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ATP students celebrate success during Concluding Ceremony

Academic Training Programme (ATP) students brought their studies at Al-Maktoum College to a close last Friday (February 22), as they attended the College’s 27th Concluding ceremony.

The graduates on the educational programme consisted of 63 international female students from a range of universities and institutions in the UAE, Malaysia and Egypt.

The Ceremony was held in Dundee’s Marryat Hall and was attended by dignitaries and honoured guests including HE Mr Mirza Al-Sayegh, Chairman of the College Board, HE Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates and Ian Borthwick, Dundee’s Lord Provost.

Acting Head of Al-Maktoum College, Dr Abi Abubaker, opened the ceremony and spoke of the programme as a “celebration of the strong links between the College and the centres of learning represented”.

“Students involvement plays a major part in insuring that the Academic Training Programme is a unique opportunity, for those who would like to come here. The benefits for students are clear for all to see- happy faces, new friendships and a new outlook of learning and future endeavours.”

“For each and every one of our students, we hope that your time at the Al-Maktoum College in Dundee has been life changing- that the person you are today has grown, developed and matured in so many different ways.”

Dr Abubaker ended with, “We certainly hope that students’ memories of their time here will stay with them as they venture forward in their lives and careers.”

During their three weeks at the College, students attended lectures, tutorials and debates in multiculturalism, international politics, globalisation, leadership and dialogue of civilisations. In completion of the programme, students were awarded with certificates accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The Concluding ceremony received much media coverage, including international reportage and television coverage from Dubai TV. As well as this, the ceremony was live streamed on the Al-Maktoum College’s official Instagram social media page and shared across its other channels.

“It is so exciting for me to be involved in the programme. It’s been the best experience. It was even more exciting to see our ceremony broadcast to our families and friends in our home countries. I told them to go watch the live stream on the College’s Instagram page and it felt like they were there experiencing it with me. The whole day has just been amazing, I wish I could do it again”, said a student from the University of Fujairah.

Having finished their studies in Dundee, students will now spend a further week in London attending lectures and talks before returning home.

Overall, ATP 2019 has been yet another year of great success, and the College now looks forward to welcoming its next group of international students to the College’s Summer school, set to run in June.

 

Pictures by Ron Cathro