The British University in Dubai (BUiD) is continuing to cement its position as one of the UAE’s most innovative academic institutions by using digital age technology to assist student learning.
This week BUiD – the Middle East’s first research-based, postgraduate university – used a satellite video link to screen a live interactive lecture from one of its UK partners, the University of Birmingham. The technology enabled effective dialogue without any delay between the students in Dubai and the lecturer in Birmingham.
Plans are in place for the technology to be used as a two-way communication and research tool, to exchange new ideas and findings with other universities around the world.
“With the use of modern technology and interactive lectures, BUiD is once again demonstrating that students at the university receive the best of British education delivered in different and innovative formats,” said David Lock, BUiD’s Registrar and Acting CEO.
The lecture entitled ‘Inclusion: Place, Process, Practice or Principle’ was given to an audience taking the Masters in Education (M Ed.) programme at BUiD’s Institute of Education, at its Knowledge Village campus in Dubai, by Dr. John Visser from Birmingham, England.
“It is a privilege for me to have delivered this ground-breaking lecture via satellite video to the students at the British University in Dubai. The lecture examined the subject of inclusion, which affects everyone single one of us. I wanted to draw upon the social, emotional and behavioural difficulties that both inclusion and exclusion bring,” said Dr. John Visser, Senior Lecturer in Special Education, University of Birmingham.
BUiD uses 6 high speed ISDN lines which lead into a Polycom FX video station. The state-of-the-art technology ensures all users are visually and verbally interactive.
“The quality of telecommunications in the UAE is fantastic, which is vital for a university like BUiD which has to keep in regular contact with our partner universities in the UK. We regularly conduct UK – UAE meetings by video link and it has accelerated the pace of knowledge exchange,” concluded Lock.
About The British University in Dubai
The British University in Dubai (BUiD) is the Middle East’s first research-based, postgraduate university. The University was established to facilitate access to world-class education, training and research in the Middle East. BUiD aspires to the highest, internationally recognized British standards as reflected in its partnership with the University of Edinburgh, the University of Birmingham, the University of Manchester, Cardiff University and now the Cass Business School at City University, London. Each has a five or five-star rating in the UK national Research Assessment Exercise that signifies research of international standard.
The not-for-profit university offers full and part-time Masters Degree programmes and Continuing Professional Development courses in Information Technology, Project Management, the Built Environment and Education. Subject to accreditation, a new Masters programme in Finance and Banking will be offered in January 2006.
All BUiD’s current Masters Programmes have received Accreditation Eligibility Status from the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research’s Commission for Academic Accreditation.
The founders of the University are the Al Maktoum Foundation, the Dubai Development and Investment Authority, Rolls-Royce, the British Business Group and the National Bank of Dubai. The University is managed by a provisional council under the chairmanship of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
The Emirates Group, DUCAB, Atkins and Dubai Duty Free are supporters of the university through financial contributions or the provision of scholarships.
