His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi greeting Exeter alum, Dr Elsadig Eltayeb (PhD Biological Sciences 1982) from Oman and Vice Chancellor Professor Steve Smith with Registrar David Allen.
Exeter celebrates Gulf friendships
A senior delegation from the University, led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve Smith, President-Elect of Universities UK, travelled on a strategically important visit to the Gulf region at the beginning of April.
The highlight of the visit was the third annual University of Exeter alumni dinner. His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah, hosted the dinner.
His Highness is an Exeter graduate. In 2007, His Highness was admitted, as the founding member, to the University of Exeter College of Benefactors, which pays tribute to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the University.
More than 90 Exeter alumni attended the event, held at the Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre of Gulf Studies, Sharjah. Many of the alumni travelled over large distances to be at the dinner – some as far away as Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Professor Steve Smith, a leading expert on politics and globalisation, also gave a guest lecture at the prestigious Dubai School of Government and took part in a discussion on the role of higher education during the global economic downturn.
Members of the delegation held a further series of meetings on a range of issues. They discussed how Exeter could use its considerable expertise in climate change and sustainable futures to work with the MASDAR Institute of Science & Technology in Abu Dhabi. The team also visited the Dubai campus of Zayed University to renew existing ties, and to discuss increased co-operation between the two institutions.
Exeter’s links with the region, where there are more than 460 contactable alumni, are growing. There are 145 students from the Gulf (GCC) at Exeter. This year sees Exeter’s largest cohort ever of students undertaking our Doctor of Education programme at our Middle East Office based in Dubai Knowledge Village. Applications from the Gulf are up by 40% compared to a year ago, with 362 students wishing to undertake degree level study at Exeter.
The University is currently appointing a new director for an initiative called International Exeter to drive forward Exeter’s international mission. Later this year, the Vice-Chancellor will undertake strategically important visits to regions and countries around the world - China, Malaysia and Thailand.
The University of Exeter currently has more than 60,000 alumni living in 150 countries. See www.exeter.ac.uk/alumnisupporters
Date: 8 April 2009
