Friday, December 23, 2022 – 4:37 PM
ABU DHABI, 23rd December, 2020 (WAM) — The Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi revealed that 140 Emirati male and female students have been selected from among the successful candidates in the Step Scholarships Program to start their academic journey in selected community colleges in the United States and Canada, where the students will go to their scholarship countries next January after completing all stages evaluation process.
The department organized an orientation meeting for the first batch of successful candidates, which included 94 male and 46 Emirati female students, during which the university advisors team from the department and representatives of the embassies of the United States and Canada gave an overview of the most important aspects related to the students’ personal and academic lives in their countries of scholarship.
Dr. Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Executive Director – Talent Empowerment Sector at the Department of Education and Knowledge, said: “Our students embark on a journey rich in learning and exploration opportunities, as their learning does not stop at school, but rather they will learn from their various life experiences and gain a broader understanding of global cultures and methodologies of thinking. This opportunity will enhance The prospects for the personal and academic development of our students, and we are all confident in their ability to invest in the best way. We invite them to work to the fullest of their capabilities, especially since their fields of study meet the requirements of the economic priority sectors of the UAE, as the knowledge and skills they will acquire will enable them to achieve their full potential and contribute to the development of our national economy.”
The Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi initially aimed to send only 100 students in the first batch of the program, but it raised the number of accepted students to 140 after the results recorded by the candidates in the evaluation process and their performance in the preparatory training program organized by the department and included a set of behavioral interviews, self-assessment sessions and case studies. Personal skills development sessions. More than 1,600 Emirati male and female students applied to the program, and successful candidates were selected after achieving the highest scores in the approved evaluation criteria.
Al Matrooshi added: “The students nominated for the program have shown a great desire to learn and a firm determination to succeed, which encouraged us to increase the number of admissions in the first batch to help more Emirati students start their higher education journey. We are confident that the selected students will be up to the responsibility, and we will make all our efforts to ensure Their success, including their support through communication channels with academic advisors and consultants who will follow their path from January until their graduation.”
Scholarship students enroll in community colleges in North America and Europe, with 114 of them going to the United States and 26 to Canada. Then, students will be able to transfer credit hours to an international or local university to complete their studies for two additional years and obtain a bachelor’s degree.
Students stay during their studies in community colleges with host families in the countries of study, where the Department of Education and Knowledge selected these families in cooperation with the most important organizations specialized in this regard. Students in the homestay program are provided with safe housing and a supportive environment during their studies at community colleges. The program helps students hone their English language skills while instilling values of tolerance and understanding global cultures.
Students on scholarships within the Step program receive living allowances, in addition to covering all study and accommodation costs throughout their studies and preparation for a bachelor’s degree.
The Khotwa programme, with a total cost of AED 1.9 billion, aims to provide quality education opportunities to 6,000 Emirati students by 2028. The program provides alternative pathways to higher education for high school graduates from various academic and social backgrounds who were not able to join foreign scholarship programs previously. The fully funded program provides students with a wide range of future skills and international educational experiences to enable them to achieve their full potential and contribute to building the knowledge economy in Abu Dhabi.
Mustafa Badr Al-Din / Reem Al-Hajry