Study trip to Dubai brings new perspective

A group of undergraduate and postgraduate students at Strathclyde Business School travelled to Dubai for a study trip. Here, Sarah Dunsmore talks about how the trip opened her eyes to the area.

I was one of the 22 students who attended the Dubai study trip offered by Strathclyde Business School during the first week of the Easter holiday 2018.

I was excited about travelling to the Middle East and travelling somewhere that I’ve not had the opportunity to go before. Before my trip, I wasn’t very familiar with Dubai. I had never been before and didn’t have many family or friends who had visited. So before my departure, I decided to do online research and read online blogs and articles. We were also given a detailed itinerary so we could research the places we were visiting.

During our visit, we were busy every day. From interesting visits to Al Thawarat Space and Expo 2020, to trips like the desert safari and the waterpark, we were always doing something. The trip was very enjoyable and also educational. It was an invaluable experience which will be used within my university studies as well as my future career.

I’m not going abroad with the university during third year but I wanted to have an international experience. This trip was able to provide me with that. In regard to my learning experience, I left feeling more knowledgeable about business and culture in the UAE. During our visit to the Women’s College, we learned about Emirati culture; as well as this, we had a talk about the history of the UAE and how business is run in Dubai. I thoroughly enjoyed this visit.

As I take Management as a minor, I have a foundation of knowledge on culture, so therefore it was interesting to me as I was able to learn more concepts and ideas regarding culture in business. On our trip, we were fortunate enough to meet experienced and educated business women and men which was motivating. As a business student, it’s inspiring to see that with hard work and determination you can achieve your goals. I also met a fantastic group of people, full of different personalities from various degree discipline subjects, who I will keep in contact with after the trip. While I’ve been to various cities in Europe, Dubai is a place like no other.

It’s hard to say what I enjoyed the most. It was a great balance between education and fun. During the day we had scheduled activities, however, around 4pm and sometimes earlier, we had free time to explore the city. This was beneficial as we had the opportunity to visit the places we wanted.

Personally, the desert safari was one of the highlights of my time there, I have never had the opportunity to go to a desert. To look around and see nothing but sand is daunting, but an exciting experience. Looking back, I’m glad I went with the university. I was able to meet people that I probably wouldn’t have met without the university’s planning. I was able to receive expert advice regarding starting a business in the UAE and how to maximize the services and benefits that Dubai offers. Also, it was good value for money.  While it seemed expensive at first, after the trip, I saw it was good value for money as I will never have an opportunity quite like this again.

If anyone has the opportunity to take part in this Dubai trip, definitely give it a go! It’s a week full of activities and planned visits and you come away feeling more educated and knowledgeable about business in the Middle East. As I progress through university, I will take what I’ve learned from this trip and be grateful for this opportunity as I will indeed never have an opportunity quite like this again.

About Sarah Dunsmore

Sarah Dunsmore is an undergraduate student at Strathclyde Business School.