Students win scholarships to international universities

Sixty students from the UAE to study at some of the leading universities in the world

Abu Dhabi // Sixty students from the UAE have been awarded scholarships to study at some of the leading universities in the world as part of an effort to foster academic talent. The fellowships are for study at universities including Cambridge, Harvard, the London School of Economics, Chicago, Columbia, Stanford and Melbourne, according to WAM, the government news agency.

The men and women will be given funding packages from the Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum Foundation to cover the cost of their tuition, books, accommodation and travel for the duration of their study. Once they complete their studies, they will return to the Middle East to take up jobs. The initiative comes in the wake of fears about a brain drain of qualified academic talent in the Emirates, with bright graduates moving abroad rather than taking jobs at home, while others miss out on university education altogether.

Concerns have already been raised about the lack of Emirati men entering higher education, with fewer than four in 10 making up the nation's 12,815 students entering federal universities. Janine el Tal, the foundation's education director, said: "The Arab world has long suffered from the brain-drain phenomenon, which has deprived the region of qualified individuals, dramatically hampering development efforts across its countries.

"The fellows programme seeks to reverse this situation, ensuring better opportunities for retaining talented youth to foster Arab development." Mustafa al Ansari, the foundation's vice president, said: "Investing in equipping the right calibre of young people with further know-how will drive development efforts across the Arab world, a top priority for the foundation." The students are expected to take up their studies this autumn.

One of the group, Saleh Abu Kamel, who plans to study for a master's in public policy at Harvard, said: "The scholarships have offered Arab youth like me an unprecedented opportunity to pursue higher education at the most prestigious universities in the world. "The foundation is not only helping fulfil the dreams and ambitions of a whole generation but also ensuring we return to the Middle East and apply the skills we have learnt to ensure the development of the region as a whole."

Narmine Marzouk, a fellow scholarship holder pursuing a master's in finance and management at Cranfield University, added: "The programme is a truly unique initiative that will help foster the skills and promise of young Arab leaders, and bring about a positive change in the Arab world. "I am both happy and honoured to be selected and look forward to returning from my studies with the necessary skills to become a part of that change."

The highly competitive fellowship programme was launched in December last year by the foundation, a charitable body set up to promote Emirati talent and culture. @Email:[e-mail]