Dubai Police enlist students to shield surveys from bias

Dubai Police calls on students from three of the country's leading higher education institutions to help conduct public opinion polls.

Dubai Police are enlisting the help of college students to conduct opinion polls so people feel freer to answer the questions honestly. A memorandum of understanding signed in the capital yesterday stipulated that teams from Zayed University, UAE University and the Higher Colleges of Technology would assist the Public Opinion Centre managed by the police force. "We are lucky to be able to use the skills of the talented students of these universities," said Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, chief of Dubai Police. Having the universities provide us with these human resources is what makes us able to serve the community better." Students and graduates will help the centre gather research and conduct opinion polls. Gen Tamim said having students unaffiliated with the centre or police would help eliminate bias. The students will work under the supervision of the specialists at the centre, which was set up in 2004 and has since conducted 150 opinion polls on 47 police-related subjects. Dr Jeffrey Belnap, associate provost and director of Zayed University's Abu Dhabi campus, said: "Students as well as graduates will have the opportunity to work part time at the centre, or intern, or even pursue full-time positions after graduation." The students will conduct telephone polls, formulate written questionnaires and work on electronic polls via e-mails. They will also be asked to mingle among tourists and reach out to illiterate people and those with special needs or illnesses. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, signed the memorandum of understanding together with Gen Tamim. "This is about caring for the individual and encouraging a pursuit of education and knowledge that will aid in contributing to one's nation," Sheikh Nahyan said. "Education protects a country and is an investment in the future." The centre already has had 318 student interns since it was opened, and seven now work there full-time. [e-mail]