Higher Colleges of Technology hosts various visitors at ADWC

Colleagues and interested visitors from the U.S., the U.K., and the Abu Dhabi chapter of TESOL Arabia have come to ADWC's campus to exchange ideas with both faculty and students.

Members of TESOL Arabia, an organization of "Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages," presented various teacher-improvement classes to over one hundred English teachers from various institutions, including both of HCT's Abu Dhabi campuses. Teachers from many parts of the UAE came to ADWC for meetings devoted to teaching critical thinking and writing, among other topics. One highlight was a presentation by ADWC English faculty members Gehan Wheeler and Loretta Consolati about helping students find pleasure in reading.

ADWC also played host to Dr. Sara Carter, research director of the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at Scotland's University of Strathclyde and author of Women as Entrepreneurs. Dr. Carter spoke to a large group of ADWC students, including students in ADWC's business programs. Her address discussed the fact that, while women in many ways are suited to running their own businesses, "the biggest risk to female enterprise is a lack of investment in themselves." She encouraged students to "invest in themselves," including taking risks, to increase their business success.

From the Western U.S. state of Utah, five graduate students specializing in International Human Resource Management admitted that their perceptions of the UAE had been transformed by a visit to Abu Dhabi Women's College of HCT, where they met with students and staff. The student meetings were enlightening for both sides, but particularly for the American visitors, who acknowledged that they brought some misconceptions to the meeting with the Emirati students. "My point of view of the UAE has completely changed," said one U.S.-based student.

The MBA students, from Brigham Young University's highly rated Marriott School of Management, had visited various multinational corporations in the UAE before arriving at Abu Dhabi Women's College of HCT, and their faculty advisor, Dr. C. Brooklyn Derr, called their visit with ADWC students "the highlight of our trip." Dr. Derr described the Emirati students as "open, bright, motivated," and said the meeting had helped break stereotypes. ADWC students agreed, noting that the visiting MBA students had been open to learning from the Emiratis "about our religion, our culture, and our education."

Marriott School student Jackie Cisneros de Filippelli, of both Argentine and American nationality, said of ADWC students, "I am amazed. These young women are going to be wonderful business leaders of the future."