Dubai offers an excellent quality of life as well as a welcoming and safe place to live. The relatively low cost of living is complemented by a delightfully multicultural and open-minded environment, which allows free practice of religion. So why do many students leave this wonderful country and seek post-secondary education elsewhere?
To replace expatriate jobs with nationals
Since 1971, Dubai is the second largest of the seven emirates that form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As the center for international commerce and tourism, it has become the most populous city in the UAE. An estimated 1.1 million people live in this city. However, eighty percent of the population is composed of foreigners: mostly Indians, Pakistanis, Iranians and Arabs from other countries. What accounts for this high percentage of non-nationals is the fact that Dubai is one of the top destinations to which expatriates come to work. According to Mr. Tom Swift, Director of International Student Recruitment at the John Molson School of Business (JMSB), the UAE does not permit immigration; expatriates and their families reside in UAE only on work permits.
While the population is growing strong in Dubai, so is the need for educational degrees. According to Tom Swift’s UAE Market Report 2003, there is a government policy to, wherever feasible, replace the expatriate work force by putting UAE nationals into management, leadership and decision making positions. Therefore, Dubai wants to ensure that nationals are gaining appropriate quality education and familiarity with different cultures to return and reduce the number of expatriates living in Dubai on work permits.
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To gain international intelligence
The UAE government emphasizes life-long learning and quality distance education - no matter what age. Dubai strongly believes that investing in its people’s education is a long- term investment for the economy of its country.
After studying abroad and acculturating themselves into a different environment, Dubai students gain a global perspective, which they can integrate into their own society. Their real life experience will not only make them stronger, but is a subtle form of competitive intelligence for the country. After their studies abroad have been completed, nationals are guaranteed a position back home where they are expected to incorporate their newly found business practices into Dubai’s growing economic scene. Reengineering of foreign business models is what has allowed Dubai to advance in such a limited amount of time. Since its association with the UAE in 1971, it has grown to become known as one of the most technological and internet-centered countries of the world, which would not have been possible without the knowledge and experience gained by foreign studies.
- Universities in Dubai are not fully developed
Skyscrapers, seven-star hotels, Internet city, technology and rich oil mines have defined Dubai as one of the most advanced countries of the Middle East. Their focus on modernism and excellence has help make this possible, and Universities are part of this process - but with only a few years experience, they are still in their growing phase. The United Arab Emirates University is the oldest university in the country, educating students for 29 years- but even that is minimal compared to Universities such as McGill, Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge that have been pioneers in their field for over a century. Dubai youth has grown up with the mentality of giving back to their country. Unfortunately, the school system that is available to them in the UAE has not grown as quickly as the infrastructure of the country and therefore they are encouraged to seek modern knowledge abroad in more experienced universities.
How does citizenship and gender play a role in determining where the students will study?
Students in the Dubai can be divided into two distinct categories:
- The national students
- The non-national students
The following grid will help distinguish the differences between both groups:
Figure 2
These differences can be further subdivided in terms of gender. It is important to note that there are almost three times more men than women in Dubai and in the UAE in general, women are treated differently. The focus group that was conducted really helped clarify why there is a big majority of males that study in Canada compared to women.
THE GOVERNMENT
- Why is it important for the Quebec government to support international recruitment?
- What are the government’s past and current efforts to help universities enrol foreign students?
Why is it important for the Federal/Provincial governments to support international recruitment?
Supporting international recruitment not only serves to increase the reputation of Canada/Quebec’s schooling systems, but also brings increased awareness and respect to Canada as a country, and Quebec as a province. This in turn, helps support trade and diplomacy interests. Furthermore, international recruitment has a direct effect on the economy. Foreign students migrate to their new city for a minimum of three to four years within which they must financially support their day-to-day activities. These expenditures are translated into an estimated $3.5 billion for the Canadian economy. The government also points to international students as a source of highly qualified candidates for Canada’s workforce, and/or a possible gateway for Canadians to export goods and services into the respective countries.
What are the government’s past and current efforts to help universities enrol foreign students?
Canadian universities have been making significant financial investments to recruit, process and support international students, and a number of Canadian consulates abroad have given active support to university recruitment efforts. Despite these efforts, nor the federal government or the provincial government has yet developed an effective set of supportive policies and programs to help universities maximize their current investment.
Privatization
The Quebec government pays Universities the exact same amount of money for a Quebec student as it does for an international student. Furthermore, the government has estimated the cost of educating a student to be $1,700 and has set a price cap for tuition of that amount. In 2000, Concordia privatized its Commerce and Administration Faculty in order to enable the University to charge more for international tuition and retain the differential tuition fees paid by these students. According to Rector Frederick Lowy, who passed the motion to privatize the Faculty of Commerce and Administration, many other Quebec universities were using the same strategy. Under this privatization strategy, Concordia was able to raise much needed capital, which was reinvested in promotion and recruitment overseas.
Unfortunately, in 2001, the Provincial government revoked the right to retain differential payments from international students, which had been allowed to date by privatization. This forced Concordia to reduce its international recruitment budget to a minimal. Mr. Harold Simpkins, Director of advertising for the Dubai recruitment project at the time, relates the government’s move to their pressing need for money and their short-term outlook on the economy. He feels that they are so pressed to come up with funds to fuel the economy that they forget that by allowing universities to invest in international recruitment they are doing themselves a favour, for the economies of the future. It is almost as though they forget that the reason they set the tuition freeze was to invest in the education of its people so that they can invest in the economy.
- Government funded scholarships
Competition for international students is intense, with other national governments making significant investments in this area, as well as revamping their policies, in order to position their universities competitively. The chart below compares federal support for key international scholarships, student exchange programs and recruiting tools per student. Although in its report For the Internationalization of Quebec Education, the Ministère de l’Education claims to be aligned 100% with Universities in their recruitment efforts abroad, Canada is among the worst funded.
Figure 4
- Government Policies
Other areas of government involvement may have a considerable impact on recruitment such as immigration policies, procedures and especially processing. Although most students from Dubai claim that it was rather easy to obtain a student visa for Quebec, they usually complain about the lengthiness of paperwork processing.
THE COMPETITION
- Who are JMSB’s main competitors?
- What are the competition’s recruitment strategies?
- Do these institutions have a competitive advantage over JMSB?
- What are JMSB’s competitive advantages over it’s competitors?
Who are JMSB’s main competitors?
- The Usual Suspects
As is the case on homeland, JMSB generally competes with the same Canadian schools on an international level. Similar to many Montreal natives, our interviewees revealed that many of their peers have often applied to long-time domestic competitor McGill as a first option, while choosing Concordia as their second option.
Whereas Concordia’s reputation as a first-class business school is growing worldwide, McGill’s overall reputation is still more recognized internationally. However, if that is the case, why is Concordia’s Emirate population growing so significantly? On the one hand, McGill’s application policies regarding international students are much more stringent than Concordia’s. Many applicants from Dubai were in fact not accepted. On the other hand, Concordia is known for its Shaughnessy village, the two-to-three-block radius surrounding the downtown campus, which has a high Middle Eastern population. With so many Arab restaurants and stores at such close proximity to Concordia, Emad Mehzen, a JMSB international student from Dubai explains: “Where I live (…) is very Arabic. Everyone’s close, everyone knows each other (…) That’s like a relief… Like back home”
In addition to McGill, other Canadian schools that surveyed subjects said to have applied to are: the University of Toronto, Queens, Carleton, York, Ottawa University, and UBC. When asked why they chose Concordia, students claimed that they were drawn to its Middle Eastern Community Presence and Montreal’s city life (Appendix I, Table 1).
- The Competition Abroad
In addition to competing with other Canadian schools, JMSB must also measure up against universities established in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, as well as other Middle Eastern countries.
The following map, highlights how the main competition countries ranked based on two essential decision criteria –safety and amount of assistance throughout application process. Although Canada is considered one of the safest and most welcoming countries, it has a lot of improvement to make in terms of assisting students throughout the application process.
What are the competition’s recruitment strategies?
- Scholarships
According to the UAE Market Report, the UK, US, France, and Australia offer government sponsored scholarships, as well as scholarships offered by companies and institutions specifically reserved for UAE students. Canada, however, does not offer scholarships particularly targeted towards them. As UAE students appreciate personalized attention, scholarships that show special interest in their community make them feel wanted and welcomed. Having no such program available in Canada puts the country at definite disadvantage.
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Tours
The following is a list of tours hosted respectively by the US, UK, and Australia that have been organized in addition to their participation in to the Dubai’s annual university fair:
- Linden Tours: a group of American universities tour the Gulf
- British Education Fairs: The British Council invites 30 British institutions
- Australian Education Fair: a group of 20 institutions tour Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Although Canada also sends university representatives to Dubai’s annual university fair, there are no exclusive Canadian tours.
Do these institutions have a competitive advantage over JMSB?
With about 5 000 Emirate nationals in their schools, the United States is Canada’s toughest competitor. There is no doubt that the US’ major competitive advantage lies in their international reputation for some of the world’s most prestigious Ivy league schools. In addition, their current standing as the most influential superpower in the World facilitates the propagation of American ideals. However, since the September 11th terrorist attacks, the US has reduced recruitment efforts targeting the Gulf, thus creating more opportunities for Canada, the UK, and Australia. Furthermore, our interviewees mentioned that their main perception of the United States, which we can safely generalize to their peers and family, is that the country is “too big” and “dangerous.”
The United Kingdom is an equally fierce competitor with approximately 1 500 Emirate students. Our interviewees revealed that the UK’s main competitive advantage over Canada is the presence of an education agent at the British Consulate. Not only can students get access to information on various British schools with great ease, the British Consulate also keeps close relationships with advisors from many scholarship programs. The British Consulate also offers assistance to students from simply filling out university applications to obtaining visas and lodging in the UK. It is apparently much more difficult to obtain useful information concerning education at the Canadian Embassy, especially since the Canadian Embassy offers no specific educational services such as advising at their office.
On UK recruitment agents at the UK embassy in Dubai:
“(Quoting agents) ‘Don’t worry, we’ll take care of the visas for you (…). Your students will be picked up by a car at the airport for you.’ Here, you’re on your own.”
- Nayef Abdulla, Concordia International student
“There (Canadian embassy in Dubai) they don’t have anyone helping you through the application process”
– Emad Mehzen, Concordia International student
Some students, such as Nayef Abdulla, given the option of studying in the UK, still chose to study in Canada. First, Nayef claims that the UK education system is very different from that of North America; the UK works on a school schedule that is drastically different from the semester terms common to all North American schools. Therefore, many students who have studied under the North American system all their lives would rather avoid the troubles of adapting to an unfamiliar structure. In addition, some are not very fond of UK culture.
What are JMSB’s competitive advantages?
- AACSB Accreditation
JMSB is the only university in Canada that is accredited by the AACSB for both its accounting and business programs.
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Smaller classes and favourable teacher/student ratios
Dubai students value close teacher/student relationships, which are better felt in smaller classes. Unlike Concordia, most schools offer lectures to larger audiences, thus distancing the professor from students and making the professor seem less accessible.
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Multicultural and multilingual environment
Living abroad can be difficult for any student. Given Montreal’s cultural diversity as well as JMSB’s international environment and, “Arab-friendly” location, Dubai students like these surveyed found it easy to adapt.
“I had an easy integration to Concordia because the students and faculty are so friendly. Also, the fact that there’s a large Arab community REALLY helps”
-Anonymous Survey Response
PAST & CURRENT RECRUITMENT EFFORTS
- In the past, what methods has JMSB employed to recruit students from Dubai?
- What are JMSB’s current recruitment procedures and the drawbacks associated with these methods?
- What are the communication barriers that may put JMSB at risk of loosing potential candidates?
In the past, what methods has JMSB employed to recruit students from Dubai?
After the privatization of the John Molson School of Business in 2000, the university was able to reinvest the differential tuitions from international students. This allowed JMSB to improve the recruitment process by sending a trained JMSB representative accompanied by Coop students to the annual Dubai University Fair. As a field trip, all high school graduating students were sent to this fair to consider possible post-secondary alternatives. The JMSB representative’s role was very important in answering academic related questions, but the Coop students were effective in providing a student perspective, a comforting feeling, and the final persuasive touch.
What are JMSB’s current recruitment procedures and the drawbacks associated with these methods?
In 2001, the provincial government decided to withdraw the benefits, which had been gained by privatizing the Faculty, thus forcing JMSB to reduce their recruitment efforts.
- University Fair
Concordia continues to participate in the University Fair; however they can no longer afford to send the Coop students. A new addition to the process is on the spot admissions. Mr. Tom Swift who attends the Fair, is the former Admissions Officer; he held that position for 30 years, therefore he has great experience in judging which students will be admitted. Because it can take up to one month for mail to reach Dubai from Montreal, on the spot admission reduces JMSB’s risk of losing the candidate to another university. The student is reassured that they have a reserved spot in the school.
Attending University Fairs is most useful when targeting non-national Dubai students. It has been observed that these students get much more involved in the university selection process and prefer personal contact with the universities which the fair permits. The effort made by the school to visit personally makes a good impression on this group.
Although the Fair is a helpful way to expose the university, Concordia must acknowledge that they are targeting high-school students. Emad Mehzen claims that most students view the university fair as an afternoon off from class. The students are not committed in obtaining information at these fairs. This statement supports the findings observed in the survey that was administered. Only 20% of students said that they had heard of Concordia by visiting a University Fair (Appendix I, Table 2). While JMSB continues to invest efforts in attending these fairs, the school is not getting the recognition they hope for.
- Word-of-mouth
The current recruitment strategies are not as intensive as they once were but still revolve around ties with advisors in Dubai secondary schools. Due to budget cuts, Mr. Tom Swift is currently the sole representative of the John Molson School of Business. He single handedly tries to maintain close relationships with the student counselors and schools in Dubai via email. He also visits them once a year, in the month of October, prior to university application deadline. Maintaining close relationships with schools is crucial because they guide students in their selection of the appropriate university. JMSB’s goal is to become part of counselors’ evoked set of universities and to be included in their recommendations to students.
The most important source of word-of-mouth is from friends and family. 80% of the surveyed respondents claimed they heard of Concordia through word-of-mouth (Appendix I, Table 2)13.
Concordia cannot ignore these findings, and must focus on offering an optimal university experience to current JMSB students from Dubai. Upon their return to Dubai they will propagate their positive experiences to future applicants.
- Tools to reduce of culture shock and ease of integration
JMSB must reduce negative word-of-mouth by providing students with sufficient information to reduce the “culture shock”. To help the integration of Dubai students, JMSB offers several services. Once the student is admitted, they receive a package that includes flyers and booklets detailing these services. As per the results of the survey, 64% The International Student Office is the most used service by the students because they must present their legal documents, such as their Visa, once they have arrived (Appendix I , Table3). Amanda Holt is the coordinator for the support system for international students. She is one of the first persons with whom an international student comes into contact. She tries follow-up on most international students and monitor their academic and social involvement. There are a wide array of other services available to help integrate international students such as the CISA (Concordia International Student Association), counseling services, and the center for International Academic Cooperation, to name a few. These services are described in the handbook the students receive prior to arrival. Although this information for international students is available and sent to them, not many students make use of the services, or are not aware of them.
What are the communication barriers that may put JMSB at risk of loosing potential candidates?
- Snail Mail
It has been observed that American and British universities are fast to respond to candidates about their admission in comparison to Canadian universities. Although the paper work must still be done by mail, JMSB should focus on communication via instant information transmission mediums. Internet and fax are the most efficient modes of communication. Nayef Abdulla, a current Concordia student from Dubai, was forced to request his acceptance letter by fax due to the long delay of the mail system. The reception of the letter, in his case, was no long before his departure for Montreal.
The fact that U.S. and U.K universities provide much faster responses in respect to admission, may result in the loss of potential students. Tardy notice of acceptance may force students to respond positively to a university that replied earlier.
- Telephone
Communication via telephone is rather inconvenient. Diffusion of inaccurate information, long waits on the phone, and multiple transfers have resulted in expensive phone bills. Students telephone JMSB for information, and are transferred between various representatives before finding the information sought. The system that is inefficient has led the students to be frustrated and burdened.
“They should be more helpful when we try to contact [the university].”
- Anonymous, Concordia International Student
“When international students call from abroad, they need good reliable information from the advisor- you end up calling international[ly], waiting on hold forever and always having delays in the answer- advisors must respect that international students have to get visas, tickets, and accommodation and can’t wait for them to take forever.”
- Anonymous, Concordia International Student
“I think they should be more helpful with giving info to people from Dubai. I felt I had to call a lot just to get information because they were very late to reply.”
- Anonymous, Concordia International Student
RECOMMENDATIONS
After researching Dubai, its culture, its population, its views on education, as well as JMSB and its competitors’ strategies for recruitment, we recommend the following techniques as a way of improving JMSB’s international student recruitment process.
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Business Etiquette
In their meetings and conversations with the Dubai government, academic advisors, as well as students and parents, JMSB representatives must carefully address culture differences. The following is a comparative chart that contrasts Canadian and Dubai ways of conducting business.
Figure 5
- Current Recruitment Problems and Proposed Solutions
Recruitment
After administering a survey, conducting an in-depth interview and observing JMSB’s competitors, gaps in the recruitment process have surfaced. The following presents potential solutions to enhance the present international recruitment process.
1. PROBLEM: Lack of communication with advisors in Dubai.
SOLUTION: Build stronger ties with counsellors, as they are a highly influential source of information.
- Facilitate diffusion of information by fostering 2-way communication.
One way to achieve this is by making recruiters directly available to advisors. Advisors should be given a directory of specific JMSB representatives with their respective titles and roles, as well as the specific situations in which they might be of use. Advisors must feel that it is easy to obtain information from JMSB, or they will not bother. Furthermore, minimize the amount of communication by mail because of the time constraints it presents. Maximize your use of email since it is much faster and the Dubai population is very comfortable with the use of technology. Increased communication translates into stronger and more personal relationships.
- Use of Electronic Newsletters
Advisors are often unaware of JMSB’s competitive advantages. Newsletters are a highly effective way informing and constantly updated them on the faculty’s awards, achievements, accreditations and events. This in turn, raises awareness about the high level of education offered and slowly alter the image of being “easy to get into” to “highly reputable, real world experience education.” Furthermore, selecting an electronic medium demonstrates our advanced technological competencies, and contradicts their perceptions that Canada is slower at adopting technology in their schools (as opposed to Europe and USA). In addition, the use of an electronic form of communication minimizes time delays associated to the traditional mail system.
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PROBLEM: Difficulty for students to obtain accurate information- fast.
SOLUTION: Launch an online chat room for students.
An online chat room will help students avoid excessive telephone bills and long waits by the mailbox, by logging on to get their questions answered by lecturers, JMSB representatives and current Dubai or Canadian students that may want to volunteer their time. Topics being discussed may include admission requirements and status of application, course descriptions and study options, or any other pertinent information. Students who have not yet applied may do so on Concordia’s main website. The service should be accessible from 8AM to noon Canadian time which means that in Dubai, they will have access to it from 6-9PM, after their school and business hours - making it convenient for both countries. A mediator should also be present. This method not only increases the relevance and timeliness of the information but also fosters a two-way communication, which strengthens our relationship with the future students. A similar tool has been in effect for over a year at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK and appears to be very successful.
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PROBLEM: Lack of representation within the Canadian Embassy in Dubai
SOLUTION: Have a temporary representative present at the embassy during peak university application season.
The Canadian Embassy currently provides limited information in regards to universities. Many surveyed respondents admitted to going to the Canadian Embassy for the sole purpose of obtaining their visa and that besides that, it was not a useful way of obtaining information about universities. Using the UK universities as an example, Concordia University should hire a candidate who would represent JMSB in Dubai during the first two months of the school year. This is the period when graduating secondary students are forced to make a decision in regards to the university they will be attending next fall.
Integration
Based on our research, the most important criteria on which Dubai students base their decision, is word of mouth. This means that the recruitment process does not end at recruitment. In fact, ensuring that Dubai students integrate easily and have an overall good experience at the school is a crucial element in creating favourable word of mouth for the school. Therefore improving international student services is, in itself a marketing strategy for Dubai student recruitment. (Refer to figure 6 on the following page)
Figure 6
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PROBLEM: No assistance in regards to student establishment.
SOLUTION: Implementing a student assistance program that would facilitate their establishment in Montreal.
Unlike UK universities, JMSB does not have a system that arranges visa applications, housing and transportation for the foreign students before arrival to the city. Employing an agent responsible for receiving and aiding the students in managing initial activities associated with settling into a new city would make the experience more pleasurable and convenient, hence increasing favourable integration process, and word-of-mouth. Furthermore, because the City of Montreal gives every international student a free pass to the touristic venues of the city, JMSB may organize a day that all new students could go touring the city together, with Canadian students using the STM. This will help them get to know other students, as well as become accustomed to the city and its transport system.
FINAL WORDS
While we feel that the above recommendations are necessary to improve the current international recruitment process in Dubai, we also understand that lack of funding and government regulations will limit the extent to which some of these strategies can be implemented. Nonetheless, our research suggests that in the near future, the government will be forced to change their policies due to pressure from universities and the media, as well as the knowledge that other governments are benefiting from this type of investment. Because changes in funding may be altered in the not-so-far future, JMSB must start planning now so that their strategies will be ready when the time comes.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). “International Student Recruitment” . Last Update: Febuary 5, 2002
Butler, Patty. “United Arab Emirates”
Concordia University, . Last update: November 3, 2003
Dubai 2003. “About the UAE and Dubai”
Government of Canada. “Canada in the UAE” October 11, 2002
John Molson School Of Business, . Last update: November 3, 2003
Motion for Privatisation
Simard, Sylvain. Ministre d’État à l’Éducation et à l’Emploi. “To Succeed in Internationalizing Quebec Education” November 7, 2002 .
UK Trade & Investments, “Dubai: Country Profile”
Primary Contacts
Abdulla, Nayef- International Dubai student. In-Depth Interview: October 26. 2003
Holt, Amanda. Coordinator - International Student Affairs - Undergraduate Program – JMSB: Interview: October 21st, 2003
Mehzen, Emad- International Dubai student. In-Depth Interview: October 26. 2003
Simpkins, Harold. Academic Director – Marketing Co-Op Program. Interview: October 24, 2003
Swift, Tom. Director International Student Recruitment – JMSB: In-depth Interview: October 17th, 2003 and October 21st, 2003
UAE: Market Report given to us by Swift, Tom: October 21st, 2003
APPENDIX
APPENDIX I: TABLES ii
- Table 1: Frequency Tabulation – “Reasons for choosing Concordia
University” iii
- Table 2: Frequency Tabulation – “How did you hear about Concordia
University iii
- Table 3: Cross – Tabulation – “Use of Concordia Student Services *
International Student Services” iii
APPENDIX II: SURVEY iv
APPENDIX III: IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW QUESTIONS viii
APPENDIX IV: FACTS x
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Holidays in the UAE xi
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Tuition and Living Costs xii
APPENDIX V: WORLD MAP xiii
APPENDIX I
TABLES
Table 1: Frequency Tabulation – “Reasons for choosing Concordia University
Table 2: Frequency Tabulation – “How did you hear about Concordia University?”
Table 3: Cross - Tabulation – “Use of Concordia Student Services * International Student Services
APPENDIX II
SURVEY
SURVEY
We are a conducting a study on international student recruitment from Dubai. As international students, we highly value your comments and feedback. Your confidentiality is ensured, as we will not divulge any information about the surveyed respondents. Please complete this questionnaire by ticking or circling the appropriate boxes in the space provided and returning it when finished. Thank you for your participation.
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Reason for living in Dubai (Please check one)
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a) Did you have the option of studying in Dubai?
▢ Yes ▢ No
b) If no, why?
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Who pays for your education? (Please check all that apply)
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a) Besides Canada, where there other prospective countries when you were making your decision for further education?
▢ Yes ▢ No
b) If yes, which ones? (Please check all that apply)
- Which other Canadian Universities, if any, did you apply to?
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How did you hear about Concordia University? (Please check one)
- Please evaluate the following statements by circling one of the numbers for each statement.
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What faculty do you belong to? (Please check one)
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a) Are you aware of Concordia’s International Student Services?
▢ Yes ▢ No
b) If yes, which one(s)? (Please check all that apply)
- a) Have you ever used Concordia’s International Student Services?
▢ Yes ▢ No
b) If yes, which one(s)? (Please check all that apply)
- Do you feel you were easily integrated into Concordia University? Why?
- Please provide any additional comments and/or suggestions about Concordia University and the Student Recruitment Process.
- The following questions are for classification purposes only.
- You are ▢ Male ▢ Female
- Please indicate Your Cultural Background (ex: Emirate, Chinese, Pakistani…)
- Please indicate your age group
▢ Under 16
▢ 16 to 24
▢ 25 to 34
▢ 35 and over
*Thank you for your participation*
APPENDIX II
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
What faculty are you presently in?
How did you find out about Concordia University?
Did you apply to other Universities?
Why did you choose Concordia University?
Did anyone help you in your decision making process
Where your expectations met?
Did you attend the annual University fair in Dubai? Was it useful for you decision process?
Do you remember Concordia University being present that day?
Are you born in Dubai?
Can you clarify what distinguishes a national from a non-national?
Can you clarify why there are more males than females from Dubai currently studying here?
Are you aware of the Canadian Embassy in Dubai? Have you used it?
Have you found it hard to integrate yourself to a different culture? (practice your religion freely etc.)
Have you used any of the International Student Services?
APPENDIX IV
FACTS
HOLIDAYS IN THE UAE
* The Islamic Holidays are tentative, since they depend on the sighting of the moon's phase
And also be advised of the following:
Each Friday is a day off for private sector.
Each Thursday and Friday is a day off for Government sector.
TUITION AND LIVING COSTS
From: www.studyincanada.com/englsih/costs/priced.asp
Cross- Country comparison of Tuition and living costs for International Students
** Quebec** Undergraduate ($8,268 -$9,180)
Graduate ($6,140 - $18,000)
APPENDIX II
WORLD MAP
World map form the UAE Perspective
Ministre d’État à l’Éducation et à l’Emploi. Report for the Internationalization of Quebec Education. November 7, 2002.
AUCC. Making Canada more attractive to International Students. Feb. 5, 2002
Ministre d’État à l’Éducation et à l’Emploi. Report for the Internationalization of Quebec Education. Nov. 7, 2002
UK Trade & Investments. Dubai: Country Profile
Interview Swift, Tom. Director of International Recruitment of John Molson School of Business
Second interview Swift, Tom. UAE: Market Report.
In depth interview. Nayef Abdulla. October 26, 2003
UK Trade & Investments. Dubai: Country Profile
Table is based on Tom Swift’s UAE market report, survey results and in depth interviews
Based primarily on in-depth interviews Oct 26, 2003
AUCC. Making Canada more attractive to International Students. Feb. 5, 2002.
Ministre d’État à l’Éducation et à l’Emploi. Report for the Internationalization of Quebec Education. Nov. 7, 2002
Motion for Privatization.
Simpkins, Harold. Academic Director – Marketing Co-Op Program. Former Director of Dubai recruitment advertising campaign
Ministre d’État à l’Éducation et à l’Emploi. Report for the Internationalization of Quebec Education. Nov. 7, 2002
AUCC. Making Canada more attractive to International Students. Feb. 5, 2002.
In depth Interview Emad Mehzen. October 26, 2003
In-depth interviews Emad Mehzen & Nayef Abdulla: October 26, 2003
In depth interview Emad Mehzen: October 26, 2003.
Second interview Tom Swift. UAE: Market Report.
Second interview Tom Swift and In-depth interview Emad Mehzen & Nayef Abdulla
In-depth interview Nayef Abdulla
in-depth interviews Emad Mehzen & Nayef Abdulla: October 26, 2003
JMSB is Triple Crown Winner in International Business School Rankings http://johnmolson.Concordia.ca/news/archives/2003_articles/Rankings.html October 3, 2003
Brochure International Student Office Room H-653
From open-ended questions in surveys
Dr. Simpkins, Harold. Academic Director – Marketing Co-Op Program
Interview Tom Swift. Director of International Student Recruitment for JMSB
Second interview Tom Swift. UAE: Market Report.
In-depth interview Emad Mehzen October 26, 2003
Survey of Foreign Dubai Concordia students
In-depth interview Nayef Abdulla. October 26, 2003
Based on survey results to open-ended questions
Butler, Patty. “United Arab Emirates”
University Launches Online Chat Room to Recruit Students.