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Showing posts from June, 2014

MBBS: MCI recognized colleges in Maharashtra

MCI logo Mumbai, (India): Now last minute running by parents for securing an MBBS seat in Management and NRI quota for their children is doing the rounds. But before handing over your hard-earned money of around 50-85 lakhs, think twice. Whether you pass the money bag to a genuine person or a recognized institution? In this regard, you should be more wise by knowing the nuances of accreditation system in India. In India, to deliver a recognized MBBS certificate, the institution needs Medical Council of India(MCI) registration. This week MCI released a table of recognized MBBS institutions in the State of Tamil Nadu of India. Maharashtra hosts 44 colleges that provide MBBS degree with a grand total of 5,945 available seats. Have a check up whether your college in the list: 1. ACPM Medical College, Dhule: 100 seats 2. Armed Forces Medical College, Pune: 140 seats 3. Ashwini Rural Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Solapur:100 seats 4. B. J. Government. Medical Colle

Saeed al Muntafiq is GEMS Group CEO

Dubai, (UAE): GEMS Education , the region’s leading school education provider, is pleased to announce the appointment of Saeed Al Muntafiq as Group Chief Executive Officer for the company. Mr Al Muntafiq brings a wealth of experience, proven leadership skill, and a passion for education as GEMS Education embarks on the next phase in its expansion. He will oversee all GEMS Education operations in the Middle East, Africa and most of Asia. He has served as a Non-Executive Director on the board of GEMS Education for over two years. In 2005 he was appointed Executive Chairman of Tatweer, a major subsidiary of Dubai Holding. Sunny Varkey, founder and Chairman of GEMS, said: "Saeed is a tremendous addition to GEMS Education . We are deeply committed to meeting the aspirations and needs of all our students, parents, regional governments and other stakeholders. As CEO, Saeed will be instrumental in fulfilling this vision." Mr Al Muntafiq said: "I am pleased to be joini

MBBS : MCI recognized colleges in Tamil Nadu

Medical Council of India logo Chennai, (India): Now last minute running by parents for securing an MBBS seat in Management and NRI quota for their children is doing the rounds. But before handing over your hard-earned money of around 50-85 lakhs, think twice. Whether you pass the money bag to a genuine person or a recognized institution? In this regard, you should be more wise by knowing the nuances of accreditation system in India. In India, to deliver a recognized MBBS certificate, the institution needs Medical Council of India(MCI) registration. This week MCI released a table of recognized MBBS institutions in the State of Tamil Nadu of India. Tamil Nadu hosts 44 colleges that provide MBBS degree with a grand total of 6,015 available seats. Have a check up whether your college in the list: 1. ACS Medical College and Hospital, Chennai: 150 seats 2. Annapoorna Medical College and Hospital, Salem: 150 seats 3. Chengalpattu Medical College, Chengalpattu: 100 seats 4. Chennai Med

Abu Dhabi University to open campus in Dubai

Abu Dhabi University Abu Dhabi,(UAE): Abu Dhabi University, the largest private university in Abu Dhabi, plans to open a new campus in either Knowledge Village or Dubai International Academic City in September 2015, the first of its kind to operate in both emirates. Currently Abu Dhabi University has campuses in Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain. So what prompts university for reaching into Dubai? Abu Dhabi University Chancellor, Dr. Nabil Ibrahim, was excited to answer this by saying: "It’s important for us to expand our market in terms of accessibility for international students, and Dubai is not only a hub for international trade but is becoming a place for international education," said Dr Nabil Ibrahim, the university’s chancellor. Right now Abu Dhabi University holds a student’s community of 6,000. It runs around 24 undergraduate and nine postgraduate programmes. While a decade back, university’s student strength was a mere 800. Now university has grown to the level of offeri

Stacey B Gabriel: World’s hottest researcher

Stacey B. Gabriel Washington, (USA): Who is the hottest researcher of the world? Thomson Reuters, world’s biggest multinational media and information firm based in New York City, in a recently published report - The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds- named Stacey B Gabriel as hottest researcher of the world. Stacey B Gabriel is currently the director of the genomics platform at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in the United States. She’s a global scientist with multiple hot papers – 23 in all – and tops the latest list of the world’s 3,215 highly cited researchers by Thomson Reuters. The report says that the hottest-of-the-hot researchers fall within the area of Genomics. Stacey B Gabriel topped the list with 23 papers. The Broad Institute genomics platform director has research interests in using genomic techniques to understand the genetic component of common disease. She is followed by Broad Institute colleagues Matthew Meyerson with 22 papers and Gad Getz with

Behind Bahrain’s drive for better education…

Dr. Jawaher Al Mushaki Manama, (Bahrain): Bahrain has decided to cleanse up their higher education system by culling pedestrian institution, rectifying current sub-standard practices and infrastructure of various institutions and raising the quality of teachers….But behind all this drive, one lady is sitting at the driver’s seat. And it is other than Dr. Jawaher Al Mudhaki, CEO of National Authority for Qualifications and Quality Assurance of Education and Training (QAAET). QAAET is the statutory body charged with providing the highest quality of education and training in Bahrain by reviewing and analysing the performance of educational establishments, organising national exams, redressing weaknesses and building on strengths at schools and higher educational institutions to reach set national goals. In its first round survey of educational institutions of Bahrain, QAAET has revealed many disturbing realities. The QAAET report concluded that several schools and universities are

Bahrain gives 2749 scholarships

Education Minister Dr. Majid bin Ali Al-Nuaimi Manama, (Bahrain): Education Minister Dr. Majid bin Ali Al-Nuaimi has approved 2749 scholarships for higher studies for the academic year 2014-2015. Minister said that registration for the scholarships provided by the ministry for outstanding secondary students will be electronic, in a way that meets the kingdom’s needs. In a statement, Dr. Al-Nuaimi explained that all scholarships have to be granted in cooperation with the Education Ministry, in line with the leadership’s directives and for the sake of ensuring that they meet the legal requirements, achieve the students’ interests and meet the country’s needs. He said that the ministry will continue granting scholarships for students according to fair and transparent standards, without any gender discrimination, taking into consideration students with special needs, noting that 50 scholarships will be allocated to ones who meet the requirements. He rejected critics to the schola

Students that travel and schools that wait for them

Saud Alhalwachi Saud Alhalwachi, MD, Eduzone Dubai writes: Last week one of my students went to Canada to pursue his education, of course this student had so many issues with his visa and what not, so it took us almost 9 months to sort him out.  The day he departed we all jumped up  saying Yaaay, he left; not knowing of course what is in store for us. My phone rang at 3:30 AM, and then at 3:35, 3:37, and so on, and I keep on switching it off thinking that a mad man is trying to ring me, and my grandson was restless, so I put the phone on silence.  In the morning, I found out that it was the father of the student who was calling!  well, at that time the student is still on the plane, he lands about couple of hours after that. So why did the father called that many times? I wondered? I asked the father what happened and why was he calling so early? he said that he freaked out, and the mother freaked him out even more.  Then I checked my emails, and it seems that he had rung

MAHSA Malaysia enters UAE

MAHSA University's new office Ajman, (UAE) :Malaysian-based MAHSA University, a premier name in the field of higher education in health care, has entered Ajman as part of a twinning MBBS-programme and four bachelor programmes in Ajman, UAE. In this massive health education initiative, MAHSA University will work together with the famous Gulf Medical University (GMU) in Ajman. “This is the first ever twinning program for MBBS launched in the region. This initiative is a trendsetting feature in the region and we are proud to announce yet another unique programme from Gulf Medical University,” said Thumbay Moideen, founder president and chairman, Board of Governors of the University. GMU is the first university in UAE offering a twinning MBBS programme. As part of this tie-up, The Gulf Medical University (GMU) in Ajman has introduced four new health and sciences bachelor programmes along with a tie-up MBBS programme with a Malaysian university for the new academic year Septemb

Real shame for UGC

Dinesh Singh Delhi, (India): University Grants Commission(UGC) has recently scrapped the Delhi University’s (DU) four-year undergraduate programme. The major reason UGC points out that India mostly follows 10+2+3 policy and it is not proper to allow a four year undergraduate programme. With the resignation of DU Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh, a renowned academician, protesting UGC’s over-regulation is heating up the issue. It is said that in 2013, UGC almost has given its mute consent for turning undergraduate programmes into a duration of full four-year, instead of three years. So the question being asked is this: What prompted UGC to take a U-turn on this issue after one year, in 2014? More over, Indian higher education system allows autonomy to some extend to the universities. In this case it is alleged that UGC tramples upon the Delhi University’s autonomy to decide the length of its academic programmes. In the case of Delhi University, UGC has taken a double standard. Some of

Hundreds attend Saudi Arabian funeral of stabbed student

Riyadh, (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi victim of a frenzied stabbing in Colchester has been laid to rest in a desert funeral attended by thousands of mourners two days back. Nahid Almanea, 31, was buried in her native Al Jouf, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday afternoon after her body was released by Essex police and flown back to the Middle East. Pictures carried by local media showed crowds of sombre and distraught men present for Ms Almanea's tragic homecoming and her funeral beneath a blazing desert sun. A line of investigation is considering whether she may have been targeted because of her distinctive Muslim clothing, which included a full-length abaya robe and multi-coloured hijab headscarf. However chilling similarities between the attack on Ms Almanea and another murder three months earlier have led to speculation that there may be a serial killer on the loose in Colchester. Police are continuing to investigate an incident in which a woman fought off an as she jogged less than a mil

King's College London to cut jobs

GLOBAL NEWS London, (UK): London's higher education institutions are once again facing job losses. At King’s College London, up to 120 academic staffs are set to lose their jobs. These job losses are going to happen across the schools of medicine, biomedical sciences and the world renowned Institute of Psychiatry. Redundancies are planned or have taken place at new and old universities including King’s college London. Job losses are for building new infrastructure amounting up to $680 million. But experts say that this move will damage the reputation of the institute. This will be done by ranking staff on the basis of their research grant income and teaching hours. Staffs that do not meet a threshold value for research income or that teach less than a specified number of hours will be at risk. Staffs that don't make the grade will be issued with notices of dismissal by 15 August. Staff at King’s College London is set to take industrial action over planned redundanci

Importance of higher education highlighted in Saudi

Speakers in the podium during the annual technical seminar organized by the Institute of Engineers Pakistan, Saudi Arabian Center. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman (third from right), Ambassador of Pakistan in Saudi Arabia Naeem Khan (third from left) are also seen. Riyadh, (Saudi Arabia): Higher education is the key for a country’s growth and this core message was echoed in Saudi Arabia at a recently held annual technical seminar organized by the Institute of Engineers Pakistan, Saudi Arabian Centre. “Socioeconomic development of any country is no longer dependent on natural resources of the country, rather knowledge is the main driving force of world largest economies such as Japan and many European countries”- said Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, a topmost scientist from Pakistan in his keynote address. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman is the first scientist from the Muslim world to have won the prestigious UNESCO Science Prize and the recipient of highest national civil award in Pakistan. Nowadays Industrializa

Kuwait University invites applications

Students can inquire through the hotline 1866000 through the period of 3/-21/7/2014, 24 hours daily Kuwait city, (KUWAIT): Dean of Admission and Registration at Kuwait University, Dr. Subeeh Abdulaziz Al-Mukhaizeem announced that submitting applications electronically for the first semester of 2014/2015 for Kuwaiti students, children of Kuwaiti mothers, GCC citizens , and stateless students, who meet the requirements and are graduates of the unified system, Islamic institute, American and English system graduates, and expected graduates (for students in Kuwait) will start on Friday 4/7/2014 until Tuesday 15/7/2013, that is after completing monitoring the results of the academic aptitude tests which were held on June 28th. Submitting applications for the admission process at KU will be via internet through the Deanship of Admission and Registration's website on the following address www.portal.ku.edu.kw/admission , noting that admission instructions, required documents and minimu

IE admissions workshop in Saudi

IE Business School, Madrid, Spain Jeddah, (Saudi): IE an International Business School based on Madrid, Spain is conducting an admissions workshop in Saudi on 23 June, 2014. Those who are seeking a truly and enriching learning experience can visit the admissions drive at Jeddah Intercontinental Hotel located at Al Hamra Corniche, Jeddah. Timing will be from 19:30 to 20:30. IE is an international institution dedicated to educating business leaders through programs based on our core values of global focus, entrepreneurial spirit and a humanistic approach. Our 500-strong, international faculty teaches a student body composed of more than 90 nationalities on our Undergraduate (IE University), Master, and Doctorate degrees, and Executive Education programs. Our alumni, now numbering over 40,000, hold management positions in some 100 countries worldwide. We champion high-quality research coupled with multidisciplinary, integrative education programs. Designed to address market demands,

Saudi erased 60.61% of illiteracy

Education Minister Prince Khaled Al-Faisal Riyadh, (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Arabia’s Education Minister Prince Khaled Al-Faisal is now in cloud nine. The reason is nothing but the stellar achievement Saudi has bagged in combating with illiteracy. The Kingdom notified UNESCO that it has been able to erase 60.61 percent of illiteracy by the end of 2013, reducing illiteracy rates by 6.81 percent. Education Minister Prince Khaled Al-Faisal said that Saudi has surpassed the Dakar Education Conference’s objective of erasing illiteracy among the elderly by 50 percent by 2015. Dakar is a place in Senegal where World Education Forum took place from 26 to 28 August in 2000. Dakar frame work for action has cut out a target for Saudi to erase illiteracy among the grown up people by 50 % by 2015. But Saudi achieved the target in 2013, according to the Minister. Education Minister Prince Khaled Al-Faisal said this achievement proves the ability of Saudi people to reach their goals. “Education c

Nahid’s murder: Answers needed!

Is it the 19-year-old man from Colchester who stabbed Nahid Almanea 16 times to death? Or was it someone else? It is a full tragedy in all its aspects. The Guardian describes it saying: “Suffered 16 stab wounds to her body, neck, head and arms.” What sort of a criminal nature produces such a vicious killer? Are other Saudi students safe in the UK? Saudi society is restlessly worried! More than 14,000 Saudi students are in the UK. Accidents of students are rare and hardly noticed. A few accidents having a racist background took place in the last few years involving a limited number of male students. But in Nahid’s tragedy, the Ph.D. student, the case is different. Sympathy proceeds restlessness, especially after the spread of pictures of her aged father. A man in his seventies, hardly trying to keep his feet on the ground while in reception of his daughter’s body. What makes the case worse is that another victim was stabbed more than 100 times in an unexplained attack in a nearby p

Dubai kick starts its E-learning system

Dubai is on its E-learning way with Adult Education Dubai, (UAE): Dubai’s catching them first policy continues in E-learning system also. As the world all over is striving adopt digital learning Dubai has also started its initiative in E-learning. Now as a first step, the Ministry of Education, Dubai has succeeded in their attempt to convert four adult education books into interactive e-books. And Humaid Mohammad Al Qutami, Minister of Education, has launched this first set of adult education digital textbooks in a function recently. This digitization process is being progressed with the help of Etisalat and United Group of Education. Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, branded trade name Etisalat , is a UAE based telecommunications services provider, currently operating in 15 countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. It has an academy christened as Etisalat Academy that is positioned in the market to fill in the gap between traditional schooling and professional li

JEE Advanced: Only five girls in top 100 ranks

JEE: Still a boys turf New Delhi, (India): Finally the JEE Advanced exam results have been declared. This is the toughest engineering entrance in India to facilitate admissions to India’s top engineering colleges like IITs. Still there is a belief that mugging up is for girls and real scientific knowledge lies with boys. Whatever, as JEE and other engineering entrance exams generally testify the deeper knowledge in theories, obviously it is generally boys’ cup of tea. This year also it has been proved right as only five girls have been able to acquire a place in the top 100 rank list. Aditi from IIT Roorkee zone who landed up on the 7th rank is the topper amongst all the female candidates who sat for the exam. Chitraang Murdial of Rajasthan topped the JEE Advanced 2014 exam by securing 334 marks from the 360 maximum marks, an increase from the JEE Advanced 2013 topper who had secured only 332 marks. Only 21 percent of the candidates have qualified one of the most prestigious engi

Cruel murder of Saudi student in UK haunts…

Essex police in a press conference Riyadh,(Saudi Arabia): The number of stabs were 16. And these frenzied knife wounds spread over her body and up to her face. The pain of getting stabbed on a soft body is beyond words. Now all Saudi students, especially girl students wearing Abaya and Hijab (traditional attire of Emirati women), lives in UK and other European countries are in the grip of grave fear. Nahid Al-Maneas bag she wears during the time of her murder Many of them are reaching at their Universities for regular classes by walking. The college may be a little distant from their living place. Most of them may be walking alone. So the heartbeats of fear are inexplicable. Nahid Al-Manea, 32-year old Saudi student girl, was brutally killed at Cochester, Essex, while she was going to college by walk. One Arab girl student, Yazar Al-Wazir, wrote in her column in a website explains: “What is scary is how much Nahid and I have in common. I too am an Arab Muslim woman who cam

PSUAD students visit Morocco

Dr. Rachid Ragala and Students of PSUAD at Morocco Abu Dhabi, (UAE): Paris – Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD) students pursuing a BA in Geography recently concluded a study visit, which ran over eight days, to the Kingdom of Morocco. The visit featured field trips to Tangier and Gibraltar where students conducted onsite studies to link theory to practice. Led by Dr. Rachid Ragala, Head of the PSUAD Geography and Planning Department, and Prof. Kosmas Pavlopulos, the visit highlighted the economic, archaeological, geographic and demographic characteristics of Morocco. Students also explored transit and geopolitical factors in Gibraltar and tourism in Tangier, not to mention urban development across the kingdom as a whole. The PSUAD student delegation similarly visited the headquarters of the Emirati embassy in Morocco. The delegation was received by Mr. Saeed Al Ketbi of the UAE consulate in Rabat, who welcomed the visitors and emphasized the embassy’s keenness to offer them al

Sons of cobblers, roadside vendors to IIT

Anand Kumar in his Super 30 New Delhi, (India): Can you imagine the sons/daughters of cobblers, roadside vendors and grocers are selected for India’s most premier technology insititutes- IITs. This time around 27 students from poor background have been selected to IITs when they cracked JEE-advanced, an exclusive and highly competitive entrance exam for selecting students to IITs. And all the credit for this achievement goes to mathematician Anand Kumar and his institution Super 30. Both Anand Kumar and Super 30 is a globally reputed brand now. Super 30 is an Indian educational program that started in Patna, Bihar, India under the banner of 'Ramanujan School of Mathematics', by Anand Kumar. Established in 2002, the program selects 30 meritorious and talented candidates each year from economically backward sections of society and trains them for the IIT-JEE, the entrance examination forIndian Institute of Technology. Time Magazine has selected mathematician Anand Kumar

Congo seeks help from Oman on Education

A view of the majestic audience at Global Education for All meeting Muscat, (Oman): As far as education is concerned, Democratic Republic of Congo is on the verge of a collapse. Country’s Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo Mapon says: ““More than 3.5mn children in Congo are out of school. We need to build 20,000 schools and pay salaries to 80,000 primary school teachers”. He revealed the horrifying facts of Congo on Education front in a recently held Education Convention at Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Oman. And the case of Congo has come up as a hot discussion point during the first “Global Education for All” convention. Augustin Matata Ponyo Mapon, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo explained the challenges his country faces on the education front. He also appealed for a constructive partnership with Oman. “Though we have not decided the structure and type of collaboration, we will look into the areas which can be worked upon. Oman is an extreme

Top 100 Asian institutions: 10 from India

Punjab University (PU) front view Punjab University (PU) students New Delhi, (INDIA): This time India had hopes high, unlike the last year. Recently published, highly anticipated Top 100 Asian Institutions list by the Times Higher Education (THE) has seen 10 institutions from India found a place. Punjab University is the top-listed institution from India in the Times Higher Education list of Top 100 Asian Institutions. Punjab University secured 32nd place in the list. Chandigarh-based Punjab University is the alma mater of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. While Japan continued its dominance, China has improved its presence in the rankings. But Times Higher Education comments big on India: "perhaps the brightest star of the 2014 Asia University Rankings is India. Last year it had just three institutions in the top 100, but thanks to dramatically improved engagement with data collection and analysis, the country now boasts 10 institutions in the table." Follo