JEDDAH, 31 October 2006 — “Delving for the truth. Digging deeply into the matter. Getting to the bottom of things.” Clearly, the process of obtaining information, knowledge or facts is inextricably linked to going deep. Nothing worth anything is to be gained by skimming the surface. Imagine then, a curriculum and system of teaching built on this premise. One in which the teacher is not one who spoon feeds information to students, but is more of a facilitator; the student is not the one who learns by rote and reproduces information mindlessly; assignments require the student to truly understand the process and apply that learning to get results.
Doesn’t really sound like your regular school or university does it? Traditionally, the classroom environment is far removed from the everyday world. This puts it at a serious disadvantage when preparing students for management positions and situations in which they will have to apply their learning to the workplace on a daily basis.
Universitas 21 Global, the premier online graduate school, was formed with the intention of tackling this problem head-on, while simultaneously addressing the growing need for centers of tertiary learning necessitated by escalating global demand. A unique curriculum and system of knowledge dissemination, deep learning, was designed and formulated to encourage students to create their own knowledge in a real-world environment, using now commonplace, everyday tools like e-mail, the Internet and blogging.
“Through deep learning, you have to draw information for yourself and you retain more, with the amount you learn limited only by how much you are willing to seek out,” says Imran Vohra, doing the Executive MBA at U21Global.
“U21Global provides a range of resources which enable us to extract knowledge, like the Internet, which is a source of endless knowledge once you really know how to access it. Working with U21Global, students get increasingly better at searching for and using the information required, thus enriching the learning experience.”
Illustrating the benefits of such a system from an employer’s point of view, Vikram Tah, director, Middle East and Africa, Universitas 21 Global, says: “The wonderful thing about this process is that it translates into immediate returns for employees, allowing them to apply their learning to the work place in real time. We receive testimonials from supervisors, who say they find a remarkable difference in employees who are undertaking an U21Global course. They are able to proactively work out their own solutions and contribute on a deeper level.”
U21Global provides a holistic learning environment, where learning is acquired through opportunities for reflection and active construction of knowledge, which is applicable to real-life situations. Students’ analytical capabilities are sharpened by the teaching of problem-solving skills and concepts that will be retained much longer.
M. Nauman Moghal, who has completed two subjects at U21Global over the past year and is currently studying eBusiness and Finance, feels the U21 MBA program is particularly suitable for the traveling executive for whom physically attending class is not feasible. “The fact that it is associated with 18 universities which include some big names like McGill, British Columbia, Edinburgh and Melbourne, further endorses the claim to a quality education,” he says.
“Personally, I feel the program is a challenging one, especially when trying to balance learning with regular work and leisure time, since the modules are structured to encourage students to read, cross-reference, research, brainstorm and respond to colleagues and professors online, making sure you get the point across in a concise manner without the benefit of face-to-face interaction,” he adds.
Outlining the process of deep learning, Moghal says: “The U21 learning environment challenges students to seek out information from various sources primarily on their own initiative, with those who do this best standing out in the online-class. Experience and ideas with practical applications are often required to be shared in the light of theoretical challenges posed. Lastly, coordinating with students globally through joint assignments is reflective of our work environment, where we constantly need to liaise with a global community of people and businesses to get the work done.”
In July 2003, U21Global opened its doors to MBA aspirants. And in 2004, the graduate school set up a representative office in Dubai’s Knowledge Village to provide on-the-ground counseling services to students considering enrolling in the graduate school.
U21Global’s member universities include North America: University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Virginia; Europe: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, University of Glasgow, University of Birmingham, University of Edinburgh, University of Nottingham, Lund University; East Asia: Fudan University, University of Hong Kong, Korea University, National University of Singapore, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Australia & New Zealand: University of Queensland, University of New South Wales, University of Melbourne, University of Auckland.
Extolling the benefits of deep learning, Riaz Mulla, general manager of ATEICO Communications, which represents Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) across Saudi Arabia said: “IGNOU is also in a similar field and hundreds of students who have graduated from its facilities here and worldwide say that such deep learning programs have benefited them the most. Those employed especially say deep learning programs have offered them an opportunity to achieve academic excellence and aspire for better professional positions and housewives, who did not pursue higher education after their marriage, say such programs have been a boon.”