Today's Edition
Ibrahim Saleem (Abu Dhabi)
The Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi expressed its pride in the success of the completion of the first summer mission under the “Student Enrichment Programme”, which saw the notable achievements of 100 Emirati students in grades 10-12 from public, private, and partnership educational schools. The Department sent 100 Emirati students to participate in summer programmes at the world’s top universities, most notably Harvard University.
The “Student Enrichment Programme” offers a range of extracurricular activities specifically designed to empower Emirati students schools and develop their capabilities in various academic disciplines.
At Harvard University, six students achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and above, four of whom scored 3.67 and above, while another student achieved a perfect score. The department emphasised that its Summer Missions for the “Student Enrichment Programme” successfully achieved its goal, reflecting the department’s vision to develop the skills of emerging generations and empower talented and ambitious students through exceptional educational experiences. Participant TestimonialsAletihad spoke with various students who attended the programme at Harvard University to highlight the benefits of the experience.
Student participant Salem Mohammed bin Tarees Al Qamzi said: “My summer experience at Harvard University was inspiring and knowledge-rich. I studied space science and political philosophy, which contributed to the development of both my scientific knowledge and cognitive skills. I also had the opportunity to represent my beloved country, which in itself is a source of pride and honour, in addition to the opportunity to prove our capabilities and distinction as Emiratis. “At Harvard, I was reminded of the words of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the country’s leader, to the nation’s youth: ‘You are an important generation.. We want to compete with you against the world.’ To me, it was a call for all of us to elevate the name of the UAE and offer our knowledge to serve the nation and achieve the aspirations of our wise leadership.
I see myself today ready for this challenge and prepared to carry the UAE’s flag in the race for competition and excellence,” Al Qamzi said. Student Maha Mohammed Al Ktheeri told Aletihad that the skills she aquired were the most significant benefit of studying at Harvard University for seven weeks. “I benefited immensely throughout the summer, where I developed personally and academically. I was delighted to have the opportunity to attend two university courses and experience that for the first time, in addition to the independence that was fostered within me. I had a unique experience at Harvard University, which has the best facilities, among the best professors, and outstanding students, and I had the honour to study and discuss different topics with them in the same lecture halls,” Al Ktheeri said.Omar Sami Al-Jassim said: “During my time at Harvard University, I studied two courses: ‘Mathematical Verification’ and ‘An Introduction to Imagination’.
The latter garnered more of my attention. We worked on composing short stories with the help of tools and fundamentals provided by our professors. This also involved extensive readings from renowned global authors in this field. This experience significantly shaped and expanded my capabilities and perceptions, even in relation to architecture, which I am also interested in from another aspect.” Afrah Saleh Al-Manhali told Aletihad that the most significant benefit of her academic journey at Harvard University was the opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the world.
“Without a doubt, it was an exceptional experience. The competitive environment of the university inspired me to strive for academic excellence, expand my horizons, and face challenges I had never contemplated before,” Al-Manhali said. Student participant Mansour Al-Ahbabi noted that the Department of Education and Knowledge provided me the chance to study two courses in line with his interests.
“The first was ‘Cosmic Space’, which provided scientific explanations on the potential existence of life on other planets, supported by evidence from specialists. The emphasis here was on deduction, analysis, and information extraction after studying the research. The second course was about the risks artificial intelligence poses to societies, specifically regarding privacy breaches and the use of personal data. This helped shape my understanding of the importance of analysis, scrutiny, and questioning any topic.
I advise interested students to participate in the programme and communicate with their peers from different parts of the world,” Al-Ahbabi said.“I can describe my journey over the seven weeks as a rich and fulfilling experience,” Khalifa Al-Khouri told Aletihad. “I studied an introductory course in psychology and got acquainted with deep insights and studies about the mind and human behaviour.
I also studied a separate mathematics course, specifically graph theory and proofs, which included deductive reasoning, contrapositive implication, proof by contradiction, and other topics.” At Harvard University, six students achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and above, four of whom scored 3.67 and above, while another student achieved a perfect score Students from grades 10-12 spent seven weeks at the world’s top universities The programme’s success reflects the Department’s vision to develop the skills of emerging generations and empower talented and ambitious students.
