Ras Al Khaimah, March 24, 2011: H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah, today received a delegation of students from the University of Maryland of the US who are currently visiting the country at the Ruler's Court here.

The student delegation from the Robert H. Smith School of Business are on a nine- day visit to the UAE as part of their UAE Global Immersion Course to gain firsthand knowledge about the government, culture, policies and business practices in the country. The 45- member delegation was led by Dr. Mark Wellman, Teaching Professor and Director, CPS Program in Business, Society and the Economy, University of Maryland.   
   
Welcoming the delegation, Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud hoped that the visit would provide students an opportunity to gain new insights about the UAE and a better understanding of the cultures, business practices and social environments of the two countries.

In the freewheeling discussion that followed, Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud provided the students an overview of the UAE government and its institutions, the development agenda pursued by the country, its business and economic policies, and answered questions from the visiting students on a wide range of topics.

"The UAE continues to be an oasis of peace and stability in the region with a visionary leadership which has always been responsive to the needs of its people and committed to creating economic opportunities and enhanced quality of life for its citizens. These policies have translated into remarkable growth and have shaped one of the most dynamic and growing economies in the region and an open and tolerant society," Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud said.

Dr. Mark Wellman said that the meeting with the RAK Crown Prince helped the students gain a better understanding of the ambitious economic diversification strategy adopted by the RAK government that has helped the Emirate steadily increase its global profile as an excellent destination for business and leisure.

"Learning about the impressive economic growth from the very visionary leadership provided a lifetime experience and was very inspiring to young business leaders," he said.

Dr. Mark Wellman added that the University of Maryland's UAE Global Immersion Experience course is designed to provide participants with a rich understanding of comparative business practices and culture in a region of great significance to global commerce.

"The current visit is our seventh visit to the UAE and more than 225 students have participated in the UAE Global Immersion Course ever since we started the programme in 2009. This is the first time that the course included a visit to RAK and all future classes will include a stay in RAK," he said.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Humaid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director of the Office of H.H. the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and Mohammed Al Khait, Advisor at RAK Ruler's Court, were present at the meeting.

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For more information, please contact:
K R Rajeev
Media and Communications
Ruler's Court
Government of Ras Al Khaimah
Tel: +971 7 2289421
Fax: +971 7 2270426

© Press Release 2011