Abu Dhabi University (ADU), the largest private university in the United Arab Emirates, launched a series of smart initiatives in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and in line with its mission to provide a well-rounded experience to its students. The initiatives launched to date have successfully attracted thousands of prospective students. The initiatives focus on communicating with students to help them adjust to university life and understand admission and academic requirements for the upcoming academic year.
Among the initiatives implemented is a new website that was launched offering a variety of free courses on a wide range of subjects to students, teachers, parents and staff members. 13,000 individuals from the UAE and around the region have already participated and enjoyed the selection of courses offered, earning a certificate of completion at the end of each course.
In addition, a virtual orientation program for students, the MarhabtaynProgram, was developed in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences. The Marhabtayn Program allows interactive discussions and informative conversations to take place and is designed and hosted by academic advisors and current students with the aim of introducing new students to the university’s culture, its academic programs, campus facilities and student life.
Bassam Murra, Director of Marketing, Enrollment and Registration at ADU, said, “ADU launched the initiatives to ensure new students and families are offered a seamless university experience despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. We have held various seminars to equip students with the information and resources they need to confidently begin their new academic year. Students also have access to a set of activities, including workshops and competitions that help prepare upskill them for the future needs of the labor market; our academic programs are in sync with the constantly evolving trends and market needs and that they are prepared to thrive in the future.”
He added, “Through our information sessions, we continuously encourage our students to familiarize themselves with the Ministry of Education’s admission policies and regulations for the academic year 2021 – 2022 and we emphasize the importance of being prepared for proficiency tests such as EmSAT to gain admission to ADU.”
ADU has also implemented tools like MS Team whereby students can request virtual appointments to connect with their advisors. Prospective students are also able to schedule appointments for campus tours and get all the information they need as an ADU student. This initiative has witnessed a significant impact with over 5,000 local and international students already scheduling appointments and benefiting from this initiative.
During the pandemic and the transition to work remotely, the Student Recruitment and Admission Office has adopted proactive measures to innovatively communicate and interact with current and prospective students. ADU has held more than 40 virtual sessions that showcases the programs offered, the campus and the student life and offers guidance and support to those seeking. This has resulted in hundreds of high school students attending and are interested in exploring their next step in their academic journey.
To learn more about Abu Dhabi University, please visit www.adu.ac.ae
