ADU students’ demand for lessons taught in Arabic
Dr. Nabil Ibrahim, ADU’s chancellor has seen an increase in interest for courses to be taught in Arabic
Demand from students for more university courses to be taught in their native Arabic has sparked debate among academics, with some believing English is better for the country’s goal of becoming a knowledge-based economy.
Abu Dhabi University, the emirate’s largest private university, had, until now, taught all of its courses in English in line with the Ministry of Higher Education’s mandate.
However, it will offer subjects in Arabic for the first time in the coming academic year, including mass communications, which has only been running for two years.
Dr Nabil Ibrahim, ADU’s chancellor, said: “We started it in English two years ago and many of the students wanted to do it in Arabic, mainly because most newspapers here are in Arabic and most opportunities for employment consider a degree in Arabic of more value. This is certainly the case in Abu Dhabi, if not so much in Dubai.” Read More
