Tuesday, June 6 2006 12:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dubai: India announced setting up of an Arab Cultural Centre at Jamia Milia University and offered full cooperation to open more Indian institutes of higher education in the United Arab Emirates.

The Cultural Centre will help foster the historical ties between India and the Arab nations, Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh said while making the announcement at a function organised by Muslim Education Society here yesterday (June 5,2006) night.

The Centre will be fully funded by the University Grants Commission.

He also said the government was committed to protecting the rights of the minorities, especially in the field of education and will take all steps to maintain the minority status of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

During a meeting with Indian business and professional community here yesterday, the Minister said there is a need to set up more Indian institutes of higher education in the emirates.

"We will fully cooperate in the endeavor to open more Indian institutes," he said

Singh said Dubai has emerged as a truly global city as well an education hub in the region, thanks to initiatives like the Knowledge Village and the Dubai Academic City.\

A large number of Indian institutes including Birla Institute of Technology and Science, SP Jain Centre of Management, Mahatma Gandhi University and Manipal University from India have bases in Dubai.

Over 90,000 students study in Central Board of Secondary (CBSE) schools in the UAE.

Addressing a meeting of principals of Indian schools here, the HRD minister praised the excellent results achieved by them.



The new CBSE curriculum and the grading system was discussed at the meeting attended by more than 50 principals from various Indian curriculum schools across the UAE.

The meeting decided to hold an orientation programme for teachers with regard to the new curriculum.