AL-MAKTOUM COLLEGE of Higher Education first Graduation ceremony since the beginning of the pandemic

Dundee Scotland 

Sallam Sallam

AL-MAKTOUM COLLEGE of Higher Education graduates took to the stage, during an in-person celebratory event, to mark their achievements and resilience during a challenging year.

Graduating students from across all subjects were invited to attend Al-Maktoum College’s first Graduation ceremony since the beginning of the pandemic.

Known for its small class sizes and distinctive approach to higher education, the Dundee based College welcomed a reduced number of individuals to the in-person event while taking necessary precautions. The College is not the first to resume in-person ceremonies this summer, recognising the importance of celebrating its students in a manner befitting their achievements and awards.

Head of College, Dr A G Abubaker, welcomed students “After such an extraordinary academic year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is a pleasure to be able to celebrate the achievements of our students.”

He continued, “In graduating today, you have shown not only your academic ability but also your adaptability in facing the challenges of a transition from face-to-face learning to online learning.  As a College, we are extremely proud of you and your achievements.”

He added, “We are very pleased with what we have been able to achieve recently in developing the College as a recognised centre for further and higher education in Scotland and the UK. We are however, saddened that we are not able to share it with our late patron HH Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum who sadly passed away just as his great and enduring vision for the College is becoming to be realised. We believe the continuing success of the College will be a lasting tribute to his vision and support.”

Those who were not able to attend the ceremony including international students, as well as the friends and family members of the graduates, were invited to watch a live broadcast on a private livestream link.

When asked what it meant to students be able to attend the Graduation ceremony, Business student Amina said “Despite working in such unprecedented times, I had an extremely positive student learning experience and being able to celebrate it during a graduation ceremony was extremely important to me.

It was lovely to be able to celebrate with fellow students and staff. I want to thank the college for their dedication to online teaching, and for motivating and supporting students throughout.”

Given Scotland’s recent move out of the restriction levels system, the College looks forward to welcoming a new cohort of students back to its campus in September 2021. While it looks to prioritise face-to-face teaching, like many other institutions across the UK, the College remains committed to offering a flexible learning experience and is embracing digital teaching methods to suit demand.