Thirty two undergraduate students from Strathclyde Business School took part in this year’s study visit to Dubai in April. The one-week programme forms part of the internationalisation agenda of the business school, and aims to give students an insight into one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and one which is characterised by a multicultural business environment.
A major component of the programme was a focus on national and business culture. To this end, guest speaker Ammar Shams, SBS GCC Advisory Board member, provided an exemplary talk on culture on the first day which students later reflected had set them up for and provided a frame of reference for their whole visit. Students also experienced a hands-on workshop on intercultural competence, and a heritage tour and traditional Emirati meal at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
The itinerary also featured site visits designed to expose students to strategically important sectors for the UAE’s growth strategy. A visit to JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority) gave the students insight into the trade and logistics sectors and opened their eyes to the UAE’s unique free zone concept. This was followed by Masdar City, a carbon-neutral sustainable eco-city in Abu Dhabi. Both of these visits were facilitated and hosted by Strathclyde alumni.
Other highlights of the trip included a visit to a technology business incubator. Here the students met a group of startup entrepreneurs and heard from locally-based HCE academic, Dr Katerina Nicolopoulou, about her Dubai-based research on entrepreneurship and cosmopolitanism. Students also visited Emirates Flight Catering for a tour of the largest flight catering facility in the world.
Students were invited to the British Embassy, hosted by Scottish Development International and UKTI. Here they developed an understanding of the stages of an international career with the Foreign Office and gained insights into Gulf consumer markets from a presentation by Visit Britain.
At the end of the week, students gave poster presentations on their key insights to a group of Strathclyde staff, students and alumni. SBS Dubai student, Shatha Al Suweidi, said she was astonished by how much the students had picked up in just one week: "The students have done an awesome job; they have more depth of understanding than some expats who have been living in the UAE for years. I feel they have really engaged with the country and the culture.”
The students themselves were similarly enthused by the visit. Zoe Andrews commented, "Due to the strength of Strathclyde University’s exceptional international business and educational relationships, we were given the opportunity to meet and engage with professionals and local Emirati who generously passed on their learnings and experiences. I feel we were given a backstage pass into the workings of the UAE. It has given me a wealth of inspiration for my future and has opened my eyes up to possibilities that exist out with Scotland."
Fellow student Mark Williams described the trip as "One of the most extraordinary weeks I have ever experienced at Strathclyde Business School”, and added, “What was truly invaluable was the fact the trip offered many opportunities to experience how business is conducted outside of the classroom, such as visiting Dubai’s free zones and walking the production line at Emirates Catering. The education I received throughout the week from the Emiratis has given me a more informed perspective and increased my understanding of Islamic culture in Dubai."
This is the third annual undergraduate study visit to Dubai, which is a joint initiative organised by Strathclyde Business School and its international centre in Dubai. This year’s visit was organised by Laura Davidson, assistant faculty manager, who accompanied the group, and Karen Ryan, marketing & community relations manager for SBS UAE. The study visits are open to all undergraduates at the business school with students gaining a place through a competitive application process.