English-language law degrees on offer at University of Dubai



DUBAI // The country’s first English-language law degree has been launched.

The course, unveiled on Wednesday, has been welcomed by local lawyers, who say they need better access to international practices.

The University of Dubai has launched two master’s degrees – one in dispute resolution and the other on the law relating to financial crime and money laundering.

“There is a big gap between training and academics here,” said Amna Al Jallaf, managing partner at Al Jallaf & Co advocates and legal consultants. “There is a need for higher-level training programmes to help connect with the big international companies.”

Mrs Al Jallaf said continuing education for practising lawyers was vital for the community.

“A lack of training to lawyers in the UAE means they don’t have the opportunity to train with the international firms, and lawyers here need to be able to work anywhere in the world,” she said.

She said a connection between the university and international firms with offices in the UAE would be of vital importance when it was time for students to apply their new degrees.

“I hope there will be a link between the university and these international firms,” Mrs Al Jallaf said. “The firms benefit from being here so the least they can do is train the local lawyers.”

Dr Eesa Bastaki, president of the university, said that was a priority.

“We are working on collaboration with local firms to ensure we offer internships,” he said.

Mrs Al Jallaf, a board member of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce said: “We need to be able to give them access to practice in other countries.”

Law degrees are offered by other institutions, including UAE University, but do not conduct classes in English.

Mark Beer, registrar of the Dubai International Financial Centre courts, said there was a massive demand for Emirati lawyers among international law firms and that this course would allow them to get the training they needed to enter those firms.

“There is the demand for Emiratis because they have the cultural and the language background as well as the education,” he said. “They bring the experience of the region, which is incredibly valuable for a law firm to have, which is why it’s vital to ensure there is that link between the university and these firms so students have that passageway.

“The courts would love to offer that perspective to students and allow them access to the people using the courts to let them work with law firms with offices around the world. It’s a world we’re very happy to share.”

Mr Beer said the course was of great importance to the UAE and would ensure a new breed of experts was able to combat money laundering and financial crimes.

“Money will flow to the least regulated environment so having experts in these areas will protect Dubai,” he said.

Prof Ananth Rao, chief academic officer at the university, said the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research had advised the institution to offer a master’s rather than a bachelor’s degree, because the market was already saturated with lower-level degrees

“We have decided to start small as the feedback we got was that there was most demand for these two areas,” he said.

Prof Rao has consulted with an academic advisory board for the past five years, comprising law-school deans from UAE University, Ivy League universities in the US and the University of Kuwait.

He said the emphasis has been to make the curriculum practical, to allow students to practise their skills in the workplace.

Employability will be a priority and courses will be held in the afternoons and weekends to allow those already working full time to study part time.

Dr Harold Koster, director of the new college of law, said the international focus was vital.

“This is law in the UAE but using international practices because this is where Dubai is graded,” he said.

mswan@thenational.ae

Visa changes give families fresh hope

Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income

Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.

Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process

In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.

In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.

To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation

 

 

 

The Energy Research Centre

Founded 50 years ago as a nuclear research institute, scientists at the centre believed nuclear would be the “solution for everything”.
Although they still do, they discovered in 1955 that the Netherlands had a lot of natural gas. “We still had the idea that, by 2000, it would all be nuclear,” said Harm Jeeninga, director of business and programme development at the centre.
"In the 1990s, we found out about global warming so we focused on energy savings and tackling the greenhouse gas effect.”
The energy centre’s research focuses on biomass, energy efficiency, the environment, wind and solar, as well as energy engineering and socio-economic research.

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

In Praise of Zayed

A thousand grains of Sand whirl in the sky
To mark the journey of one passer-by
If then a Cavalcade disturbs the scene,
Shall such grains sing before they start to fly?

What man of Honour, and to Honour bred
Will fear to go wherever Truth has led?
For though a Thousand urge him to retreat
He'll laugh, until such counsellors have fled.

Stands always One, defiant and alone
Against the Many, when all Hope has flown.
Then comes the Test; and only then the time
Of reckoning what each can call his own.

History will not forget: that one small Seed
Sufficed to tip the Scales in time of need.
More than a debt, the Emirates owe to Zayed
Their very Souls, from outside influence freed.
No praise from Roderic can increase his Fame.
Steadfastness was the Essence of his name.
The changing years grow Gardens in the Sand
And build new Roads to Sand which stays the same.
But Hearts are not rebuilt, nor Seed resown.
What was, remains, essentially Alone.
Until the Golden Messenger, all-wise,
Calls out: "Come now, my Friend!" - and All is known

- Roderic Fenwick Owen

THE BIO

Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old

Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai

Favourite Book: The Alchemist

Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna

Favourite cuisine: Italian food

Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman