Almost eight in 10 learners taking computer science studies in the UAE are female – bucking a global trend.
A recent report by Times Higher Education found the number of female students in the country enrolling in Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is far higher than in many other countries, such as the UK, Canada, Germany and France.
The study found 77 per cent of students taking computer science classes in the UAE are female – ranking well above the figure of 19.8 per cent in Canada, 17.9 per cent in France and 17.1 per cent in the UK. In Oman, 93 per cent of computer-science studies are female.
Female participation in engineering is also high, with 44.5 per cent of students in the UAE being female, well above 20.8 per cent in Germany, 20.4 per cent in Canada and 18 per cent in the UK.
Kuwait sees 69.9 per cent female enrolment in the discipline, whereas Oman has 46.7 per cent and Bahrain 44 per cent.
A senior doctor in the UAE believes women in Stem fields are acting as mentors for each other in the field, explaining why a high number of students are female.
Dr Habiba Alsafar, director of Khalifa University Centre for Biotechnology, said: "That's the culture here. The work is in the lab and women feel comfortable in this setting. Also, women want to help the community.
"Men think of supporting a family and want the best job for economic reasons. Thus, they think more of the business sector. We want more men in the science field.
"Biomedical engineering is in its infancy and only starting to gain traction here. There is limited infrastructure and national funding opportunities and access to state-of-the art facilities, research projects and research funding are limited. Therefore, progression is limited by the availability of resources, infrastructure, funding and opportunities."
Ms Alsafar said that the encouraging statistics are a far cry from her own formative experiences attempting to carve out her career.
In Ms Alsafar’s biochemistry class at San Diego State University, there were two women out of 30 students.
“My family was most supportive of my studies. There were individuals who were negative, but this group was a minority. My classmates were very supportive and always willing to help,” she said.
Sabha AlDhafri has risen to the ranks of assistant vice president and area manager at Union National Bank in Al Ain.
While she welcomes more opportunities for women to make their way in the workplace, she feels there is still more work to be done.
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Ms AlDhafri was at a career fair more than 20 years ago when she dropped in her CV and got a job at Union National Bank. At the time, there were very few Emirati women at the branch, though there are more now.
Ms AlDhafri said she faced many challenges in her initial days and is trying to help young women who have no experience in dealing with customers or reading operation manuals.
“When I joined the bank, everything was manual and I had to learn things by myself. My probation was a whole year and it was too much for me. I know the difficulties I faced in the beginning of my career,” she said.
“We do need more Emirati women in banking,” she added.
Though many women are studying science, business remains the most popular subject in the country with more than one out of two graduates studying the discipline.
A new report from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority revealed that 15.2 per cent of graduates are engineers and 8.2 per cent study information technology.
Hoda Al Khzaimi, the director of Centre of Cyber Security at NYU Abu Dhabi, has recently been installed as the new president of the Emirates Digital Association for Women, a body set up to promote the efforts of women in STEM and art subjects.
She is determined to help others break down the gender barriers – after being forced to overcome doubts placed on her ability merely because of her gender.
“I have been told I can’t do it. Not by family, but by people in the field: ‘This field is very difficult. You are a lady.’ The number of time I have heard that I can’t do it is countless. It’s what made me do this. I was so curious," she said.
"I was raised by parents who believed that a good degree is your ticket to a career. I always felt like I'm responsible for contributing to this country and had the intention to give back and change lives. This is why I got to this stage.
"We tend to have so many girls in Stem subjects. I think accessibility to information is important. At the association, we have women coming from different industries and ministries within UAE. As an Emirati woman in a male-dominated profession, work is competitive, interesting and a permanent learning curve."
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
SECRET%20INVASION
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ali%20Selim%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Samuel%20L%20Jackson%2C%20Olivia%20Coleman%2C%20Kingsley%20Ben-Adir%2C%20Emilia%20Clarke%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD
SPECS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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.
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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