Hope you are keeping safe. Kindly see below the latest edition of country updates across the MENA on latest news regarding education in the region.

Visas and Immigration

UK visa services have now resumed across all visa application centres in the Gulf. Appointments are currently limited, the Priority Visa service is only available in all Gulf states, and the Super Priority Visa Services is not yet available in any location. Services and appointment availability are being kept under regular review. Our current service standard for all visit and student visas is 15 working days. UKVI is now (temporarily) issuing students with a 90 day vignette to travel and collect their BRP in the UK, instead of the usual 30 day vignette.

More information can be found here: https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/en

Advice on entering the UK and self-isolation requirements:

https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control

National Restrictions from 5 January

Going to school or college:

Colleges, primary (reception onwards) and secondary schools remain open for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children are learning remotely until February half term. The Government continue to prioritise the wellbeing and long-term futures of our young people as they study online.

In the circumstances, it is not possible for exams in the summer to go ahead as planned. The Department for Education are accordingly be working with Ofqual to consult rapidly to put in place alternative arrangements that will allow students to progress fairly.

Going to university:

Students undertaking training or study for the following courses have returned to face to face learning:

Medicine, dentistry, subjects allied to medicine/ health, veterinary science, education (initial teacher training), social work and courses which require Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) assessments and or mandatory activity which is scheduled for January and which cannot be rescheduled.

Students who are not on these courses have started their term online, as facilitated by their university or college until at least mid-February. If  students live at university, they should not move back and forward between their permanent home and student home during term time.

Guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home#universities

Travel advice

For travel advice, please visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. We encourage institutions who are considering travelling to sign up for alerts. We are also keeping up to date with local government websites for any updates and restrictions, so kindly feel free to contact us if you need any information and we will refer you to the relevant websites.

IELTS

In accordance with local health authority and government guidance, we have resumed IELTS testing across the UAE. The health and safety of test takers and test staff is our number one priority and we have taken the time to put in place all precautionary measures to ensure our customers can test confidently at our test venues.For more information on measures taken, please visit: https://www.britishcouncil.ae/en/resume-your-ielts-journey-today . 

For information on test availability please visit: https://www.britishcouncil.ae/en/exam/ielts/dates-locations

For more MENA updates, webinars, market insights and other IES services, please go to your alerts settings and select updates from MENA. If you have any feedback or require any additional information, please contact me on dina.kanan@ae.britishcouncil.org

Thank you and stay safe

Dina Kanan

UAE Manager, International Education Services

Egypt:

Ministry of Higher Education

After the cabinet decision to postpone the mid-year exams in Egypt, Minister Dr. Khaled Abdel El Gaffar gave his instructions for colleges in preparing exam schedules to be announced in the first week of next February and exams to be held by the 20th of the same month. As for the second semester, it will start after completing the first term examinations in all universities, without a vacation, as the mid-year vacation has already been taken by students. The minister noted the need to prepare for the coming days, which will witness the holding of exams and the beginning of the second term.

In another note the minister has confirmed 15 national projects in national and private universities and technological universities, and investments amount to 49 billion pounds, in addition to 35 billion pounds investment in public universities.

The minister pointed out that the total investments in the field of higher education and scientific research during the previous phase reached 151 and a half billion pounds.

https://www.vetogate.com/Section-39/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1/%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-4268561

Contact Information

For more information about Egypt, please contact Sahar Khamis, Head of Education Programmes, Egypt Sahar.khamis@britishcouncil.org.eg

UAE:

More students are looking to be back on campus by the middle of Spring semester as the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine roll-out.  Over 27,000 students of the UAE are enrolled at Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park.

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/education/uae-universities-set-to-welcome-students-for-spring-semester

UAE’s vision for a knowledge and innovation-based economy is linked to education and talent. Recent studies have shown that young people are confident about competing for jobs globally. UAE is the world's largest academic ecosystem.

https://www.constructionweekonline.com/projects-and-tenders/270070-optimistic-outlook-for-dubai-education-projects-in-2021

The education authorities have  agreed to update the date of calculating the age of admission for students in private schools that follow Indian, Pakistani and Japanese curriculum, where the academic term begins in April. Parents and educators have welcomed the changes made by education authorities to the minimum age for admissions of school students in kindergarten (KG) and Grade 1 levels across the country.

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/education/uae-school-heads-parents-welcome-minimum-age-criteria-for-kg-grade-1-admissions

Contact Information

For more information, please contact Dina Kanan, UAE Manger, International Education Services (dina.kanan@ae.britishcouncil.org)