15 Jan 2007
Dubai: The Electronic Total Quality Management (e-TQM) College re-launched on Sunday as an independent institution after being under the Dubai Police umbrella and is to add three new master's programmes to its portfolio, college authorities said.
"The college has evolved in the past four years. The foundation phase is over. We need a new look [logo] and feel to optimise our opportunities. We aim to create a knowledge-based economy," said Dr Mansour Al Awar, Vice-President of the college.
He added that the "incubation period" in the Dubai Police is over. However, the e-learning college is not separating itself from them totally.
Al Awar said: "I call it segregation not separation. This is not new. The college segregated itself from the Dubai Police last year. But Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai Police Chief, is still our president."
He said that since June 2006, the college has had its own budget and was operating on its own.
"The college was established and received accreditation under the Dubai Police. To move forward we have to free it. Now we manage and run our own accounts. We are an independent institution," said Al Awar.
e-TQM is also developing three new Master's degree programmes to be launched in September this year. It is already offering a Master's of science in organisational excellence.
The new programmes include health management, risk management and innovation and change. "I will leave it till September to talk about that," said Al Awar. However, the college will maintain one Bachelor's degree in Total Quality Management for the time being.
"We have noticed that master's degrees are in demand. That's what the region needs, especially in the coming five years," said Al Awar.
Asked whether college fees will be affected by the re-launch, Al Awar said that the college has been monitoring the market and that fees are going to still be below the market.
Al Awar added that e-TQM is considered to be a 'unique' institution that managed to pass the scrutiny procedures at the Ministry of Higher Education and get accreditation.
"For us simplicity and speed are the name of the game. Instead of importing knowledge we are exporting it now. We have signed more than 12 MoUs with national, regional and international organisations," he said.
Al Awar added that there are currently 800 undergraduate applicants and 25 graduate applicants for the September semester.
"We are looking toward getting 180 applicants by September," he said. "This year we are looking at the evolution of education. We want to be engineers of knowledge."
By Reema Saffarini
Gulf News 2007. All rights reserved.
