Dubai Aerospace is sponsoring 10 places on DAE University Masters courses. Working Week talks to DAE University president Dr George Ebbs about the programmes
DAE University starts its first academic year next month with the offer of 10 aerospace-related scholarships. Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), parent company to DAE University, is sponsoring the scholarships in its MSc in Airport Planning & Management, and MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design.
Dr George Ebbs, who took over as head of the university last month, says DAE was offering the scholarships so that it might benefit from the expertise it was helping to fund.
"It makes sense for us to sponsor the best students, because we in turn hope to attract those students to work within the companies we have, or will have by the time they graduate," he says. The courses will initially be taught at Cranfield University in the UK, with students returning to Dubai to complete their research and dissertation at DAE university, from next March.
"One of our criteria is that we want to help those who may need financial support to undertake study. Clearly this and academic achievement are probably the two most important criteria to qualify for a scholarship," Ebbs says.
"You need a solid Bachelors degree. Ideally you've had some very meaningful industry experience and then it's very much down to the applicant themselves: what kind of person they are their attitude what they want to do."
Ebbs retired as president of the Florida-based Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) last year, after leading it to become one of the biggest aviation trainers in the world.
DAE hopes that Ebbs can work some of the same magic in the Gulf to make the Dubai-based university a regional centre for aviation and aerospace training. By 2015 the university aims to be teaching 8,000 students on a range of vocational, degree and postgraduate programmes. DAE projects that the university will create 2,000 new jobs and contribute $250 million to Dubai's economy each year.
So far about half of the applicants for the course have been from Dubai, with others coming from the Gulf and throughout Asia. "We're expecting people to get a jump-start into a management career as a consequence of taking this kind of programme, and frankly we need good managers in the businesses we're putting together," Ebbs says.
"This is really an opportunity to get a first-class education, incorporating a significant interactive element with industry. "Students are going to come out of this programme very well rounded and ready to go into the job market as a very attractive commodity for employers."
Source: Flight International
