrupted
00:20:25the job landscape, but it has also accelerated change in redefining roles and so redefining
00:20:33courses to prepare students for these job roles as well. There are opportunities in the field of
00:20:38technology, automation, robotics, data sciences and so on. I see there is a surge. At the same
00:20:46time, I also see in the last few months there is an increased interest in the life sciences,
00:20:51psychology, mental health has come to the forefront like never before. But like I said earlier,
00:20:56irrespective of courses pursued and subsequently in the jobs in a post-COVID world, it is more about
00:21:03redefining focus on skills like technology skills, critical thinking,
00:21:10emotional intelligence, data literacy, etc. And qualities like creativity and adaptability also
00:21:15is very critical. So these are the skills which will prepare the students for success more than
00:21:22following the crowd and choosing any particular course. That's exactly why I'm telling them to
00:21:28research on what exactly their skill sets are and what exactly their interests are and follow that.
00:21:34Yeah, those age-old principles of being adaptable to change I think are still very prevalent when
00:21:38you look at most school kids today and they're going to be entering the job market doing jobs
00:21:42that haven't even been created yet. So it certainly is an exciting time and that's how
00:21:47we need to view it. Thank you for everyone who's voted in the poll that is currently live. We're
00:21:51going to be doing a few of these across the hour. The current question, what matters most to you
00:21:56when choosing a degree program? What matters most to you when choosing a degree program?
00:22:00Overwhelmingly, it's relevance to the job market, which we've heard could be frustrating given how
00:22:06agile it is, but also interest in the subject at 36 percent, quality of faculty and infrastructure
00:22:12of the university at 19 percent, and tuition fees and scholarships down at 8 percent, which I think
00:22:17is actually quite encouraging that most people are looking beyond the finances and are looking
00:22:22for what's going to make them happy and more secure. If I can also move along to you following
00:22:27on from the admissions to Professor Manda, I know you obviously have a specialized university
00:22:32looking at medicine, but have you noticed a change in different applications in
00:22:39regards to COVID-19? Have people been looking up on more research and scientists or
00:22:43mental health or are you remaining consistent on where you were last year?
00:22:49Actually, we found that the applications for the medical program has almost doubled and we are
00:22:55unable to keep pace with the admissions and the MBBS are completely full and
00:23:03of course, there are more and more people coming into nursing and health professional
00:23:09education and public health is another one. We have a master's in public health in
00:23:14collaboration with the University of Arizona and in this COVID situation, the people
00:23:20who are at the forefront were the public health. So, they are the ones who were leading
00:23:26and making policies and then implementing preventive strategies. So, these are the
00:23:33three main things which, and then as far as the admissions are concerned, ironically, it's
00:23:40doing better than the last year because people want to stay back here. UAE has fantastically
00:23:46managed the COVID situation and there can't be any other country which has managed COVID better
00:23:52than United Arab Emirates. So, we do salute the leaders of this country for this wonderful way
00:23:58they managed, contained the COVID and therefore, students don't want to go outside the country.
00:24:05So, we have had all the students coming to our universities to join.
00:24:10But on that point, I think that's a great point that you've seen a huge intake on people
00:24:14looking to study medical professions. Why do you think that is? Do you think people see
00:24:19that there's job security in health given what's happening or do you think that maybe it's a bit
00:24:24more people are suddenly feeling a bit more empathetic and they can get more satisfaction
00:24:29out of their job if they can go into those roles of nursing where they're attributing to
00:24:34the greater good? Kich, you mentioned about employability, right? A doctor is 100%
00:24:41employable. Whether in the government sector or the private sector, he opens his own clinic
00:24:45right after he gets a license. So, all our programs, health profession education programs,
00:24:51whether it is medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, health sciences, nursing, they are 100% employable.
00:24:58So, I'm sure they come for this and moreover, the respect the doctor gets. Although now it's
00:25:07a different way of sort of practice with the patients well-informed because of the Google
00:25:15and they are Google doctors we are meeting as patients. So, nevertheless, still,
00:25:20it holds its own prestige, it has got its own value. Well, I think that Google doctor can be
00:25:28a bit scary because every time I look in Google doctor when I've got something wrong with me,
00:25:31I think I'm going to die. So, I think it's good we get more doctors out there
00:25:34that are changing that perception. I'm talking about the patient being a Google doctor.
00:25:39We are treating Google doctors. That's what I mean. That's the problem. You look up and you
00:25:44see too many things. Dr. Kavita, Professor Manda touched on the issue of, I guess, with people's
00:25:51inability to travel. Have you noticed that you've had an influx of more local students
00:25:55than you did this time last year? Yes, we did, Kish. So, a lot of more local students are applying
00:26:03to our university, different programs, and also those categories of students who are planning to
00:26:09go to either any of the European universities, UK universities or US universities are now staying
00:26:16back in UAE and they are applying to our programs. So, there has certainly been an increase in that
00:26:26category of students. Now, for students who are looking to select a new course, Dr. Kavita,
00:26:32what do you think are some of the most common mistakes that new students make when selecting a
00:26:37course? As Vinu also mentioned that some of the most common mistakes that students make is to
00:26:48come under peer pressure or come under the pressure of the parents that, you know, you should choose
00:26:56this program because of its long-term outlook or regardless of whether you are interested in it or
00:27:04not. So, I would suggest and I would counsel the students that you should look for your interest
00:27:10and try to identify and be in touch with the counsellors because all our admissions counsellors
00:27:17are trained in understanding the interest of the student, you know. So, the first step to
00:27:25not making a wrong choice in a course because, you know, it can be a very costly mistake. You
00:27:33may lose one year. After one year, you may think, oh, I didn't like this program. I should have made
00:27:39a different choice. So, it's very important for the students to remain in touch with the admissions
00:27:45counsellors and meet the faculty because in all our open days or whatever webinars that we have
00:27:52done during the lockdown period also, all our faculty were available. So, they should actually
00:28:00do a good research. They should meet as much subject experts as possible and then try to come
00:28:08to an informed decision and they should obviously follow their passion. That is something which I
00:28:14always advise all students that you should look for your passion and this search should start
00:28:22when they are in their grade 11th, grade 10th. So, that is the time that they should start
00:28:29researching for the right course for them and what is their interest area. So, the student should
00:28:36actually start early and they should be in touch with the subject experts. They should be in touch
00:28:42with the admissions counsellors because they are trained people to understand their needs.
00:28:49You make a very strong point for people to have the courage of their convictions
00:28:52and not just follow peer pressure or what their friends are doing or what that girl
00:28:57they're keen on thinks would be cool to do that course and then spend four years studying. So,
00:29:02I think Dr. Kavita, you'll be interested in our current poll. We're asking when should students
00:29:07start planning for college admissions? And thankfully, most are seemingly following your
00:29:12advice. 47% said when in high school, 35% one year before they start college or 18% have said
00:29:20be flexible based on circumstances. So, I think a lot of people thankfully are also
00:29:26heeding to your advice. Thank you for all your questions that are coming in. We'll get some
00:29:32more of those towards the end. Dr. Rami, do you have any advice on, you know, why certain students
00:29:40do make common mistakes? But also, you know, when you are speaking to students about admissions,
00:29:45what does your university do to support students in helping them make the right choice in a degree?
00:29:54We do have like a whole team working. We divide them between recruitment, admission,
00:30:01and then you have the student services. So, that's why we have all these departments under
00:30:05this big umbrella called student affairs, which means they can talk to each other. So,
00:30:09we try to start with the students from the beginning of his journey and sometimes it goes
00:30:14back one or two years even before high school. We start talking to students from grade,
00:30:20sometimes from year 10. So, through our recruitment offices when they visit them in schools or
00:30:27exhibitions. So, we keep, we build this connection and this link with them throughout the year
00:30:33sometimes and once they are in high school or in the grade 12, we start helping them in their
00:30:40admission. We tell them what requirements they need to fulfill. We take them through this journey,
00:30:45as I said, in admission and then we have the student services to support them through
00:30:49their education. Sometimes, as my colleagues were saying, some students may make a mistake
00:30:54in picking the wrong course or wrong program. Sometimes, they notice this a little bit later
00:30:59after they start the admission or at the beginning of the semester, even sometimes the year. So,
00:31:04we help them in that transfer. We have like the counselor, student counseling and advising that
00:31:10will be talking to students who are having difficulties throughout their education and
00:31:17try to help them or guide them to make the right choice. Of course,
00:31:20you don't force anything on a student. It has to be also something that he's interested in,
00:31:25but that's how I can say it's like we close the loop by following the students from the
00:31:30beginning of his journey throughout his education, hopefully until graduation.
00:31:34Yeah, I think that's a very key point is to following students along
00:31:37what is a journey in terms of higher learning. Mr. Vanoo, in your work in admissions,
00:31:43as students are, I guess, increasingly conscious of watching the change in the economy this year,
00:31:50they're obviously now thinking on what courses are going to be more agile in the years going
00:31:54forward. Have you got any recommendation on what would be some of the top programs for students
00:31:58who are looking to improve their employability? Yeah, in fact, I touched upon it earlier as well.
00:32:06In fact, Alex just mentioned it. Conventional route is, of course,
00:32:10engineering and business. There is a surge in technology interest, of course. A lot of students
00:32:17are going for conventional routes of Bcom and that kind of program. I'm also seeing an increased
00:32:25interest in life sciences, not just the medical sciences, of course, also the biotechnology,
00:32:33these kind of programs as well. Also, there's an increased interest in terms of psychology,
00:32:37mental health. People are realizing these courses are also important. And I see, I mean,
00:32:43if the student is really interested in these programs and if they have an aptitude to do well
00:32:49in each of these, I don't see a problem in them becoming employable once they completed three,
00:32:57four years down the line. In fact, as high as the engineering and business course from Manipal in
00:33:04terms of placement records, I also see a lot of students get placed quite easily in the programs
00:33:12like media, architecture, design, life sciences, and humanities. And in fact, their internship
00:33:19records are close to 100% from what I've seen. I don't think that it is going to change in any
00:33:24which ways. Like I told earlier, it's more of redefining these courses. They are going to be
00:33:28there and how it's redefining the objectives, what these courses were meant to meet earlier.
00:33:35That's going to be a bit different now in the post-COVID world. So I think that's exactly why
00:33:41the universities have career services in the university itself to travel with the student
00:33:48in terms of preparing well for the job market outside once they finish there.
00:33:56It is a great point you make there. So for some people who are fearing when they take on a course,
00:34:01you know, how is it going to help me and how is it going to change with COVID-19?
00:34:04As you pointed out, each subject in each course is looking to be more agile in itself in the way
00:34:09it teaches and the way it adapts to COVID-19. So I think for anyone who's watching today and is
00:34:13still a bit, you know, fearful about what sort of course they're going to take in,
00:34:17that's some good advice. So you, Professor Manda, for any student who is thinking about applying,
00:34:23and please feel free if you only need to answer your question based on your experience as a
00:34:28specialised university, how can students who are today looking to put in their application,
00:34:33how can they maximise their chances of a successful application?
00:34:37Well, we have set criteria for admissions and for admissions for the medical programmes and
00:34:44other programmes, professional programmes are certainly higher than other programmes.
00:34:48So first of all, they fulfil the criteria. And as you mentioned in the previous, I wouldn't
00:34:54agree more with the previous speakers about the suitability of choosing a particular programme.
00:34:58It's important that, you know, we have admission counsellors, right, and they undergo a structured
00:35:05interview. And we wanted to know whether they're really interested in joining this programme or not.
00:35:10So that's important. And they also write and sort of a reflection and an essay about why they want
00:35:15to join a particular programme and give us justification of what they want to do.
00:35:19We also look at the previous, you know, suppose they have done some internships or something like
00:35:23that in schools for them so that, you know, we get enough evidence for them and enough evidence
00:35:30for us to know that they're interested in this programme. Second thing I wanted to make very
00:35:34important point here, as a health professional, as a doctor also, it is not the end of the world
00:35:39if they make a wrong choice. It's important. So it's always, it's okay. They can change course
00:35:47after they realise that they're not doing well. It's important that we have realised,
00:35:52we have done research and we have found that the first year in the medical school is the
00:35:56most stressful because they come to a collegiate environment and university environment from school
00:36:02and they are on their own. We apply adult learning principles. And, you know, at the end of the day,
00:36:08they are stressed out a lot. So it's a strong mentorship programme, which is important to be
00:36:14implemented in the first year to have good mentorships for the mentors, for the students,
00:36:18for them to be guided. And also in the event of the realising that they have not made the right
00:36:24choice and not to victimise them, it's important. And then also to just guide them to go into the
00:36:30place where they really belong to. So this is my advice to parents also, to kindly note,
00:36:36if you are an engineer, your son may want to become a doctor. So please don't make clones
00:36:45of yourself. If you want to be an engineer, if your son wants to be a doctor, well good,
00:36:50come to Gulf Medical University. So thanks. So I just wanted to tell you this, that, you know,
00:36:59it's important that, you know, we take the perspective of the student and we give a lot
00:37:05of respect to his wishes and his passion and not force the student by the parents or by peers.
00:37:17You'll be very interested in a latest poll that has just gone up there, Professor.
00:37:21Who helps the most or who gives you the most advice in choosing a college or course? Is it
00:37:26the influence of your parents or your guardians, high school teachers, the guidance seminars and
00:37:32the career counsellors, the people who help do the admissions at the university, or is it friends
00:37:37and word of mouth and all sorts of peer pressure? So I'd be interested to see the thoughts. Please
00:37:42have your vote on the poll because I know specifically as a medical university, your
00:37:46admissions have quite a strict criteria there, Professor, in regards to taking your admissions
00:37:51for the following upcoming year. As we get your votes on some of the polls, Dr. Kavita,
00:37:58you know, when you're taking admissions from students, and I guess this year you're taking
00:38:01a lot more local students than you ever have, what do you do for a student who has suddenly
00:38:07been planning and planning to go overseas and they couldn't get in and now they're left with
00:38:11this idea of, I need to try and find a university, I've got to find one in the UAE. What is the
00:38:17admission process for last-minute admissions? When is the cut-off date and how can we help
00:38:22advise people? Okay, so Kish, our admission process remains the same, the eligibility
00:38:28criteria remain the same, and all these last-minute admissions, we are having a lot of walk-ins and we
00:38:35have increased the frequency of our open days so that the students can come and see the facilities
00:38:43and talk to the faculty and take the admission. So we are encouraging in all our communications
00:38:49also that please come with your documents, come with your transcripts, so that you are able to,
00:38:54we are able to fast-forward your admission process. And we are having a lot of influx of
00:39:02such parents and students who are coming to the university, visiting our open days, or
00:39:09taking individual appointments with us, either it is on Zoom or it is face-to-face.
00:39:17So the eligibility criteria remains the same, so we have not relaxed our eligibility criteria,
00:39:23but definitely we are counselling these students and plus a zone of comfort for these students is
00:39:32or their own classmates, other friends who are also in similar situations and they
00:39:38are also coming to the university, so that is a comfort zone for them. And plus the educational
00:39:46facilities in UAE are also very world-class, so it is not something that they obviously
00:39:55they had planned to go abroad or study in any of the US universities, UK universities,
00:40:00but the educational levels in UAE are also world-class. So they are not,
00:40:08once they have started examining this, they are satisfied and they are happy with it.
00:40:12So we are in touch with such students and a lot of counselling is required, but it is happening.
00:40:21That's very good that the counselling is there, because I know so many students are certainly
00:40:24anxious, you know, going to university for the first time. Dr Rami, how are you working towards
00:40:30taking this influx of local students who had maybe planned to go overseas and are looking
00:40:36for these last-minute admissions into university locally? We're doing the same actually, a lot of
00:40:44open houses, virtual open houses, and we're receiving a lot of walk-ins these days with
00:40:49booking appointments and the safety guidelines that we need to follow obviously. Students are
00:40:54coming now because it's like last minute, as you said, most of the students are prepared with their
00:40:58documents and everything, so we take them through the process quickly if all the documents are in
00:41:01place. We are offering obviously conditional admission, following guidelines from ministry,
00:41:10so to make it a little bit easier on people, especially that some grades or equivalencies
00:41:14are taking a little bit more time because of the COVID situation. So I think this
00:41:19conditional admission has been very helpful. In addition to all of this, we as a Canadian
00:41:25university, Dubai, we are a portal to Canadian education. We've been known for this in the
00:41:30market for the last 14-15 years, and through our partners in Canada, and as you may know,
00:41:36Canada has been an educational spot or a destination for many students from this
00:41:42region. So we always facilitate this transfer to Canada, I mean that's part of our mission here,
00:41:49and through the office we have office and advisors that only work on application for transfer to
00:41:55Canada. So this has been always the case for us, and now maybe because of, as you said, many local
00:42:01students are not planning maybe to travel overseas to different destinations, including Canada,
00:42:08they may find us as a good option to start here, and then they see how the situation goes,
00:42:13and then if they want to transfer, we will help them in the transfer as we have been doing for
00:42:17the last 14-15 years. So in that sense, I think that we're giving a lot of support to students,
00:42:25plus in addition of obviously the scholarship extension we did, and the discount, or sorry,
00:42:31fee reduction we've been giving for COVID, the financial relief for 30%. So we have extended
00:42:36this as well to give students some, you know, support and the community. Yeah, I think that's
00:42:42a very interesting point about being flexible to students with the idea that maybe you can
00:42:47undertake your studies here, because I know a lot of many students do want to study overseas for
00:42:51the shared learning of travel and working with and learning with different students from different
00:42:56walks of life can often be a big part of the learning process. So that's an excellent point.
00:43:02Mr Venu, with your work in admissions, are you finding a lot of questions are coming in
00:43:06with financial difficulties or problems? Is this presenting more of an issue for you
00:43:10with admissions this year given the nature of the economy at the moment?
00:43:14Yeah, it has definitely increased, like what Ramya has mentioned. The economical situation
00:43:22of the parents seems to be a very important point of discussion these days. And also, like,
00:43:29to answer your earlier question related to students who usually plan to travel to US, UK,
00:43:37to the western countries or universities. I think the quality of universities have improved.
00:43:50Whether it's ministry or PhD, the way they evaluate the universities, the way they rate
00:43:56the universities is absolutely excellent. I think the students have to, whether they're
00:44:04thinking about traveling or whatever it is, they have to reach out to the admissions counselors.
00:44:10I'm sure it's the case with all the universities, even at Manipal. We have trained counselors who
00:44:16can talk to the students, evaluate their aptitude, their interest. They can connect to their faculty
00:44:22team to give an in-depth counseling. We have open days where the students can visit the campuses
00:44:29and get a feel of how the university is like. I also like what Ramya said, they can come join
00:44:34here and see what the situation is next year and plan to travel abroad. More times than not,
00:44:39they might be surprised about the quality that is delivered here and would want to choose
00:44:47to continue and stay here. Also, to answer your question in terms of the financial situations,
00:44:54I think we are flexible on that front. With respect to the eligibility and the quality
00:44:59of education, there is no flexibility. There is no compromise on that, but definitely
00:45:04in terms of the cut-off dates, last-date applications, the new university generally
00:45:11starts their batches in September. I see, just because of the delay in the 12th results,
00:45:16I'm pretty sure a lot of students are not the equivalent IB or British students would be
00:45:22watching the show. I know that in the results, there seems to be some issues in terms of many
00:45:29other things. So, what we have done is to be more flexible in terms of payment plans. There
00:45:43are merit-based scholarships, but also because of the situation right now, we also offer additional
00:45:50discounts and payment plans for support. We should reach out to get attention, visit the
00:45:57open days and have discussions with them. I like that point, but I'm going to come back to you in
00:46:04a second because I can see that Dr Hussain, who has had some trouble logging in due to some
00:46:09technical difficulties of his own, has managed to come in and left his speaker on. So, it's just
00:46:13sort of drowning everyone else out because his IT team are trying to work out his problem. So,
00:46:19if anyone from Dr Hussain's IT team could maybe mute his microphone, it's going to be a lot easier
00:46:24for the rest of us to hear what Mr Vanu and everyone else here has been saying in regards to
00:46:32advice. Some of the questions that have come through, we're going to get to them formally
00:46:36in a second, but if I could just equally go around. Thank you, Dr Hussain's been muted,
00:46:40that makes it easier. Just quickly, if I can get a few brief tips from everyone,
00:46:44do you have any tips to help students make the most of those interviews?
00:46:49If I can just get a couple from each of you. Mr Vanu, any tips for students?
00:46:56Be open-minded, be open about what is your interest. I'm revisiting again the point that
00:47:01I made and other other panelists made also. Do research, though it is late right now, but do
00:47:08research on the university, on your own interest and things like that before stepping on to the
00:47:14university counseling or an interview panel because that's very critical. You should not
00:47:21follow, I know it is it's it's far end of the drive, but you should not get, I saw the old
00:47:27results also, the students are also following and said almost 50 percent of that without any
00:47:35disrespect to what Professor Manda mentioned a little earlier. Doctors, engineers or whatever
00:47:43the other professionals are, should see what exactly the students' interests are, what is
00:47:47their skill sets are and ask them to converse with the counselors and try and find out what
00:47:54is the best solution, what is there for them to take. In terms of preparation for the interview,
00:47:59whatever the portfolios that they've done during their schools over the last two, three years,
00:48:05it can be that it comes in handy in terms of getting the best of scholarships, best of different
00:48:09type of programs that they would want to join. They should be prepared to have more of a
00:48:15conversation rather than, you know, be tensed about getting a C in particular.
00:48:24Yeah, they're very good points and I think it is still important to reiterate some of those
00:48:27points to people who are maybe just joining us halfway through today's webinar. Professor Manda,
00:48:32do you have anything else to add to that in regards to how students who are nervous and
00:48:35anxious when they sit down for these interviews, how best they can prepare?
00:48:40I think the faculty should be equally prepared to take an interview and not make the situation
00:48:46tense. So, there must be some breaking of the ice and I want all the students to be themselves,
00:48:52very important, not to be artificial first of all and then be honest in whatever they're talking
00:48:58about and be confident and bold, right? So, every interview should be a learning process
00:49:04and as I told you, it is a two-way process. Communication is a two-way process. It's just
00:49:10on the student but even the faculty have the interviewer and interviewee both have
00:49:17an important role to play in a positive outcome. So, I do miss folks.
00:49:23Yeah.
00:49:25Now, continue. I was going to say spoken like a true scholar, everything's a learning process.
00:49:29Yeah, yeah, yeah and it's lifelong learning at the end of the day. So, all the students,
00:49:34I wish you all the best and be yourself, be confident, yeah.
00:49:38Good advice as we say in Australia, you have to back yourself. Dr. Kavita, anything else? I mean,
00:49:43when you're advising students who are nervous and they want to get the right results in the
00:49:46interview, you know, what's the best way they can calm themselves down and just be ready and
00:49:51prepared for the interview?
00:49:52The best way is, Akesh, as Venu also said and Professor Mahant also said that one thing that
00:50:02they should do, the confidence arises from knowledge. So, they should research their area
00:50:08very well and that will give them the confidence to come up with the right answers and so that
00:50:16research is very important. They should research their field, look at the trends in the field that
00:50:21they have chosen and they should have a list of their questions also ready in the interview that,
00:50:30you know, possible questions and so that is what is important for them to prepare for the research
00:50:37and more research and more research and that will give them the confidence to clear the interview
00:50:44and they should be clear about what they want and be honest, that is very important as Professor
00:50:51Mahant also said. So, these are some of the things that will help them to clear their interviews here.
00:51:00Research, research, lifelong learning starts even before you've had your first class.
00:51:04Dr. Rami, if I can ask you the same question but switch it around the other way, rather than
00:51:10asking for the tips that students make, what are some of the common mistakes or some of the failings
00:51:16that you see in a lot of students before they conduct those initial admission interviews?
00:51:23Actually, supporting my colleagues, I mean maybe some people, some students or they come without
00:51:29doing the proper research or they don't put the emphasis on the research, so there may
00:51:35be some misleading information they have or they will, we feel like sometimes they are lost, they
00:51:39don't know, like I think again because if the more confident about their topic and the more
00:51:47research they do to make them confident, they will come ready with
00:51:52proper questions, so at least we will be able to guide them. Like I'm a faculty member
00:51:57myself as well and I always tell students if you want to come and sit with me in an office hour
00:52:01to review the material because you didn't understand it well in lecture or you didn't
00:52:06catch it or you missed it or whatever, come ready, come prepared, read it alone first and come to my
00:52:11office, then we will be able to focus on your week, you know, where the knowledge is
00:52:16lacking, but if you come there without having any background, whatever you say,
00:52:22a student will be lost because it will be so overwhelming for him. So again, I think the
00:52:27biggest mistake that some students do is that they may not come so ready expecting that they
00:52:32will get all the information out on the spot. I think, you know, come ready, come with questions
00:52:37and then whatever you don't know, it's easier than to guide you in the right direction.
00:52:41So again, if we'll go to the tips, it will be the same research and confident, of course.
00:52:47Yeah, but I do like that point of come with some of your own questions. It goes to show
00:52:50you that you've been learning and have already worked out things that you don't know and you
00:52:54aren't aware of. Look, as we come to the end, we'll get to some of the questions. Thank you
00:52:58very much. Just to quickly finalise that last poll, who helps the most in choosing a college
00:53:04or course? Overwhelmingly, 40% say parents or guardians, followed by 33% guidance seminars
00:53:12and career counsellors. So it's good to show you that some people are following their heart and
00:53:16taking the advice of career counsellors at the universities. As we look at the first question,
00:53:21and for the first question, I'll throw it to you, Mr. Vinu. As it's been mentioned by our
00:53:27experts today, online education is not new and there is some excellent pedology out there.
00:53:34What are some of the things that your university is doing to support your faculty thinking?
00:53:39So the question is, are you able to hire experts like online instructional designers to support?
00:53:45So the question they really are asking, are you going to be able to keep update with the
00:53:51latest technology and what is your university doing to maintain the high standards of e-learning?
00:53:58See, the academic models, learning environments and the platforms actually is going to change.
00:54:06Of course, we are talking about blended model these days, or I would call it as evolved.
00:54:12But the core values of education remains the same. Online component, the use of technology
00:54:17were always there, like what the person has mentioned, as part of the traditional education.
00:54:24But the major difference is the use of these online components and the technology at such a
00:54:30scale, which we saw in the last few months and going to see in the next term. But we were always
00:54:37getting there. Only the thing that this pandemic situation have done is that it has fast-tracked
00:54:44the entire education system to the change that will probably happen gradually in a decade or so.
00:54:49Before the education models, the technology were worked around the program structures and classes.
00:54:56Now we are working backwards on how these classes can and the programs can be designed to suit
00:55:03different models and the technologies that are available. So there are so many things,
00:55:08like what kind of technology that has to be used, what are the classes, what are the programs that
00:55:14will fit in those technology online. The blended learning is about blended learning. Success is all
00:55:20about finding the right mix on which programs need to be offered in the campus, which programs
00:55:26that need to be offered online, which can be offered online. Like what Professor Manda had
00:55:32mentioned earlier, that there are a few programs who don't want a doctor who's doing the courses,
00:55:38get treated by a doctor who's doing courses online. So it's very critical in terms of finding
00:55:43the right mix and it is also important to the learner experience who's going to attend the
00:55:50classes online. So even what we have learned in the last few months is that our teachers,
00:56:00creating the models or even the course structures in a more engaging way to the learners.
00:56:07Very, very critical thing is that these technology, these online components should not
00:56:12increase the gap between the teachers and the students. It should create a better educational
00:56:17experience for both. And we at Manipal, be it a technology, be it a training method, be it our
00:56:23faculty workshops, or even the mix between the online and the classroom. This is the major
00:56:31driving point to ensure the experience for both the learner and teacher is actually good and
00:56:39whatever the student's expectation, not just academically, but also in terms of extracurriculars
00:56:45are met. So that's what we are at Manipal preparing. Yeah, thank you for that, Mr. Vinny,
00:56:51because that's an interesting point that I just want to move to our other experts about is trying
00:56:56to find that balance and trying to find how it can be the best experience for everyone involved.
00:57:01We've had a question from an aunt who has come through. I won't post this to Professor Manda
00:57:07because I know we've spoken about the importance of face-to-face learning given the specialised
00:57:11medical university. But for our other panellists, what do you think, this is from Anant, what would
00:57:17be the ideal ratio of online and offline classes? And what are the measures being undertaken by the
00:57:25university to safeguard a student's life, campus life during COVID-19? And we've touched on a lot
00:57:30of the sanitisation issues that we've been doing by following the rules of the ministry.
00:57:35But if I can speak to you, Dr. Kavita and Dr. Rami, Dr. Kavita first, is there really an ideal
00:57:41balance between e-learning and learning in the classroom? Or does it really just depend on the
00:57:46course that students are doing? It really depends on the course
00:57:51case because the face-to-face is more important where, you know, hands-on experience is required,
00:57:58like the technical programmes, engineering programmes, scientific programmes. But
00:58:04definitely other programmes also need a face-to-face. So the ratio of online and offline
00:58:13classes will depend on the nature of the programme, definitely. And then the student strength in that
00:58:21programme because if you see the management programmes, they have a larger number of
00:58:27students. So it will be difficult for us to bring them all to the campus because we have to
00:58:32maintain the social distancing norms and 1.5 metres distance between the students, the chairs,
00:58:41the classrooms have to be utilised only at 50% capacity. So there are multiple factors and we
00:58:49are all working towards getting the ideal plan which will satisfy the students, you know.
00:58:55Ultimately, the learning experience should not go down. And we are also creating interactive
00:59:02environments for the students to, you know, leverage that because we are running more than
00:59:0944 different programmes here in Amity University. And it is difficult to get all the students to
00:59:15the campus or have a factor approach or having, you know, alternate days. So these are some of the,
00:59:23you know, parameters that we are keeping in mind while we are preparing the plan.
00:59:28And also the health guidelines, the safety guidelines as per DHA. So sanitisation and,
00:59:37you know, the use of, you know, this cleanliness, hygiene, all these are being followed as guided
00:59:47by the health authorities. So the ideal ratio, it is as per the programme that the student is
00:59:56studying, yes. Yes, I think it seems to be the ideal ratio is the one that gets the students
01:00:02to pass their course and obviously with high distinctions for their course, no doubt,
01:00:08as they graduate. Dr. Rami, would you concur with that as well for the questions that are
01:00:12coming in? What do you think is the ideal ratio between e-learning and also classroom learning?
01:00:17Can you give a definitive answer or is it like Dr. Kavita said, it really depends on the nature
01:00:22of the programme and the student and just ensuring that there's the learning and the correct learning
01:00:28involved? Yeah, Kitch, as you know, Canadian University of Dubai is an accredited university
01:00:33in UAE by Ministry of Education, Higher Education Affairs. So we do have to definitely follow the
01:00:39guidelines that the Ministry of Education is implementing. In addition, of course, the DHA
01:00:44and other national directors for safety guidelines and everything. So we are trying to have a good
01:00:49balance between definitely safety, which is the first priority, I will tell you the truth is,
01:00:53it's our first priority, and definitely the academic quality to maintain it as it is.
01:01:01So this ratio is based, as Dr. Kavita said, we actually we did it as blended learning in a sense
01:01:07of essential elements, which are like maybe some labs, studios that require hands-on. We will have
01:01:14them on campus on a rotational base with all safety guidelines maintained on voluntary basis.
01:01:20So students also, if they are not feeling, you know, let's say confident enough to come to campus
01:01:27now, many parents are still hesitant, maybe or whatever, we're giving them that choice to be
01:01:31100% online. But for the ones who would like to be on campus for some courses, for some labs
01:01:37and studios that we consider essential, which means they need a hands-on, because we do have
01:01:41like some health program as well, environmental health, which have a lot of biology, chemistry, we
01:01:46have engineering and psychology, some of them, and architecture and interior design, they have studios.
01:01:51So for these type of essential elements, we will have a chance of presence on campus on a rotational
01:01:57base. Otherwise, if the course can be run online without compromising the quality of the academic
01:02:04part of it, we will prefer, as I said, safety first. And that's why I would say there is no
01:02:10specific ratio. It will depend on the course, on the program, and keeping safety as the first
01:02:14priority for us. Yes, and there's no shortcuts. Doing it at home is not going to make it any
01:02:19easier for you. I think that's one of the things we need to also let students know. One final
01:02:23question that's come through, and we thank you for everyone who has sent in all their questions
01:02:27throughout today's webinar. The question has come through from Fahad. For those who
01:02:32have missed the September intake, what are the options available and what do you recommend they
01:02:38do? To you, Mr. Vinu, being the Head of Admissions and Marketing, what advice do you have for students
01:02:43who may miss that September intake? What's the next step in the procedure? It's too early to
01:02:48say that. We're still in August. I'm sure admissions are open across the university. So Fahad and others,
01:02:55I think, still should look to visit the campuses. I think I see a lot of
01:03:03admission open offices from all these universities. So I think they should visit the campuses.
01:03:11It's still not... Look, I think if I can answer your question for you there, Mr. Vinu,
01:03:17it should be that here are students that maybe just need to relax. And so here's someone who's
01:03:22clearly already stressing about getting their admission because they think they've missed it.
01:03:27And listen to some of the advice that you and the experts have said is just relax, do your research,
01:03:33knowledge, get your confidence through knowledge about what's happening. But let's
01:03:39role play it if someone does miss that. So it should not be stressed about it. I know I meet a lot of students
01:03:47who are worried because the results got released a bit later as well. Usually the results for, say,
01:03:55a CVSE board come in May and this time it has gone... It got released only in July. So the
01:04:03admissions trend got a little bit delayed when compared to last year. So still it is not too late
01:04:08to the students who are seeing here. Don't be stressed. We are open. Please reach out to the
01:04:14admissions offices and meet them and talk to them. And we will help you even if you have not
01:04:20done your research in terms of the programs that are offered at UAE, the universities at UAE.
01:04:26There are admission counselors to help and they can take a decision by visiting the campus, get
01:04:32the feel, talk to the faculty, understand the programs. There are people available to help them
01:04:38to give in-depth counseling and give all the information that they would require to
01:04:43get an informed decision. Just wanted to tell that we are still open. So you guys can still go.
01:04:49Okay, that's great advice because as we just wrap up today's webinar, I'll take your advice there,
01:04:54Mr. Vinu, for prospective students. We are still open. Just lastly to you, Dr. Kavita,
01:05:00any last messages you'd like to give students? The last messages, as Vinu said, our admissions
01:05:05are currently open. So the orientation for the new bachelors will be on 14th of September,
01:05:11but we will continue to take admissions till another 10 or 12 days after the orientation. So
01:05:18the students can still come and we have open days every Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. So they can come,
01:05:25visit the campus and meet the faculty with an appointment. So we will look forward to
01:05:32having you at the campus and I wish you all the best for your future educational pursuits.
01:05:39Yeah, excellent words. And Dr. Rami, anything you'd like to say to any students who are nervous
01:05:45and still thinking about studying and applying? No, as I told you, Kesh, before, with the delays
01:05:52that happen sometimes in grade release and we are taking all this into consideration. So as my
01:05:57colleague said, admission is still open. So no worries. Don't, as you said, for the person who
01:06:04put that question, calm down, relax, take your time. Of course, don't take too much time. I mean,
01:06:10this semester will start next week. But you always know that there is a drop and add period,
01:06:14which is the first week or two after the beginning of the semester, which will allow students still
01:06:18to register. So please come forward to us, to any of the universities of choice you have in UAE.
01:06:24I'm sure every university will do their best to help you in finalizing your papers,
01:06:29admission requirements and everything. As I said before, we have extended as well our
01:06:33fee reduction and others so that to give also an extra help to students who are coming late.
01:06:38So please come meet with us. We are here. We are open. You may have to go through a booking
01:06:44appointment, though, and the safety guidelines, of course. But please, we would like to see anyone
01:06:49who's interested to come and meet with us, definitely. And best wishes for everyone.
01:06:54Yeah, that's very positive advice. Thank you very much. And thank you to all of our experts today.
01:06:58To you, Mr. Vinnie, Dr. Kavita, also Dr. Rami, thank you. I know we briefly had Dr. Sain,
01:07:04who couldn't quite get with us, and also Professor Manda from the Gulf Medical University,
01:07:08who just had to duck off. So thank you very much for everyone who's taken part in a poll.
01:07:12Thank you to everyone who has sent through a question, who has watched live. Also to the team
01:07:16here at Golf News, they're the best in the business. It's always great working with you.
01:07:20My name is Lachlan Kitchen. Thank you very much. And we look forward for you to join us
01:07:24at our very next Golf News webinar. Thank you.