SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - UAE Interact

238 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8Zayed University’s Master ofEducation in EducationalLeadership Programme playsa valuable role in the UAE’sdrive to upgrade itsteacher-training initiatives.Zayed University‘focuses on achievingclear educationoutcomes, preparing bilingualstudents whoare aware and proud oftheir country’s historyand heritage, capableof dealing with the hitechand keen onpursuing education.’meet international standards. Collaboration with internationalinstitutions also opens up new opportunities for UAEU’s students.UAEU has been successful in attracting research investmentand is now relying more on external sources of funding rather thanfinancing its research projects from its own resources. Externalfunding has currently reached Dh27.29 million to cover the perioduntil 2009 as compared to less than Dh1 million in the year 2000.However, ageing facilities at UAEU have necessitated an urgentupgrade to ensure that the university can continue to meet itseducational and social objectives into the future, and fulfil theobjectives of the government’s education policy. As alreadyoutlined, this is being effected in a public-private partnershipwith Al Hikma Development Company. The construction contractfor the UAE University was awarded in December 2006 and thefirst phase of the project will be completed in 2008.ZAYED UNIVERSITYZayed University, which was established in 1998, ‘focuses onachieving clear education outcomes, preparing bi-lingual studentswho are aware and proud of their country's history and heritage,capable of dealing with the hi-tech and keen on pursuing education’.