The announcement of a $1 billion (Dh3.7 billion) education park in Ras al Khaimah will be a welcome injection of cash into the local economy and a major boost for the educational aspirations of the youth. This initiative is crucial if the emirate is to achieve its ambitious development plans.
If Edrak, which sets up projects in the education sector, completes all of the planned facilities and fills them with students, the UAE’s private higher education capacity will increase by more than 50 per cent. The result would be a reduction in unemployment by creating the training programmes needed to increase Emirati participation in the workforce.
Education should be the keystone of any major development strategy. By unleashing the potential of its young talent, Ras al Khaimah will be in a much stronger position to close the economic gap between the northern emirates and the rest of the country.
Ras al Khaimah’s local government must make sure that the educational park is just one piece of the overall development project. To be a success, the overall infrastructure must be able to support such a major initiative. To attract students from all over the world, the roads and utilities will have to meet the highest standards. But with enough investment, every sector of the economy will benefit from the influx of students each year.
The park’s plan to focus on research has not been done on such a large scale in the UAE before, but if the initiative succeeds, it could pave the way for similar ventures in the rest of country. More practically, the education park will entice students into sectors that are important to Ras al Khaimah’s overall strategic plan. The UAE’s second largest industry, tourism, is struggling to find qualified workers. The park’s schools will help to fill a major gap in the market by training young Emiratis for these important jobs.
Page last updated 01 January 2020