UAE Superbrands To Be Honoured

Superbrands, the independent authority and arbiter of branding, today announced that they will be hosting a tribute event to honour the UAE’s strongest brands for their achievements and excellence in branding at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City. The event, which will be held on June 28th, 2009, will also see the unveiling of the 5th Edition of the Superbrands book as well as the announcement of the much anticipated ‘Brand of The Year’.Speaking about the event, Mr. Mike English, Director, Superbrands Middle East, said, “We are delighted to host our fifth tribute event to celebrate the success of the UAE’s strongest brands, which are among the most recognised brands in the world. This year, Superbrands were voted not only by the brand council but also by online voting, which has expanded the voting base to almost 3,000 marketing professionals. The brand with the highest score will be awarded ‘Brand of the Year’ at the event.”Sixty four leading UAE brands, which met the stringent selection criteria set by the Superbrands Council, were awarded ‘Superbrand’ status. The Superbrands Organisation also introduced the new voting system where over 3,000 professionals were invited to vote along with the Council. More than 1,160 leading UAE brands were scored by the Superbrands Council and invitees. The Superbrands voters evaluated and scored hundreds of brands available within the UAE and the highest scoring brands were then designated as Superbrands. Only brands that achieve the level of recognition set by the independent Superbrands Council are eligible for inclusion in the Superbrands UAE book, which traces the history and achievements of each of the brands.The Superbrands Council comprises individuals who have shown exceptional aptitude in business and who have a thorough knowledge of the market and methods of business. To be voted as a Superbrand by the Council is a powerful endorsement and evidence for existing customers, potential customers, the media, suppliers, investors and employees of each brand’s exceptional status.The Superbrands Organisation will unveil the much coveted coffee-table style Superbrands book, which includes a two-page profile of each of the Superbrands, at the Tribute event. “The brands featured in the book range from corporate giants to FMCG brands. We are happy to see so many of the UAE’s local brands included in the book alongside key international brands. Participation in the Superbrands book is by invitation only and acknowledges the intrinsic strength of the organisation and its brand value,” Mr. English adds.The Superbrands tribute event is set to be a true celebration of many of the country’s highest profile brands, and promises to live up to its global reputation as the "Oscars of Branding".
 

Dubai International Academic City Consolidates Status As Centre For Quality Higher Education

Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), a member of TECOM Investments, has successfully consolidated its status as a leading destination for higher education in the region, hosting a number of branch campuses of premier international universities that cater to a network of over 12,000 students.

Established in 2007 to drive Dubai and the UAE on the road to creating a knowledge-based economy, the cluster has steadily gained the attention of renowned academic institutions who continue to set up campuses within the free zone.

According to Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director of Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Village, said: “The inception of DIAC was the result of Dubai experiencing an unprecedented demand for higher education from both regional and expatriate students. Incidentally, such a huge demand rose out of the tremendous growth witnessed in recent years by Dubai Knowledge Village, the precursor to DIAC, and the emirate as a whole.”

DIAC currently hosts 32 academic institutions from 13 different countries from diverse regions, including the US, the UK, Iran, Russia, Australia, Sri Lanka, France, Pakistan and India. Some of the important names include Michigan State University, Heriot-Watt University, Hult International Business School, and the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).

The presence of such premier institutions strongly indicates DIAC’s keenness to employ a diligent vetting process when it comes to approving the entry of a university.

Over the last three years, universities from 24 countries have applied to set up operations at Dubai International Academic City. The largest number of applications received from institutions have been from India, the US and the UK universities. On an average, only 15 per cent of the applications are accepted.

Dr. Kazim said: “A stringent 34-point selection criteria and a discerning screening process ensure only premium quality institutions enter the cluster. Last year, 41 applications were received and only six universities were approved. We follow the Boston model by hosting multi-tiered universities that cater to students of various levels and not just high performing students.

“Any top class university would be interested in opening a branch overseas if it brings wider brand recognition, better research or consultancy opportunities, special interest in a region, or ability to continue its affiliation with parent entities. Our challenges start from satisfying these demands.”

Dr. Kazim added: “Dubai International Academic City does not focus on tier-1 institutions alone, but also looks at tier-2 institutions to provide opportunities for a wider range of students hailing from all strata of the society. Neither does DIAC focus on universities alone but also looks at institutions that offer continuing education programmes. Our objective is to see all students finding a higher education opportunity at DIAC.”

According to the prestigious Indian university BITS, Pilani – Dubai Campus has witnessed a phenomenal growth in a short span of its commencement of operations in all areas including student strength.

Prof. Dr. M Ramachandran, Director, of BITS, Pilani – Dubai Campus, said: “We grew from 61 students in 2000 to about 1,200 students in 2006. In spite of starting with one block in Dubai Knowledge Village and expanding to three blocks, the space still remains insufficient.

“In addition, the induction of engineering programmes required much more area because of the huge lab requirements. The institution needed to provide comprehensive facilities to over 2,500 students and the excellent infrastructure at DIAC proved handy. We are able to offer all the facilities including hostel accommodation to about 1,000 students within the campus.”

The academic licensing for these universities is provided either by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), or the Ministry of Higher Education UAE (MOHE). DIAC only offers the business license.

Institutions licensed by MOHE are Quality Assured by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA). But for the institutions licensed by KHDA, a new board of academics named the University Quality Assurance International Board (UQAIB) with internationally qualified members has been mandated to set standards.

In addition to academic facilities, DIAC also offers key amenities for the student community. The cluster boasts over 10 food outlets, and a recreation center while DIAC is exploring ways to increase accommodation and sports facilities for students and the faculty.

Dubai is firmly progressing on its strategic growth path in its endeavour to further expand its reputation as a destination of choice for higher education. With the bachelor’s degree becoming widely regarded the minimum qualification for white collar jobs, a diploma certification will become mandatory for blue collar employment, according to industry statistics.

Against a backdrop of aggressive social development that is gradually expanding its domain to include a larger strata of the community, DIAC is set to play a vital role in furthering the society for achieving all-round personal and professional success.