Yaser Qudaih, a professor in the electrical engineering department at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), has returned to being a student.
At 52 years old, the UAE resident has taken a sabbatical from his teaching career to join the corporate world for hands-on training, similar to student interns.
Three weeks into his training programme at Schneider Electric Company, the professor, who holds a Japanese passport, expressed that he is thoroughly enjoying the industry experience.
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Speaking to Khaleej Times on Tuesday, he said: “I had to get approval from the college first and then I joined Schneider. This experience enhances my teaching, and I’ve met many people in the business world. Through this training, I am acquiring practical knowledge. It is challenging to manage all the research activities and work-related tasks, but I have to say it is an amazing experience. I will also be going to France from the company, as part of the final leg of this Sabbatical programme.”
Lifelong learners
He emphasised that individuals should strive to be lifelong learners to remain relevant in their professions.
“Learning is not related to age at all. It helps you exchange knowledge and upskill yourself. This programmes helps to narrow the divide between the industry and academia which will actually add value to the latter. This is the main objective of this programme,” added the academician who has been associated with the UAE’s largest applied higher educational institution for the past five years now.
Notably, he’s part of a new initiative offered by the HCT which allows its faculty members a chance to spend a sabbatical period of approximately one month in a workplace setting, during which they gain insights into the latest experiences, applications, and practical methodologies relevant to their field.
In addition to annual leave
The sabbatical programme is aimed at upskilling the faculty and can be availed in addition to their annual leave.
Dr Faisal Alayyan, HCT President and CEO said: “The idea behind this is to give a chance to people to enter the private sector that will give our faculty industry experience. This will help bridge the gap between the private sector, labour market, and the faculty. So, the faculty can spend two weeks or up to one month, depending on their choice, in any company that will add value to the programme. This way, our faculty will remain abreast with the market change, gain experience, and learn new tools. This will in turn also benefit our students.”
Dr Luc Verburgh, HCT Chief Academic Officer reiterated that to enhance the professional development of academic staff members and ensure that they remain constantly updated with the job market needs, HCT has launched its Outbound Industry Sabbatical Leave initiative.
Gaining insights into industry experiences
During this period the teaching faculty can gain insights into the latest experiences, applications, and practical methodologies relevant to their field.
“This opportunity allows faculty members to engage in hands-on experimentation with cutting-edge technologies and market experiences. They can then leverage these insights to enhance their teaching methodologies and impart practical knowledge to their students, thereby fostering the development of applied skills,” Dr Verburgh said.
More than 92,000 male and female students graduated from HCT between 1990 and 2020. The college has attracted more than 110 academic leaders from renowned international universities specialised in applied education.
He added: “Once you get the knowledge and know each other outside, it will help in better employment practices. For example, I was told this morning that we are now also allowed to use the laboratory facilities of a certain company. So, this service will not only be extended to the faculty but also to our students now. These are the advantages of doing a sabbatical programme. It’s a consequence of the sabbatical programme. These are the outcomes when faculties and industries start working together.”