Research

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other surrounding Gulf Arab nations an increasing number of males are opting out of higher education. In the UAE less than 30% of students attending public higher education institutions are male. Little however is known about why some males choose to continue their education and others do not. This policy paper, which is drawn from the first part of a study on understanding male enrolment patterns in the UAE, looks at a sample of males who have continued on to higher education. The paper begins with an overview of higher education in the UAE. It then looks at the factors influencing the participation and persistence of males in general. Next it outlines the study from which the data presented was taken, taking a closer look at the characteristics of males who have continued to higher education, including the roles of parents, schools and friends. Finally, the paper concludes by discussing the challenges facing males who choose to continue their education and how these might be dealt with in the future