Maysam Ali talks to Professor Rob Whelan who recently took over as head of the University of Wollongong in Dubai.
Professor Rob Whelan is a biologist and bushfire ecology expert. He has served as the dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Wollongong, Australia and recently assumed his role as the president of the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD). Whelan brings with him international experience as he has worked in the US, UK, Brazil and briefly in Vietnam. This is his first posting in the region. "It's an opportunity to learn about the Middle East and the Gulf region," he says.
What are the disciplines that UOWD focuses on?
The university has so far focused on the fields of business, accounting, finance and information technology (IT). We hope this will change in the future. Engineers are greatly needed in Dubai and there is an opportunity for us to fit into that expansion. Our intellectual expertise, comprising a strong engineering faculty at UOWD, gives us a head start.
Humanities are taught in the foundation year and are needed in corporate business. Institutional psychology is an integral part of the human resources unit in any big organisation. Given that people come from all over the world to work in Dubai, it's important for an organisation to understand the culture and language of the environment they are working in.
Could multiculturalism on campus ever be an impediment to learning?
Higher education is preparing students to take on a global career so learning in a multicultural university is a great thing. The challenge is that many students apply to university without realising how adequate it is to have proper training in English as well as their mother tongue. If you don't have adequate English, it's difficult to understand the courses.
What changes do you hope to bring in?
I see an opportunity for a doctoral programme in the university. We are trying to use the skills of our staff and strong connection with the University of Wollongong in Australia to deliver programmes of immediate relevance to Dubai and the UAE.
The initial needs and demands were in commerce, finance, management, business, IT.
In my tenure, I want to look into strengthening and broadening research activity at the university. In the three-to-five year horizon, I want the institution to include social science and humanities.
We also want to develop cooperation with other accredited universities in the region because there are opportunities for synergy and collaboration to offer programmes that are even more valuable for the region.
What are the challenges that lie ahead of you?
One is language preparation for students... another is aligning the needs of this region for courses with the capacity that we have in terms of our staff and our facilities. If we are going to expand, we also have to expand the physical facilities but there will be an ultimate limit in Knowledge Village so we may be looking at other options in the city. We have not finalised expansion opportunities.
In addition, because of the inflationary environment, keeping education affordable is a challenge. Attracting high-quality staff becomes challenging because of the cost of renting, school fees. We want to have affordable accommodation for students in Jebel Ali Gardens, Ajman and Dubai Investment Park and we provide bus service.
What is the course of accreditation for programmes offered by your university?
Our courses are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education. Furthermore, there is an opportunity for us to apply for accreditation by the Australian Computer Society.
Why would you encourage students to get an Australian education?
Studying here gives an international education built on the Australian model. Quality is what we offer in our degree programmes. It's tailored to the local needs. In addition, our faculty is regarded internationally in their fields. We have been part of the development of higher education here for the past 15 years.
Interesting figures
- 3,300 alumni since its inception
- Current student body comprises just over 2,500 students and represents 92 countries.
- Emirati students are the second largest group (around 20 per cent of the student body); the largest group is Indian, the third largest is Iranian followed by Pakistani.
- 17per cent of students are from Abu Dhabi
- The university has approximately 120 faculty including part timers and adjunct professors
By Maysam Ali