The Abu Dhabi University, ADU, has announced a 20 percent reduction in fees for the country’s healthcare heroes, their spouses and children, in recognition and appreciation of their tireless efforts in safeguarding the health and safety of the community.
The initiative lends a helping hand to healthcare workers and their families, who wish to enrol in undergraduate or postgraduate degrees. Scholarship recipients will have access to more than 50 academic programmes as of the first semester of the academic year 2020-2021 at the university's campuses in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Al Dhafra.
Dr. Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the ADU’s Board of Directors, affirmed that the UAE has set a leading example in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. "The wise leadership provided all the necessary support for citizens and residents, embodying the UAE’s values of humanity and cohesion. The ADU has been a major contributor to the UAE’s efforts in fighting this pandemic, since the outbreak of COVID-19. Recently, Abu Dhabi University’s research team succeeded in developing an advanced prototype for a face shield that has since been mass-produced and donated to hospitals across the emirate," he said.
Al Dhaheri stated that the scholarship is in line with ADU’s values and mission to boost science and knowledge and provide pioneering academic programs for specialized health cadres. It nurtures and supports healthcare students and in turn, contributes to the future ranks of healthcare professionals and help position the country as a regional and global healthcare hub.
Bin Harmal added, "As we grow and expand to meet the healthcare needs of the UAE, the ADU has launched the College of Health Sciences, the most recent college established at Abu Dhabi University. It currently offers BSc programmes in Laboratory Medicine, Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Nutrition, as well as Environmental Health and Safety and Public Health, which all play an integral role in qualifying capable cadres for crisis management and dealing with disasters and epidemics such as COVID-19."
Students who receive the scholarship are required to maintain a GPA of no less than 3.0 and must enrol in a certain number of hours each semester and must not repeat the same courses that they had previously taken to maintain their eligibility for the scholarship.