‘Forward-looking And Futuristic’: Academic President And CEO Of MAHE Dubai On What Makes Universities A Win

Your university years mark one of life's biggest milestones. It's where you attain specialisation, hone your skills, find memorable mentors and teachers that inspire, and figure out friendships that will last you well over a lifetime. Those are some heavy-weight demands on an institution but Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in Dubai claims to fit the tall bill.

Established in 2000, MAHE Dubai has been accorded a 5-Star Rated University by the KHDA and borrows from the impressive precedence set by its reputed parent branch in India. It promises to offer not just education of the best quality but is also moving with the times, evolving as per the educational and career needs of the hour.

To get some more insight, we sat down for an interview with Dr. S. Sudhindra, Academic President of MAHE Dubai, as well as Niranjan Jayakumar, the Chief Executive Officer.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Dubai stems from its older parent branch in India. How has MAHE in the UAE borrowed from the parent campus in Manipal, India – in practice and principle?

Dr. S. Sudhindra: Yes, we heavily borrow from the parent campus in every way. In practice, we take the curriculums from that branch as almost all of our programs are also run in Manipal, and the curriculums here are at least 80-90% the same. There is only some localisation practised here. In pedagogy, too, we try to match the methods, unless we want to bring about something special here.

In fact, these are vetted by the parent campus. Every year, there's an audit team that comes from MAHE (India) to this campus, and then they go through all our processes, including our evaluation, answers, scripts, question papers, etc. They make sure that we are absolutely at sync with what happens there. It is the same degree and the same quality offered here.

Manipal University is regarded and perceived highly. It has a great reputation and very high rankings within India at fourth. We are mindful of that reputation of Manipal that it holds as we're aware that the students come to us because of that reputation.

September signifies admission season. What are some of the things that students need to look out for while applying to universities in the UAE?

Dr. S. Sudhindra: Students may be confused when it comes to picking universities, naturally, but there are a few things that they need to identify before selecting an institution for themselves. The first thing that students should be concerned about is employability. After this degree, will I get a good job? If I do a UG degree, can I pursue my higher education from a better, perhaps an Ivy League, school?

The second thing would be an accommodation for fast-paced changing technology. Today, education is quickly moving into the technology space. There is generative AI. So students should consider if the university of their choice is based on traditional modes of study or if they're willing to update and are future-oriented and forward-looking.

The third thing to consider is the faculty. Visit the university website and track the journeys of the faculty in your respective department. What are their educational backgrounds and proficiencies and are they able to accord value to me?

What initiatives are being implemented by Manipal to enhance the student experience and promote student success as well ensure campus placements in the region?

Dr. S. Sudhindra: As for campus placements, we have a full-fledged Career Services department headed by a faculty member, Dr. Roma. She has a team of people under her, including interns, who are working full-time to ensure this. There are more than 150 companies that look to our university for hiring opportunities across the year unlike the shorter placement seasons in universities in India.

It is not enough that we just arrange for companies to conduct the interviews. We have to make sure that the students are ready for these interviews. So we impart interview training, communication training, grooming assistance, etc. to get them to the point where they can confidently ace these interviews. So it's a continuous process.

Companies, too, should attain confidence that when they visit MAHE, they are sure to get some great candidates. Which they are.

Manipal claims to be a centre of learning for students from across 40 different countries and Dubai is a melting pot of students from all across the world. How does MAHE, Dubai foster this sense of diversity in students and teaching faculty?

Dr. S. Sudhindra: That's an important question because we need to be always mindful of diversity today. To ensure this, we make sure that all our faculties attend in-depth, hands-on sessions on cultural competence where they are taught to engage with international culture diversity. These modules are then taken over and taught by trained faculty to the students. This way, both students and faculty can interact with each other with ease and take advantage of this atmosphere of diversity.

Our first-year students, too, go through a module on life skills training which involves two topics; gender diversity as well as cultural diversity and competence. We aspire to be an international campus and are also conscious about this when it comes to hiring. We greatly appreciate and welcome diversity on our grounds.

What's your role in the expansion of MAHE Dubai globally? How does MAHE, Dubai ensure that it's not just academically but also viable business-wise as the CEO in charge?

Niranjan Jayakumar: When Manipal was first set up some 25 years ago, it looked like taking care of the needs of predominantly the expat community in Dubai. But today, if you really look at what Manipal Dubai stands for, we still stick to the legacy that we have of an Indian university, but we wish to be seen as an international university, wanting to bring the world to Dubai and wanting to bring the world to Manipal in Dubai. I think the campus is set up to attract students from international markets, too. For Indian students, we offer the option of not having to go back to India for quality education as you get it right here, in Manipal!

As for the international context, in the last three to four years, international admissions has contributed 25% to the total admissions at Manipal Dubai. Apart from India, some of our major key markets include GCC, Africa, etc. Recently, we expanded into markets of South Asia; so Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. This next year, we're looking at two key markets; ASEAN countries as well as China.

Dubai is a hub of educational institutions. What sets MAHE Dubai apart from other universities?

Dr. S. Sudhindra: I think every parent should be conscious of whether a university that their child goes to is forward looking in the sense of employability. MAHE is probably one of the very few universities that offers courses on FinTech, Robotics and a specialisation on Robotics. We have entered into a collaboration with Dubai Futures Foundation — a governmental body that does fantastic future-oriented projects in Dubai — who our students are working with on a robotics project.

We have a blockchain network inside the campus. We also have laboratories in the areas that normal universities don't even consider having a lab. For example, we have a finance lab, a management lab, a computational design lab, an AR-VR lab, etc. So we make sure, in every way, that the students who arrive on this campus get exactly what they need to make sure that they are entirely employable and knowledgeable.

What are some CSR initiatives that MAHE Dubai is responsible for?

Niranjan Jayakumar: CSR from our end is all about what we can do for the student community. About four years ago, we launched a scholarship program called Al Da'em, which means 'to serve' to support students. We have also tied up with the Indian Embassy to offer what we call the Mahila Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, which is a special 100% scholarship for the girl child. Those who have obviously demonstrated academic excellence above a certain percentage, but more significantly, those who come from financially stressed families, will benefit from this.

Just in the last four years, close to 300 students have benefited from the Al Da'em program. So CSR for Manipal means getting more sponsorship of students who require assistance, either full-time or in part. Dubai is a fairly expensive place to live and education here does not come cheap. But this is our endeavour, to try and support these students as much as possible from our side, when we can.