Aldar sponsors 10 students in the UK

The developers sponsor a Chair at Reading University, meaning better co-ordination with the school's UAE students.

Aldar sponsors a Chair at Reading University, meaning better co-ordination with the school's UAE students.

ABU DHABI // The Abu Dhabi property developers Aldar have signed a deal to sponsor the Chair of one of Britain's leading Business Schools. The move will mean that the developers will have greater co-ordination between its UAE students and Reading University through its links to the Real Estate and Planning Department Chair, who will carry Aldar's logo on his business cards among other things. Ten UAE students straight out of senior school have already been sponsored to study property industry related disciplines at the UK institution during 2009. Three are already undertaking courses while seven more will join the programme later this year.

Aldar hopes it will breed a new generation of qualified staff to lead the way in the emirate's growing property market in fields such as marketing and law. Ronald Stephen Barrott, the CEO of Aldar Properties said: "We are very excited to be associated with one of the UK's leading Business Schools. This social investment by Aldar will create for students a competitive expertise and value added insight into the real estate development and property industries.

"Industries will benefit from this social investment once these students bring their knowledge to the market upon graduation." Reading and Aldar will contribute to research, full time degrees, executive education and all aspects of development related issues. The research will be used to develop new programmes in the property and development field and expand the portfolio of courses offered. Additionally, Reading and Aldar will develop strategies to develop key projects in finance, partnerships and skills and professional recruitment.

The university will be opening its prestigious Dh210 million business school building next year. The company, the capital's leading developer, recently launched a scholarship programme for Emiratis to study for degrees abroad. Aldar agreed to a five-year partnership with the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and the programme will provide scholarships for 10 students each year. The successful candidates will be selected by a ministry committee.

"Developing nationals and giving them access to state-of-the-art educational knowledge is a top priority for Aldar and an integral part of its social responsibility," said Abdulla Zamzam, the chief economic and administrative officer at Aldar. "We hope this initiative will contribute in the most effective way to building a solid base of highly educated nationals." Aldar, which was founded in 2004, has identified education as a major area of interest. Last autumn, the company opened the first of 20 proposed schools run by Aldar Academies, its new education wing. In May, the company announced it would sponsor a chair in business studies at the Higher Colleges of Technology, which would allow five Emiratis to study for degrees in property management.

Aldar have already developed a degree programme in Real Estate at Abu Dhabi Higher College of Technology. The two courses will ultimately compliment each other. @Email:[e-mail]