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May 21, 2008
Abu Dhabi official visits Seattle to strengthen ties with University of Washington
Itinerary includes meetings with key Washington State organizations
His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Omar Abdullah, Undersecretary for the Abu Dhabi Department for Planning and Economy and Chairman of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Academy, will visit Seattle from June one to June six to further the relationship between Abu Dhabi and Seattle. His Excellency will explore opportunities for expanding the UAE Academy's ongoing partnership with the University of Washington (UW). He will also investigate opportunities for new relationships between Abu Dhabi and key organizations in Washington State and the Northwest.
Significance of Mr. Abdullah's Seattle visit
UW only university to offer certificate programs in the UAE
UW representatives comment
About University of Washington (UW) Educational Outreach
Significance of Mr. Abdullah's Seattle visit
This is Mr. Abdullah's first official trip to the U.S. Serving on the boards of organizations including the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Media Corporation, and National Drilling Company (a member of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company). Mr. Abdullah represents a number of leading institutions in the world's richest city in a country possessing the world's largest sovereign wealth fund and 10 percent of the world's oil reserves.
He is also Chairman of the UAE Academy, UW's partner in the region. UW certificate programs administered by UW Educational Outreach have been so successful that Mr. Abdullah and Dr. Magdi Hafiz, chief executive of the Academy, will meet with President Mark Emmert to sign an agreement that expands the current partnership and will hold talks with several UW Deans.
Mr. Abdullah's trip to Seattle is being organized by David Woodward, President and CEO of the Seattle based Associates in Cultural Exchange (A.C.E.). Woodward's efforts to promote regional ties between the Northwest and the Middle East sparked the ongoing UW partnership. He is now assisting Abu Dhabi to forge similar ties beyond education.
UW only university to offer certificate programs in the UAE
In a country of 3.5 million where the majority of the population is non-Emirati, UAE leaders have set policies to increase the number of Emirati professionals in the workforce. One strategy toward "Emiratization" is to increase the pool of qualified Emirati job seekers. The UAE Academy, founded by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, is at the forefront of the country's efforts in human resources development. UW certificate programs support this effort by offering post-graduate training that bridges the gap between university education in the UAE and practical application in the corporate arena.
The UW-UAE partnership marks the first time UW has established a presence abroad to teach foreign nationals in their home country. UW Educational Outreach launched its first certificate program in Abu Dhabi in February 2007, starting with Business English Communications-Marketing. Certificates in Business English Communications-Travel & Tourism, Business for International Professionals, and Human Resources followed throughout the year. Rather than offering undergraduate or graduate degrees, as other universities have done, the UW chose certificate programs as a strategy to help UAE inject more qualified Emirati professionals into the workforce. The UW intends to broaden its scope in the region as part of this partnership. For example, UW College of Education consults with Zayed University in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on curriculum development for new programs such as Zayed's new Masters in Education program.
"It's a momentous occasion that an official as prominent as Mr. Abdullah is coming to Seattle, rather than to New York or Washington D.C., to explore potential business relationships," said Marisa Nickle, UW Educational Outreach program manager based in Abu Dhabi. "We are honored to host Mr. Abdullah at the University of Washington," said David Szatmary, Vice Provost, UW Educational Outreach. "We're pleased that the success of UW certificate programs in Abu Dhabi is leading to an expanded partnership with the UAE Academy."
About University of Washington Educational Outreach (UWEO)
UWEO is the continuing and professional education division of the University of Washington, the nationally recognized public research institution based in Seattle. Helping the schools, colleges and departments to administer evening master's degrees, certificate programs, distance and online learning, international outreach, English language programs and more, UWEO is one of the largest and most highly regarded continuing and professional education programs in the U.S. (more information at the UWEO Web site.)