Do Guest Lectures and visiting faculty represent a value addition to a student’s aptitude in understanding the environment around him?

The previous blogs mention how classroom sessions are important for students to have a holistic understanding of their business environment. However, such classroom sessions can be hosted either by full-time academia or by industry professionals. One needs to understand that only a person who has seen both sides of the table including the academic as well as the industry side can be a tutor imparting relevant and up-to-date concepts. Having said that, there is one set of people who feel that research also needs to be done on different models – mathematic, scientific, medicine and so on. Such research is most often successfully carried out by academia from the teaching line only. However, as debatable as this thought is, the most common argument by critics is that research is best carried out under the supervision of industry and industry-sponsored grants.

Nonetheless after all the haggling around, one comes down to questions like whether guest lectures and visiting faculty constitute a radical change in the thinking process of a student or whether a student’s aptitude differs by the introduction of such guest lectures.

Well as simple as it sounds, the answer is yes, such sessions do introduce fresh perspective into an academic course and the injection of new thoughts, opinions and ideas make a session highly attentive and interactive. The theme also depends on whether the visiting faculty or guest lecturer is from a trendsetting company in his industry because such personalities often help in disseminating crucial information that is up-to-date. We have witnessed how companies that are confident of accepting change and introducing processes aimed at quality excellence survive amongst the competition. For companies that introduce a unique and novel offering, the business gets guaranteed success for a few years if they introduce cost leadership pricing within their offering. On the other hand, even if they might not be cost leaders, if they think ahead of their time in their offerings and lobby for statutory compliance with upgraded quality standards set forth by the Governments, there also do they taste success as being the first-mover in that industry. However, one needs to keep in mind that any process gets imitated over time as the number of entrants in an industry increases with passing time thus eroding the margins. The professionals who come from such industries are therefore, keen on introducing the commonly heard phrase that “Change is Constant” into the knowledge they impart. In doing so, they bring the students up-to-speed on relevant concepts in the industry which are aimed at setting a footprint within the market. The biggest plus point for students is that such interactions, help the students in understanding why sustainability is crucial in the marketplace and any offerings must be introduced by keeping in mind whether the market is ready for such products. This type of thinking, although easy to understand is not without its challenges in the sense that there are many ramifications of introducing quality processes in terms of cost, acceptance with the workforce, research constraints and acceptability of the market to such a offering in comparison to the existing available alternatives.

The market today is game of power and money where the most knowledgeable person who acts on his information can reap the maximum benefit. Such guest lectures go a long way in broadening a student’s viewpoint by engaging them in present-day business scenarios thus increasing their aptitude. As an afterthought, one can only wonder how boring and outdated it must be without such new perspectives from the visiting faculty.

Computer College is one among many Colleges which believes that guest lectures help in increasing the freshness of the course content and keeping the curriculum polished and worth referring to. 

Street Smart or Book Smart – The Debatable Question !!

The market has always had a debatable question whether a person should be Street Smart or Book Smart. Time and time again, people have cited examples of each set of people who have tasted success with their ventures and dealings in the market. We have even seen a reality TV show (Apprentice – featuring Donald Trump) where in one season of the show, the book-smart teamed against the street-smart.

However, one can only keep wondering what the real answer to the question is. Because ultimately, most parents spend a fortune on getting their children educated these days and I doubt they would positively accept the critique that their book-smart children only managed so much success while the fellow who was a back-bencher his whole life or a drop out in high school was now running a highly profitable venture.

The answer to the question is quite simple. The two although seem related are in fact poles apart and quite unrelated. Ultimately, from a different point of view, it is life’s experiences that teach us to be dynamic and open to the most adverse situations in which one can circumvent his problems and manage things with an ease that might even be construed as having a peace of mind.

Truth be told, even Colleges today fret over this question but the solution is quite simple. Some people are born naturals and have the personality traits of a leader even if they might not be good at their academia. The flipside is that the students who need support can be mentored to understand their business environment and agreements governing a business entity. Book-smart need not be limited to academic or theoretical knowledge because ultimately even a person who has had adequate class-room training and case-study sessions can exhibit exceptional analytical skills fit for successfully running a business concern.

That is the sole reason that colleges like Computer College include Case-study sessions in their curriculum so that a student understands the business environment around him. It can be safely said that such an approach is like creating a simulation of a real-life scenario in the classroom and preparing well in-advance for it. The thinking can also be correlated to how NASA astronauts prepare for deep space walks in a simulated compressed environment without an atmosphere. It prepares them when they face such a real-life situation. This analogy can also be applied to book-smart people also in the sense that the training imparted earlier is often a prelude to their future success.

Coming to the fellows on the street-smart side of the table, they often possess a personality that charms, a cool sense of mind and an air around them that nothing is wrong and everything can be turned to gold. It represents their thinking attitude which is mostly a can-do attitude. However, these candidates are highly risk-taking and the road to their success is quite difficult initially wherein they strive a lot in the incubation phase of their ventures. Ultimately, their success is defined by how dynamic they are in accepting the economic changes in a marketplace but the most crucial factor determining their failure or success is their ability to network with the right people from an early age.

In contrast, even a well-trained book-smart candidate can be absorbed into mainstream industries or can setup his own business concern over time or depending upon his preferences. The training that he can get through academia goes a long way in fostering his understanding of business ethics, environment and money-markets. The answer to the question therefore can be explained as both sides have their own plus points and for a fact, people from both these groups are unique in their own individual way.

Semester Examinations – Last Minute Preparations – Do they really work?

As former students, most of us have been exposed to the vigours and long hours of preparation dedicated towards a final exam. In some strange sort of a way back in our youth, we always believed in last minute preparations in addition to the general classroom sessions. But the most important question is was the effort worth the sacrifices made?

The answer to the above question is most definitely one which not just limits our thinking to the knowledge learnt in a classroom but also one which helps in understanding the importance of time management and working against deadlines. In today’s world, one cannot underscore the importance of being evermore competitive especially in light of the pace at which business is transacted today. Today, competition has become more fierce, margins are more strained, time is highly valued and money is hard to come by.

Examinations come into the picture here playing that crucial role by apprising a student of what he can face in the marketplace. Although, dedication and hard work have always been centered on such exam preparations but the most critical factor of all is the manner of time allocation for each subject or course as the case may be.

Students preparing for an upcoming examination

We all have had the chance to burn the midnight oil, studying up late for preparations but there are cases exhibited by a small minority of students where preparations made months in advance yield dividends in terms of mental peace and satisfaction. This type of thinking can also be correlated to a sales team where a salesperson who has his figures on his fingertips during his appraisal remains much more relaxed and poised to answer any question thrown at him by his managers as opposed to a salesperson who needs last-minute referencing to study the trends of his customers.

So it comes down to the most important question of all, is Last minute preparation really successful? – Well the answer can drive a person in circles because it totally depends from person to person. Every individual has a different IQ and EQ and the ability to recall also varies. However, advanced preparation has never done any harm to a student as it only adds value to his knowledge base. Meticulous planning and last minute studying on the other hand yields success for some but there are those who cannot manage to cope with the stresses of such last minute sessions.

Therefore, as a professional one can advise that the downsides of Last minute preparations are much more than its upside. Students are therefore rightly advised to prepare in advance for any such exam requiring their personal effort and time.

Computer College in Dubai understands the psyche of the students and aims at enriching their learning experience. The College aims to be at the forefront of the education space by making radical improvements in the manner in which its students get trained. Ultimately, the College believes that an exam is not just a milestone but should be a thorough assessment of the student’s understanding of the courses learnt. It must be stressed that one should not only look at the final score-card as the only report card of a student but one must also consider other aspects of his holistic training. Time and time again, the debate has been played whether education needs to be book-smart or street-smart. The answer to this debatable question will also be posted in the upcoming blogs where one can try to narrow down the true answer to the ever-evasive question.

#computercollegedubai: Migration of Students for education – Is it really necessary?

It has been observed around the world that students tend to migrate from their families for the pursuit of education owing to lack of local educational infrastructure in their home cities. Fortunately, with the foresight of people kind enough to set up facilities for education, this problem is steadily being addressed. It is the strong belief of Computer College that students must reside with their families during their formative years leading upto graduation as the cultures, values and traditions rub off on the siblings and sons/daughters alike. Very few families are lucky to have the benefit of having their children reside with them whilst pursuing their college education.

The attachment with families and their kids must never be undermined in light of global scenarios where it has become easier to cross borders and even importantly to retain culture and heritage native to a local population. We all know that effects of globalisation have changed traditional thinking processes and mannerisms. However, it is imperative that people understand and retain their culture, values and even traditions. A feeling of oneness with their religious or moral obligations can only be achieved when these “young and budding” adolescents reside with their parents whilst pursuing their college degrees and diplomas. It has been observed through several studies that young undergraduate students perform better when they have a family backing as opposed to those students who stay independent of them.

Multi-cultural students of Computer College, Dubai

Computer College comes in the picture here by understanding that the population of Dubai (UAE) is dominated by both expatriates and locals. Most of the children of these 'expats' end up going back to their home countries for education without realising that the city of Dubai represents a focal growth point or trading hub in the Middle East with several opportunities within the Emirate. Dubai is the central hub and a bridge between the economies of the East and the West. What is overlooked is that, after graduation a student's social network is strongly developed in their country or city of education. For such students, relocating back to the Middle East for career growth becomes another hassle as they have to practically start from scratch owing to the lack of their own personal network. In this world, a majority of people have started accepting that knowing the right people at the right time yields dividends in terms of the opportunities one can encounter - commonly referred to as ‘networking’. The power of proper networking cannot be under-estimated.

While a few people would disagree with this statement on the grounds that the students can get good opportunities even in their country of study or home country, it is common fact that it is always a struggle or ‘rat-race’ as commonly called. Moreover, with the global recession taking place in the last few years, one needs to cogently think ahead to keep pace with one’s growth plans in life. Aside from this is the golden rule that the city of Dubai or the UAE for that matter is a tax-free environment; the scope for earning and personal growth in terms of asset acquisition and holdings thus presents an attractive proposition. The Rulers of the UAE have a vision to take the country ahead, to be global leaders and innovators, and to be trend setters, setting high benchmarks for other countries to emulate.  Computer College would like to be part of this vision.

In addition, the flipside to this is that transfer students can also switch colleges and come into the Middle East to join such institutions of higher learning. Upon graduation, they can get absorbed in the mainstream industries of the region. Funneled by the discovery of oil and creation of a trading hub in the Gulf, the region has seen a good stream of investments channeled into sectors like tourism, construction, real estate, petro-chemicals, petroleum and FMCG. More importantly the region is now also accepting that in addition to conventional means of revenue from fossil fuels, oil and gas, it is imperative that the local Governments in GCC start working towards sustainable energy programs that will help them off-set the pressures faced by the finite oil and gas industry resources. In the midst of this scenario, lie immense opportunities for career growth, employment and entrepreneurial development. It thus makes sense for transfer students to migrate to regions of opportunity such as the GCC where if they start young, they can be better equipped to garner local experience and enhance their networking base as a prelude to personal growth. Moreover, it is a common fact that the per capita income of a person educated and working in the UAE (One of the countries in GCC) is higher than most more populous third world countries.

It is here that Computer College makes its mark on students by providing them with access to quality education that is world-class, where the staff conduct on-going enhancement sessions for betterment of the College’s facilities and providing the most up to date contemporaneous educational programs.

It is common knowledge that no institution, workplace or environment is 100 percent perfect but one cannot underscore the importance of making an attempt towards striving for perfection – because such a step constitutes not just forward thinking but a need to keep pace with changing times. Computer College prides itself on the fact that they are open to innovation and modification of any existing processes once they see the golden benefit or should we say, ‘the light at the end of the tunnel’.

Is migration really necessary? The answer to this query is multi-level and is different for two segments of students/people. On the one hand, for a student residing in a region like the GCC where opportunities for growth are endless, it makes sense to shelve the decision of migrating and studying within the UAE. On the other hand, for foreign students from different regions such as Europe, Africa, Asia or even as far as North, Central and South America it makes sense to migrate to a region such as the GCC because it represents immense scope for learning and personal growth with commensurate financial rewards. At the same time, it offers world-class facilities and good entrepreneurial/career opportunities making it an easy choice for migration. Traditionally since the onset of the Industrial Revolution a few centuries ago, this trend has already been witnessed time and time again as people flock to centers of mass consumption and production, also commonly referred to as a marketplace.

As a person who has studied the College’s development and course content from an external standpoint, it is my recommendation that one should visit or contact the registrations team at Computer College, atleast to get an understanding of the programs they offer. The course counselors would gladly assist any potential candidates and address any queries they have.

An exploratory visit to Computer College will be one small step that could be the start of an exciting journey ahead for students! Why not make a direct visit and assess all that has been said.

Computer College Growth Plans – New campus under construction, New Programs under review stage

Established in 1993 and about two decades later, the College has reached a turning point in its history where it shall be shifting to a newer, larger and mammoth-sized campus containing a majority of world-class facilities for its students.

The College has recognized the need to set benchmarks in quality and infra-structure should be considered at the forefront of any academic institution of higher learning. However, one must realise that while doing this, the theme of interactive education for students must not be undermined. After all, it the students who represent the success and future of the institution.

In our search for acquiring newer benchmarks, the management is aware that a holistic approach is needed to overhaul existing systems and processes of education in a bid to make it more interesting and responsive for the students.

Ultimately, the imparting of quality education and imbibing of linguistic skills within the student fraternity is a noble and social cause. In light of these tenets, Computer College remains evermore dedicated and focused to strive for higher growth.

As part of its growth plan, the College has already undertaken its plans to move to a newer, larger and more conducive environment for student development. Another characteristic is that, apart from infrastructural development, the College also plans on scaling up its academic programs by announcing the launch of several new proposed Baccalaureate Degree Programs. For the first time, Computer College will be launching BBA and BIT degree programs in Dubai. Furthermore, a few additional progams are also slated for launch in the coming months however the details of those programs are still privileged and will eventually be made public.

Nonetheless, the College remains true to its cause - the spread of quality education. They address the community of Dubai which happens to be a mix of several nationalities namely, Local (Emirati), Middle-eastern origin (Arabic), Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Chinese, Russian, British are some of the majority to name a few. The College openly invites all students who shall graduate from Grade XII to visit our campus in the coming days and see for yourself, the transformation happen.

One thing's certain, an institution that is on the growth trajectory will always have its priorities centered around the welfare of its students, student development and enhancement of course curriculum for all-rounded progress.

The College has already started addressing issues in the local education space by launching new programs to cater to the needs of the ever demanding populace. They understand that there is an immense pressure on the existing infrastructure of educational facilities in Dubai meaning that institutes have already started running to full capacity with several prospective students not finding a suitable campus within Dubai. Having said that, we address a basic need of parents which is to have their sons and daughters educated while having them stay in their home.