George Mason University- Ras Al Khaimah Campus (GMU-RAK) is planning to expand its operations by undertaking research that would be relevant to the region and opening avenues for continuing education.

George Mason University president Alan G Merten revealed this during talks with Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah Shaikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi

“Instead of just being a teaching institution, we want a faculty which is doing research that relates to the public and private sector. In this context we are going to select some areas to do research, like public policy or science and technology, that has relevance to the country and the society,” Merten said.

Shaikh Saud welcomed Merten and expressed his appreciation of the academic initiatives undertaken by the Virginia- based university to provide quality higher education to students in the region.

He said that the government attached prime importance to investment in education and would continue its efforts to expand the educational choices available in the UAE by making the emirate a hub for quality higher education. He added that the government would also make available scholarship programmes to support the university students.

GMU-RAK, established in 2005 under the initiative of  Ras Al Khaimah Education Company (Edrak), is the first full branch campus of an American university in the UAE and currently offers six undergraduate degree programmes.

Merten said that the university has been trying to offer programmes that exactly address the needs of the economy and the social structure.

“We are pleased with the fact that we have been able to connect ourselves to the economy and couple the needs of the economy with what we are going to provide in the UAE,” he added.

He said that in addition to its focus on bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programmes, the university is planning to get deeply involved in the area of continuing education, which he said was lacking in the emirates and in its universities.

Higher Colleges of Technology vice-chancellor and GMU-RAK Campus board of governors member Dr Tayeb Kamali, Edrak vice-chairman Essam Al Tamimi, Edrak managing director Jamal Al Jassmi and GMU-RAK acting vice-president Zaid Adib Ansari were present at the meeting. – TradeArabia News Service