As thousands of final-year students in the UAE submit their applications to local universities, we take a look at some of the best higher education options in the Emirates and what they have to offer
What is it?
New York University bills itself as the largest private university in the US and has a total enrolment of more than 58,000 as well as more than half a million alumni. Consistently ranked highly in world rankings, the university has a strong research base and faculty which have earned five Nobel prizes, five Pulitzer prizes and numerous other prestigious awards.
NYU Abu Dhabi was set up in partnership with Abu Dhabi emirate as a separate degree-granting institution. A third NYU campus that confers degrees opened in Shanghai in 2012.
NYU has a nickname, Violets, as a result of its official colour. While the New York campus has a bobcat as a mascot, in Abu Dhabi the mascot is a falcon.
Where is it from?
New York, which is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest cities.
When was it founded?
1831 (parent university); 2010 (NYU Abu Dhabi)
Where is it based?
Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
How did it handle Covid-19?
In statements and on its website, the university said: "Classes are happening in-person with social distancing in place and masks worn at all times, so strict Covid-19 measures are being applied to ensure everyone’s safety and health.
"All students, faculty staff, and visitors approved to return to campus are expected to maintain a two-metre distance at all times, to avoid handshaking, and to avoid nonessential gatherings of any type (including in break rooms, meeting rooms and lounges).
"In line with regulations, all visitors to campus must be vaccinated and are expected to show their identification document and Al Hosn app (the UAE’s official Covid-19 app), which must be green, to a security officer on arrival. Visitors have to submit to a temperature check and a PCR test is required every 14 days."
What are examples of the fees?
$53,770 (Dh197,497) – bachelor’s degree (annual fee)
$80,205 (Dh294,593) – master of science in economics
All UAE national students admitted are awarded the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed NYUAD Scholarship for Exceptional Emirati Students, which covers tuition fees, living costs and other expenditure for four years.
Every admitted student is considered for merit-based support and NYUAD additionally provides need-based scholarships to those who qualify.
What subject areas does NYU Abu Dhabi teach?
- Bachelor’s degree (major) subjects include: Arab crossroads studies, art, art history, bioengineering, business, chemistry, computer science, economics, engineering (various sub-disciplines), film and new media, history, interactive media, legal studies, literature and creative writing, mathematics, music, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, social research and public policy, theatre. Only majors are listed, and the university offers minors in many additional subjects.
- Master’s degree subjects include art and media, and economics.
- PhD subjects include biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering (various sub-disciplines), psychology, physics and transportation planning and engineering.
What doesn’t NYU Abu Dhabi teach?
Accountancy, agriculture, archaeology, criminology, dentistry, geology, journalism, marketing, medicine, sports science and veterinary medicine.
Where is it ranked globally?
42nd – QS World University Rankings ( NYU parent university)
26th – Times Higher Education World University Rankings (parent university)
Notable alumni?
- Shamma Al Mazrui (NYU Abu Dhabi), who studied economics with finance, is the UAE Minister of State for Youth.
- Jack Dorsey (NYU New York), the co-founder and CEO of Twitter, did not complete his degree at NYU, but is said to have developed the idea of the messaging platform while studying there.
- Martin Scorsese (NYU New York), one of the most acclaimed film directors of all time, whose credits include Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, Gangs of New York and The Wolf of Wall Street.
Who goes there?
There are 1,834 undergraduates and more than 100 postgraduate students at NYU Abu Dhabi, plus more than 1,700 alumni. The best-represented country is the UAE (18 per cent of students), followed by United States (9 per cent), then India (seven per cent).
A word from Prof Mariet Westermann, vice chancellor of NYU Abu Dhabi:
"NYU Abu Dhabi is still young, but thanks to the vision of this country's leaders and NYU, in just over a decade we have built an excellent and bold community of scholars who are ready to meet the opportunities and challenges of our time.
"Our education combines the best of the liberal arts tradition with the research capabilities of a top-ranked global university – in science, engineering, social science, humanities, and arts.
"Our diversity is a signature strength, with students from the UAE and 115 other countries who are committed to using their learning to create a better world.
"Our professors are leading scholars who support and challenge their students. We are blessed to have extraordinary research labs, where professors create new knowledge with their students.
"Our location in Abu Dhabi lets us extend learning beyond the classroom into the UAE community.
"Most students spend at least one semester at one of NYU’s 14 sites on six continents.
"Our graduates find outstanding employment and graduate school placements; among our alumni are 16 Rhodes Scholars and many other major award recipients.
"We continuously expand our offerings, having just launched a new master's in economics and starting a master's in visual art and media this fall.
"In short, NYU Abu Dhabi is poised to become one of the most outstanding and relevant universities anywhere in the world."
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
The BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Second Test
In Dubai
Pakistan 418-5 (declared)
New Zealand 90 and 131-2 (follow on)
Day 3: New Zealand trail by 197 runs with 8 wickets remaining
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
MATCH INFO
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Norway
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Canada
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South Korea
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
