In October of this year, the branch of the famous Sorbonne will open in the capital of the UAE, the city of Abu Dhabi, which will become the only representative office of the University of Paris in the Middle East.
A cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Higher Education of the UAE and the Board of Directors of the Sorbonne was recently signed in Abu Dhabi. The Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research of France took an active part in the process.
The Sorbonne branch is due to begin work in October, but so far on the basis of a temporary campus. During 2007, an ultramodern university complex will be built and commissioned, which will be able to accept more than 1,500 students at the same time.
Students will be offered a choice of undergraduate and graduate programs in history, geography, urban development, art history, archeology, linguistics and culture, music, literature, classical culture and the modern world, information and communication, and the history of civilizations.
Since the training will take place in French, preparatory and additional language courses will be opened for all students. Most teachers will be invited from France.
The Board of Directors of the Abu Dhab Sorbonne will include three representatives from France and three from the Emirates. It is expected that the agreement, which is called "historical", will serve as a serious step towards improving higher education standards in the UAE.
