Raj Kapoor, Assistant Dean, School of Business Administration, and Director of Student Recruitment at American University in Dubai, opens up to Edarabia about the upcoming Higher Education Summit, hosted by the university, and his views on pressing issues in higher education.
A summit is often used to describe any gathering of people who are passionate about the same topic. As such, this one is no different. It is the getting together of like-minded individuals who deeply care about emerging issues in student counselling and providing solutions to these challenges. A diverse range of speakers and panelists have been carefully chosen to share their expertise on a number of relevant topics. More than 40 counsellors from 15 different countries have been selected to attend the event. Our purpose of the summit is to showcase the development of education in the UAE. Having options and finding a fit is important.
There are a few factors that come to mind. It would be easy to state the obvious – that is declining enrollment, increasing competition. As a consequence, some institutions are squeezing budgets and resources, resulting in overburdened faculty and staff. It is, therefore, critical to carefully strategize your recruitment efforts, however, reminding ourselves that it is all about doing the right thing for the student.
Something else that we probably ought to consider is that the UAE is still a young country in terms of the tenure of universities. Add to this that one often deals with many “low-information” prospects, so you need quality time, counseling the students. The real challenge is deciding which students have the highest probability of success at the given institution and the institution’s seeking to recruit them. It is therefore critical to carefully strategize your recruitment efforts that are in sync with the institution’s goals of academic excellence and providing the best environment to the students. In addition, the higher education sector is relatively young; hence, university “culture” is less developed than in some other parts of the globe. AUD is one of the oldest in the country and we are in our 24th year. I read somewhere that the UAE hosts the largest number of international branch campuses in the world – a truly extraordinary statistic for a relatively small and young nation. The growth of as well as the variety of institutions in this wonderful country is nothing short of remarkable. That said, it will take time for institutions in the UAE to be able to compete with those that have been around for centuries in other parts of the globe. With a high expatriate population in the UAE, some parents (and students) may be swayed to choose a university in their “home” country that has more history and is considered established. Though I must say that we are making tremendous strides in the UAE to close the perceived gap and summits such as these will only help in doing so.
This can be done through employing a combination of integrated events inside and outside the classroom. Some universities formally cover these in a “foundation” program, or the “freshmen year experience.” Before the student enrols at a university, the appropriate staff ought to clearly explain the academic and additional skills needed to succeed at the institute of higher learning. While the goal is not to alarm the student, our job is to create the right expectations that will, in turn, help the student succeed.
Once a student commences university, support is on-going and delivered through various mechanisms – a robust and carefully constructed (informative) orientation program is scheduled in the first weeks. Some universities compel freshmen students to take a “How to Succeed at University” course. This course normally covers important themes like time management, the significance of getting involved in extracurricular activities, familiarizing yourself with the faculty, staff, advisors, career counselors, developing good study habits, learning the course sequence for your degree, academic policies, rules, regulations, requirements and expectations for your program of study, know your way around campus and use its facilities (library, computer labs), why it is key to take care of your health and balance your lifestyle taking care of your health and balancing your lifestyle, how and where to seek help, setting up a study group with expectations for your program of study, knowing your way around campus and using its facilities , embracing diversity, keeping a positive and can-do attitude, creating a purposeful study environment, why skipping class is not a good idea, take time to socialize (but not overdo), participate actively in class, set up and keep to a budget, set personal and academic goals, be prepared for life to be different, be an active listener, schedule breaks for yourself, and more. To conclude; from the moment the student steps on campus, the experience should clearly communicate that they are no longer in high school. The journey to adulthood takes a big leap, and expectations change. The Admissions team is key in communicating this through its treatment of students as adults.
AUD is a University of Choice for employers and we are extremely proud of this. How do we make sure our graduates are equipped for the real world? It is because of our range of activities mainly centered on keeping our finger on the pulse. Our pedagogy requires students to think critically, solve problems, work in teams, and more. Senior academics, faculty, and staff regularly engage with key personnel in various industries so we stay abreast of changes, developments and thus, the necessities of the real world.
The respective Deans in our academic programs invite C-suite executives to serve on advisory boards. Often their feedback is used to update our curriculum. We consistently host guest lectures by industry practitioners. Just recently, AUD hosted Kevin Roberts who delivered his “Winning Session, Running through 20 Shots – 20 Ideas to Help you Win” to a group of students studying leadership. The Executive Director at JP Morgan explained the intricacies of blockchain and cryptocurrencies to our Economics and Finance students. Later this month, the CEO of Wunderman will address our students about creating advertising briefs. We also encourage student participation in various competitions so they continue to build their skills and character. Affiliations with professional bodies like the CFA, and MoU’s with bodies like CIMA, are further validation that our degree programs remain current and relevant.
While these are challenging times, they also present opportunities for those who believe. In the words of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum – “The first lesson to be learnt is that competition always makes you stronger and better. Competition is feared only by the weak. Our country is better because it is open to competition; our employees are better because they compete with everyone; our streets are better because we want them to surpass those of other countries. Even our government institutions become better when we give out distinction awards that encourage competition for first place.”
The one constant thing is change. Universities need to instil an ethos of lifelong learning. It is about learning, unlearning, and relearning. Students (graduates) should not believe they have mastered everything and that they need to know and stop appreciating or acknowledging new ideas. Creativity and innovative thinking are key factors. It is very important to distinguish between information and knowledge. While one can be well-informed one can never have enough knowledge and the quest for new learning should always be emphasized. In today’s workplace – it is about getting better and better, being first, being creative and innovative. So in our classrooms, we encourage learning from each other, the importance of valuing diversity and the multiplicity of thoughts that come from that, to list a few. The academic programs at AUD are geared towards delivering a holistic and comprehensive education (a perfect blend of knowledge, skills and personality development) that are the true foundations for a well-rounded individual.
The importance of developing soft skills including, but are not limited to communication/presentation skills, grit, attitude, integrity, ethics, authentic, curiosity, and tenacity are emphasized in almost all of our courses. Technology is the language of just about every course we teach, at least in the strictly professional fields. The best organizations are learning organizations; and in that regard, the environment embraced by AUD’s professional programs is no different from what one encounters in the corporate world.
Raj Kapoor is Assistant Dean, School of Business Administration and Director of Student Recruitment at the American University in Dubai (AUD). He was formerly Human Resources Director and Special Assistant to the President at AUD.
His love for the academic environment began in 1990 when he joined the American College in London and he has remained in academia ever since. Raj came to the Middle East from the UK in 1999 and was AUD’s first Human Resources Director and distinguished himself in that position for nearly eight years (1999-2007).
Over the course of his career, he has consulted for many academic institutions and multinational corporations. He has participated as a speaker at various international seminars and conventions and delivered presentations and managed workshops for businesses, firms and universities (both locally and overseas), on topics ranging from Leadership and Management, Recruitment and Motivational techniques to How to do Business in the UAE. He was instrumental in hosting the EdUniversal World Education Convention (November 2017), bringing researchers and administrators from more than a 100 international universities to the UAE. Raj has also offered his expertise in education and issues related to academia in the media, including newspaper articles and radio interviews.
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A fascinating article by an inspiring educator who understands the importance of learning as an end rather than a means.
By Sandip Patel QC (Feb, 2019) |
Excellent interview. Progressive, astute, ethical and informative. Enhancing business education in the UAE.
By Asit Sharma (Feb, 2019) |
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Well explained and fabulous guidelines . Mr. Raj Kapoor has fantastic work experience and is most genuine in his field.
By Priya Vora (Feb, 2019) |