Business still the most popular subject among graduates in Dubai

Experts believe that being in a business hub attracts students to the field

 David Cook, headmaster at Repton School Dubai, says business studies continue to be very popular with learners. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Six out of ten pupils studying at Dubai private schools will go on to study business at university.

The second most popular subject to study at undergraduate level is engineering but falls far beneath business with 15 per cent of pupils enrolling in the field.

The results were revealed in a study by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority about Dubai’s private education landscape for 2017-18.

David Cook, headmaster at Repton School Dubai, said the results were consistent with pupils’ aspirations.

“We do find that economics and business studies are popular in Dubai.

“We offer the IB programme, the diploma programme and the careers related programme which is focused around a BTech in business. It’s very popular. Next year we have 20 people doing that course,” he said.

“There is no doubt that business and economics are still very popular. I guess it is because we are right in the middle of a business hub. We are literally seeing the country grow around us,” he said.

“Young people are seeing the opportunities. There are dynamic changes everywhere driven by business,” he said.

Despite the UAE government’s push for Stem studies, students are still choosing business and finance courses at universities.

Fiona McKenzie, director of Gabbitas Middle East, an educational consultant based in Dubai believes that there are more graduates in business because those are the top courses that are predominantly offered in the UAE.

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“Students studying medicine or engineering would probably go to other countries. If you want to study business, there are some really good programmes to choose from here,” she said.

“The other reason is that lots of children see business as an obvious choice to prepare them for the world of business. It’s quite a general degree it gives them the tools to still go on to do accountancy, marketing, or human resources.”

She said the subject gives students a good platform to launch themselves.

“I know the UAE is trying to diversify that but though the school market is now maturing, the university market is still very young,” she said.