The Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE) has announced that it will offer two new programs – Master of Education and Innovation (M.Ed) and In-Service Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) – from the academic year (2021 – 2022).
Targeting Emirati teachers in Abu Dhabi, the two programs aim to enable teachers to develop their skills and competencies to meet the aspirations of the UAE’s wise leadership in education sector that has been identified as a key driver of future development.
The M.Ed & the PGDE program course are geared towards serving teachers at the primary & senior-secondary, who are in service.
Her Excellency Jameela bint Salem Mesbeh Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education, Chairperson of the Board of Emirates Schools Establishment and Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of ECAE, said: “The efforts to upskill our teaching community in line with the latest global methods have gained tremendous momentum given their crucial role in achieving the objectives of the nation’s educational system.”
“The two programs launched by ECAE aim to promote innovation and competitiveness among teachers to unlock their potentials and creativity. This will allow us to advance sustainable practices in the educational sector and improve the quality of the national educational output.
“The fast-paced evolvement of educational sector and related technologies mandate upskilling our teachers to keep pace with such developments. Through close collaboration with prestigious local and international institutions including ECAE, we seek to enable our teachers to make optimal utilization of the latest tools to drive innovation in the educational sector, especially through research-oriented academic and professional-development programs in a collaborative, state-of-the-art learning environment. We place a high emphasis on innovative educational research solutions to improve learning opportunities in line with UAE educational and school reform vision.”
H.E. Al Muhairi gave credit to the competent, dedicated, and experienced faculty and staff for the institution’s ability to maintain excellence and prestigious academic status. “Our commitment stems from our founding fathers’ belief that human capital and quality education is our country’s most valued asset and a true indication of a country’s success and prosperity,” she said.
Commenting on the objective to introduce the two programs, Professor David Pedder, Dean of ECAE pointed out that the institution’s aim is to strengthen teachers’ subject knowledge, help them to build innovative strategies to deliver education, and to develop skills that will enable them to effectively navigate the increasingly complex school and classroom environments.
“The program emphasizes curriculum theory, pedagogy and innovation in education, educational advocacy, social dimensions of learning, instructional design, leadership and research, which can be applied in the teacher’s current field of work or towards advanced studies in education. Coursework is designed with the needs of working education professional in mind,” he said, adding that the subject-based Practice Development Placement (Practicum) component of the programs will help candidates to use new and innovative ways to help students to learn better.
The programs, which will be offered in a blend of online and physical modes, are suitable for those who wish to become better educators and recognized leaders.
To apply for the M.Ed program, candidates must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale or its established equivalent. Applicants with an undergraduate degree from a university outside of the UAE are required to produce a certificate of equivalency from the Ministry of Education in the UAE. In addition, the applicants will need to have a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent in TOEFL, IBT or Pearson PTE Academic or EmSAT). The selection and admission process involves a written test, followed by a personal interview.
Candidates for the PGDE program will need to have similar qualifications. Additionally, they need to be in service or have at least one year of teaching experience.
“At Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE), we strive to inspire and empower a new generation of qualified professionals to transform, lead, innovate and modernize the education sector in the United Arab Emirates and beyond. That way we support the country’s strides towards building a knowledge economy,” Dr. May Laith Al Taee, Vice Chancellor of ECAE, said.
Since its founding in 2007 under the decree of the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, ECAE has been offering a variety of accredited academic and professional development programs that place emphasis on educational research solutions to improve learning opportunities within a state-of-the-art professional learning environment.
