If Asia represents the future of the world, then the UAE in so many ways symbolises the best that the future has to offer. A vibrant hub that connects the East and the West, the UAE is a model of stability and progress and few areas of life better reflect the UAE's aspirations for the future than its educational sector. While elsewhere pedigreed universities stand exposed to the calamitous effects of political mood swings – note the impact of Brexit on British institutions – institutes of higher education and research in the UAE are reinforced with proper funding and dedicated leadership.
The upshot: the UAE's universities have leapfrogged into the ranks of the world's finest, attaining standards of excellence that have taken others decades to perfect. Take Khalifa University. Founded in 2007, it earned a place among the world's top 600 universities in the Times Higher Education's annual university rankings in 2016. The following year, it jumped 150 places to be named among the world's 350 top universities. This year, it has been awarded the 32nd spot in THE's survey of the 100 best universities in Asia. To appreciate how rapidly Khalifa University has risen through the ranks, consider that none of the universities that outrank it was founded this century; the top four were established more than a century ago; at least one was founded in the 14th century.
Of the five indices THE uses to measure a university's performance – teaching, research, citations, income and international outlook – Khalifa University has consistently improved its performance: on income, its alumni scored 84.5 out of 100; on international outlook, the university's score was 97.9. The decision by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forced, in 2016 to merge Khalifa University with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and the Petroleum Institute has clearly yielded the result it was intended to. Khalifa University, as its president, Tod A Laursen, told The National, is providing a more comprehensive education in a broad range of fields as a direct result of the merger. A similar journey towards greater efficiency through mergers can also be seen in other sectors of our economy.
THE rankings feature three more UAE universities: the United Arab Emirates University, at 71; the American University of Sharjah, at 167; and the University of Sharjah, in the 201-250 band. The UAE has created not only world-class institutions of learning but also, by hosting branches of the NYU and the Sorbonne, a genuine diversity of choice in education. All of these achievements, lest we forget, are the work of less than 50 years. That ought to give us a sense of what the future holds.
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Results:
Men's 100m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 15 sec; 2. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 15.40; 3. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 15.75. Men's 400m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 50.56; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 50.94; 3. Henry Manni (FIN) 52.24.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
BANGLADESH SQUAD
Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (vice captain), Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahaman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Haltia.ai
Started: 2023
Co-founders: Arto Bendiken and Talal Thabet
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: AI
Number of employees: 41
Funding: About $1.7 million
Investors: Self, family and friends
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45+3')
Southampton 0
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
Barbie
Director: Greta Gerwig
Stars: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera
Rating: 4/5
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.