5.6.1

5.6.1 Does your university as a body have a policy of non-discrimination against women?


 Policy Title: 		5.b Employment Policy (EMP)
Policy Number: FS-PO-5B Date Created: 30-04-2006
Responsible: Director of Human Resource & Admin Approved by: Board of Trustees

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide standard guidelines and procedures for hiring new employee at CUD.

Scope

This policy applies to all the new hirings at CUD.

Policy Statement

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of Canadian University Dubai to provide equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, colour, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, status as a disabled or any other characteristic.

The appointment, development, and retention of competent Employees are essential to Canadian University Dubai. The university strives to appoint Employees who:

  • Possess the necessary degree (s) from a fully accredited institution. The degree must include at least 18 hours in the subject area in which the faculty member will teach (official transcripts are required to be on file);
    • Dedicated, active professionals in their field;
    • Able to submit documentation required by government regulations that establish identity and citizenship;
    • Obtained Ministry clearance after selection;
    • Committed to the vision, mission and Core Values of the University.

Establishing the Need

Employee vacancies will arise from the identification of the vacancy in the headcount plan or through the replacement of employees who have left.  Request for employees should be made through the requisition process detailing the needed information.

The Dean sets the requirements for the faculty position regarding:

  • Academic Rank/ teaching experience and the discipline or specialization.
    • Area of Research Interest, Recent Research publications, scholarly activity, and supervision of   Theses/dissertation 
    • Time frame of staffing process
    • Expected start date of successful candidate

This information needs to be correctly authorized in accordance with the authority limits. All vacancies in terms of the headcount plan need a final approval by the Director of Human Resources. Once the post has been authorized, the staffing process begins.

Recruitment

  • All standard recruitment activities shall be within the approved workforce plan. Any recruitment for non-budgeted positions will require special approval from the President.
    • The University shall adopt fair and consistent methods of recruitment and selection so as to select the most suitable candidate to meet the requirements of the job.
    • Dean/department head will be the hiring manager for the position/s to be recruited for as well as establish the selection committee.
    • The selection committee will comprise of the Dean (Hiring manager), Department Head, Representative of Human Resources Department Representative of relevant Faculty/Department, Representative from outside the Faculty, if required
    • No candidate shall be employed without first being interviewed by a selection committee. The committee shall, at a minimum, contain the line manager for the area plus one other.
    • Where the candidate is asked to travel to the University from within or outside the country, appropriate costs will be borne by the University after the submission and recommendation of Human Resources Director to be approved by the President. This measure is not applicable during COVID-19 Pandemic.
    • The minimum recruitment age will be eighteen (18) years.
    • Employment of candidates over age of sixty five (65) requires the approval of the President. For Jobs requiring hiring of employees less than eighteen (18) years of age or above sixty five (65), the Human Resources Department and line manager will review these case by case and decide on the approvals in conjunction with President.
    • The birth date established for the employee at the time of his employment will be as indicated by his duly authenticated birth certificate, passport, or nationality card.

Recruitment of Part-time faculty

  • Part-time faculty is recruited by the Dean who will propose to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for formal appointment to be approved by the President. Part-time faculty cannot exceed 25% of the faculty as per requirements of the CAA and are appointed per term. Based on Faculty needs and the performance evaluation outcome, part-time faculty may be re-appointed for a consecutive term. Reappointment letters are handed over to part-time faculty member prior to the beginning of the new semester.
    • The determination of the necessity for and authorization of recruitment must come from the VPA.
    • Normal Hiring procedures will be followed with the recruitment of part-time faculty.

Advertising

  • The Hiring manager will submit a recruitment requisition to Human Resources to verify the necessary details regarding the requirements for the job and the terms and conditions.
  • The Human Resource Department places advertisements for the positions in standard international sources and collects and screens the CV’s before forwarding to the Department Heads/Dean.

Short-listing Candidates

  • Applications for the post will be reviewed by the Selection committee, who will draw up a short-list for the Hiring Manager’s approval.
  • The selection of the shortlist will be guided by the requirements of the job and the candidates’ qualifications, taking into account factors such as education, research,  training, experience, skills, competencies and other characteristics as required by the Faculty/department.
  • Those candidates who are not successful at this stage will be sent a standard rejection letter.
  • Candidates short-listed for interview will receive an invitation to an Virtual E-Learning interview together with a job description and information regarding the University.

Selection Process

The Selection committee will interview all shortlisted candidates

  • A candidate must satisfactorily establish his ability to meet the requirements outlined in the job description of the designated job.
  • Salary and Benefits details should not be discussed by the selection committee and questions related to these areas should be referred to HR.
  • Selection committees should indicate their top candidates in order of preference, approved by the Dean/department head and submitted to the VPAA for endorsement before submitting to HR for final approval by the President and hiring.
  • All unsuccessful candidates will be rejected and be informed in writing.

Conflicts of Interest in Staffing

  • Conflicts of interest occur when a member of the selection committee is in a position to influence recruitment processes where there might be personal gain and/or personal relation or have an interest in the outcome (separate from their professional role). Whenever possible, those with potential conflicts should remove themselves from involvement in the decision
  • The first and most important line of defense against conflicts of interest must be from the university selection committee members. The university, therefore, requires the University faculty, staff and selection committees to disclose their intention to recommend candidates for available vacancies within the university that might lead to a conflict of interest and if he/she wishes to introduce a potential candidate (e.g. close relatives, friends, ex-colleagues) for an interview.
  • Depending on the consensus of the selection committee, the member involved may or may not be required to attend the recruitment process for the candidate that he/she has introduced. In the event that potential conflicts cannot be resolved at this level, they should be referred to the higher authority within the University. This authority will forward a recommendation to the Hiring manager for final resolution.
  • It is acknowledged that Employees of the University and the selection committee sometimes refer or recommend suitable candidates for the University for Existing Vacancies. All candidates whether known or unknown to any member of the University and the committee must follow the recruitment process along with all other candidates.
  • The University relies on the transparency, good judgment, disclosure, professional integrity and moral ethics of the university Employee and recruitment team/hiring committee members to protect themselves and the university from conflicts of interest.
  • All members of the selection committee should have the fulfillment of the university recruitment process in a professional manner as their key responsibility and interest.

Reference and Background Checks

  • For those candidates recommended for approval the new Employee be required to submit testimonials and credentials to the Human Resources Department, including:
    • Qualifications: Original authenticated certificates must be available on arrival in the UAE. 
    • Attested Transcripts of Master and Ph.D.
    • Experience testimonials
    • Attested marriage certificate if any
    • Attested Children’s birth certificates if applicable
    • Coloured passport copy
    • Passport size photos
    • References: Written references from previous employer/s will be required. Three references are preferred with at least two being from current or former employers
  • All testimonials and certificates should be translated in Arabic and duly attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE Embassy in the country where the document was issued. 
  • As per the circular issued by the Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs in 2009, all new Employees must go through the process of Ministry Clearance before they join.
  • Ministry clearance must be obtained and no candidate shall be employed without reference checks being completed.
  • Faculty member credentials are to be verified by the appropriate Faculty.
  • Costs of attesting credentials and documents and mailing it to CUD shall be incurred by the employee.

Offer of Employment [1]

  • Assuming reference checks are positive, HR will issue an offer letter to the preferred candidate.
  • All offer letters are signed by the VPA & President and must be supported by relevant Departmental budgets.
  • It should be understood by all employees and applicants that employment offers are not a contract of employment, and that the selection process may be terminated at any time by either party with written notice.
  • In the event an applicant declines an employment offer, the Human Resources Directorate shall notify the concerned Directorate/ Faculty head immediately upon receiving such notice and proceed with the next candidate as per the order of preference or take such action necessary to identify another qualified candidate.
  • It is the responsibility of the hiring department to advise HR immediately of any changes to the new hire’s start date.

Re-Hiring

  • A former employee may be re-hired follow the normal recruitment process provided that he/she has a satisfactory record and a vacancy is available inside the University.

Employment of Immediate Relatives

  • While the University does not encourage employment of relatives/next of kin of existing employees, it is recognized that this may occur when there is no apparent conflict of interest from a personal or business relationship standpoint. In no circumstance shall an employee report indirectly or directly to a relative. New hires are required to identify any potential conflict of interest during the recruitment process.
  • Relatives of present employees are given equal consideration with other qualified candidates for employment.

Employment Contracts [2]

  • It is the University’s intention to provide competitive and attractive terms and conditions of employment for all Employees with the objective of attracting and retaining competent employees.
    • In return, the University expects its employees to respect the employment contract and abide by the terms laid down therein.  Failure to do so could result in the termination of that contract.
    • Upon recruitment, new employees will sign an employment contract prepared by Human Resources stating his/her position, remuneration and the applicable terms and conditions. The employment agreements will be signed by the President.
    • All employment agreements shall be subject to U.A.E. legislation and the policies and procedures as per his/her respective handbook as approved by the Board.
    • Employment contracts will present all terms and conditions clearly and will not be open to misrepresentation or misinterpretation. The employee will receive the contract prior to commencement, the University having received signed acceptance of the contract prior to making a visa application on behalf of the new employee.

Medical Examination

  • The employee will undergo a complete medical examination upon arrival in the UAE in accordance with the laws in the UAE. Employment is contingent upon successfully passing the medical examination. In some cases a medical exam or medical certificates will be required for health or life Insurance eligibility.

Induction and Orientation of New Employees [3]

  • All new employees will be welcomed and oriented, through a comprehensive induction program. The employee will receive a welcome pack that includes job-related and UAE-related information sources, forms to fill for HR records, and courtesy CUD material.
    • The objective of the induction is to provide new employees with information necessary to assist them with the integration to CUD and the country.
    • Induction and orientation programs for new employees are conducted by the Human Resources Department in collaboration with other departments and respective managers in the University.
    • The induction program will be divided into
      • General University induction by the Human Resources Department. 
      • Faculty/Department induction
      • Academic Orientation
    • The purpose of Induction and Orientation is to:
      • Ensure that the employee understands CUD mission
      • Explain CUD annual goal setting and review process
      • Discuss expectations and related policies
      • Help the new employee to fully integrate into CUD culture
      • Answer any questions the new employee may have.

Probationary Period

  • All new employees will be subject to a probation period from their first working day at University, to a maximum of six months at the end of which, employment will be confirmed if the employee’s performance is satisfactory.
  • During the probationary period the Dean/ Department Head monitors the progress and experience of the new employee. The Dean/department head must also meet with the employee on a regular basis to discuss performance.  Performance concerns will be made in writing to the employee. New faculty members have access to the course files, which contain course syllabi, class handouts, case studies, and copies of previous exams prepared by other faculty who have previously taught the course. New faculty is also encouraged to work with other faculty teaching the course on an on-going basis to ensure that the initial teaching experience is as effective as possible. The Dean/ Department Heads monitors the progress and experience of the new faculty.
  • An official probation evaluation will be completed at the end of the probation period. Evaluation of faculty on probation is conducted by the Dean of the academic Faculty in conjunction with the Vice President of Academic Affairs using input from the Department Head and IRP Dean to obtain feedback on the performance of new faculty in the classroom.
  • The probation evaluation elements:
    • Three months review – At the end of first three months, the faculty member meets the Dean for an informal discussion on progress on Performance.
    • Six month review –
  • One month before the end of the probationary period the faculty member submit a self-evaluation on Core Values and Behavioral Competencies
  • The Department Head/Dean will collect supplemental evaluation outcomes from:
    • Course files
    • Instructional Quality peer review
  • The faculty member then meets with the Dean for an evaluation conference, which provides an opportunity to discuss the faculty member’s performance, professional contributions and areas for continuous improvement as perceived by both the faculty member and the dean.
  • The probation evaluation are signed to conclude the conference and sent to the VPAA and HR for confirmation. If the faculty member does not sign the evaluation, the dean will forward it to the VPAA with a notation of this conclusion.
  • Depending on the result of assessment, it may be decided to:
    • Confirm the faculty employment or
    • Terminate the contract with one week’s notice
  • During the probation period, either party may terminate the contract by giving two (1) weeks prior notice (except for serious offences requiring summary dismissal)
  • An employee who resigns during the probationary period shall not normally be entitled to any end of service or repatriation benefits.
  • At any time during the probationary period, if the employee’s work or attitude is deemed unsatisfactory, the employee’s supervisor will refer the case to the Faculty/Department head for termination action. Termination actions will be reviewed by the VPAA and approved by the President.

Employment Confirmation and Renewal of Contract

Upon successful completion of probation and depending on the results of the probation evaluation, Virtual E-Learning teaching certificates, the faculty member is confirmed in his/her position unless otherwise notified – in writing by Human Resources.

  • Contract Renewal and Salary Increases
    • Modification and/or renewal of contracts shall be carried out through, “Amendment of Contract or Contract Renewal Letter” through mutual agreement between CUD and employee prior to implementation.
    • Salary reviews may be conducted upon contract renewal. Performance reviews will be evaluated and taken into account for salary adjustments as recommended for approval of the President CUD.
    • Contract renewal should occur before the notice period specified in the contract lapses. Notice period as specified in the contract is required from the employee and university for non-contract renewals.

Hiring of Consultants

  • Primary Reasons for Appointment of Consultants
    • Absence of required expertise in-house;
    • The need for high quality services;
    • The need for economy and efficiency;
    • The need to have qualified Consultants for providing the specific services;
    • To provide specialized services for limited periods without any obligation of permanent employment
    • To benefit from superior knowledge, transfer of skills and upgrading of a knowledge base while executing and assignment
    • To provide independent advise on the most suitable approaches, methodologies and solutions of projects
  • Employment Contract or Agreement
  • All job appointments shall be by means of a written contract or agreement, between the University and Consultant concerned
  • Terms and Conditions

Written contracts or agreements shall, as a minimum, contain the following:

  • Defined deliverables
  • The mechanism allowing for the frequent monitoring of progress in terms of the agreed objectives;
  • The period of employment
  • The notice period required by either side to terminate the contract
  • The rates agreed upon
  • The frequency of payments; and
  • The method of payment
  • Confidentiality clause
  • Protection of Intellectual property rights
  • Types of Contracts
    • Lump Sum (Firm Fixed Price) Contract:

Lump sum consultancy contracts are used mainly for assignments in which the content and the duration of the services and the required output of the consultants are clearly defined. They are widely used for simple planning and feasibility studies, environmental studies, Program/course design, preparation of data processing systems, and so forth. Payments are linked to outputs (deliverables), such as reports, drawings, bills of quantities, bidding documents, and software programs.

  • Time-Based Contract:

This type of contract is appropriate when it is difficult to define the scope and the length of services, either because the services are related to activities by others for which the completion period may vary, or because the input of the consultants required to attain the objectives of the assignment is difficult to assess. This type of contract is widely used for advisory services, etc. Payments are based on agreed hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly rates for staff (who are normally named in the contract). The rates for staff are based on the salary scales of CUD for the level of the position related to the service to determine the Day/week/month rate. Time-based contracts need to be closely monitored to ensure that the assignment is progressing satisfactorily and that payments claimed by the consultants are appropriate.

  • Retainer and/or Contingency (Success) Fee Contract:

Retainer and contingency fee contracts are widely used for banks or legal firms. The remuneration of the consultant includes a retainer fee to ensure availability of “on call” specialized services as required.

  • Percentage Contract:

Percentage contracts directly relate the fees paid to the consultant to the estimated or actual project cost, or the cost of the goods/service procured. Percentage net profit share in the project need to be clearly defined in the agreement with the method of calculation.

Tolerance Document for Employees in Education System to denounce Discrimination and Hate

FOM hosts guest speaker on HRM and creating a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion

Tuesday, November 23, 2021: Continuing with our guest speaker sessions, the Faculty of Management (FOM) at Canadian University Dubai (CUD) recently welcomed Saroj V. Pathak, Head of Customer Support Middle East and Turkey at HP Inc. and Chairperson of the Equity workstream for Global Customer Support (CS) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), to our City Walk Campus on November 11, 2021.

Mr. Saroj recently moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates with over 24 years of diverse industry and global leadership experience in the Supply Chain and Customer Services domain.

During his talk on the role of human resources management (HRM) in creating a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, students learned about the importance of diversity in today’s workplace environment, how to move from promoting diversity to practicing inclusion, policies and processes for DE&I, current challenges in DE&I as well as how human resources (HR)roles revolve around employee well-being, growth, and inclusion.

Echoing his belief in continuous learning, Mr. Saroj said: “Pursuing graduate studies in HRM has the potential to enhance a candidate’s exposure and increase their chances of finding employment and growth in the competitive labor market.”

The HRM program at CUD develops student skills in strategic staffing, compensation and benefits, industrial relations, performance management, as well as training and development to help graduates shine in one of the fastest developing disciplines of the twenty-first century.

Our MBA in HRM specifically provides comprehensive insights into the application and orientation of business administration concepts in human capital management, enabling students to develop line management competence while addressing challenges in ethics, leadership and motivation, in a competitive business context.

Speaking to CUD’s commitment to our students, Dr. Rima M Bizri, Associate Professor, Canadian University Dubai added: “We believe in providing our students with a dynamic learning environment, encouraging guest speakers to visit our campus to share their alternative perspectives of thinking. By leading immersive discussions, we are able to generate important conversations in a variety of topic areas such as HRM and the future of human capital management.”

These unique learning opportunities at CUD provide our students with important industry insights to assist them in gaining a head-start in the UAE’s growing knowledge economy upon graduation.

CUD Professor Discusses Gender Stereotypes and Barriers to the Boardroom

February 9th, 2015: Canadian University Dubai (CUD) Assistant Professor Jeanette Teh has revealed that ‘double standards and gender stereotypes’ are still significant barriers to women’s progression in the workplace, in a recent article published by industry magazine, Gulf Business.

The opinion piece, entitled “Held To Higher Standards: Why The Glass Ceiling Still Exists”, is the latest in a series of commentaries by professor Teh to feature in the leading business publication. In it she discusses the recent research findings issued by American independent research organization, Pew Research Center, on the subject of ‘Women in Leadership’.

“The findings were interesting,” reveals professor Teh, “While the American public generally felt women were equally capable as leaders, women were held to a higher standard than men and these gender stereotypes will continue to prevent true equality.”

She continues, “While men were perceived to be stronger at risk-taking and negotiating profitable deals, women were seen by the majority as being more compassionate and organized. Female business leaders were also generally seen as better at compromising, being honest and ethical, mentoring, and providing fair pay than their male counterparts.

“Theoretically, then, women are deemed as capable as men. However, they have to do more to prove themselves to surmount the expectation that men are more naturally suited to leadership positions.”

Teh considered the Center’s recent research findings in the context of the upcoming International Women’s Day, which will run under theme ‘Make It Happen’, and concluded the article with her own ideas on how to ‘Make It Happen’ and eliminate the need for women to perform to higher standards because of outdated expectations.

Students Launch #sheforshe Campaign

DUBAI, JUNE 27, 2017 –   Canadian University Dubai students have started a campaign called #SheforShe, which aims to not only draw attention to the popular global campaign #HeforShe, but also aims to highlight the need for women to support each other in order to achieve their goals for gender equality. 

The students, who are both male and female, decided to start the campaign as part of their Media Impact class with Dr. Franziska Apprich.  During a class discussion the students realized that there are large gaps when it comes to women helping women achieve their goals.

“There’s a lot of negative energy between women,” explains student Ulla Al-Jabri. “In many ways we put each other down through judgement, competition, nasty comments, and we don’t support each other to achieve our goals.  #HeforShe is great, but it we felt that it also needed to encompass women supporting women.”

 They started by sending letters of thanks to women they consider to be role models and leaders in supporting other women.  These role models include their own mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunts, as well as more high profile women like Queen Rania and Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.  The students also decorated a scarf with #SheforShe and shared pictures of themselves wearing it to share on social media.

“We decided to use a scarf because it represented traditional values, but also brought in the message of gender equality, and the idea that you can have both,” said student Harshe Gehani. “I liked it so much I decided to take it home.”

To date #HeforShe, which was created by the United Nations, has garnered support from film stars like Emma Watson, and politicians like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and boasts over 1,600,000 followers.

“I hope that the students manage to attract some attention to this campaign,” says Dr. Apprich. “Any kind of call to action to break down negative stereotypes is key to achieving real equality, and pushing a cultural shift towards women helping each other achieve their goals, and supporting each other, will also greatly help in the drive for gender equality.”

Anyone interested in participating in the #SheforShe campaign can promote the hashtag on social media and send thanks and congratulations to women around the world. 

“she for She” Artwork to Be Displayed in Philadelphia at Prestigious Exhibition

October 8 2017: Artwork developed by Students of Canadian University Dubai Communication School has been nominated for display at “Creative Disruption” Pop-up Group Exhibition in Philadelphia, USA. The exhibition is organized by Art United; a network of social justice artists who together create cultural exhibitions and events that intersect art and activism while shining the spotlight on three themes: Gender Justice, Climate Justice, and Racial Justice.

Art United believes that each piece of art is a vehicle that creates a common language towards understanding each other’s perspectives and the power of the visual arts is that it can be used as a tool for demystifying identity and differences, elevating public discourse, and catalyzing change.

Dr. Franziska Apprich, Professor at the School of Communication said she was proud of her students for getting involved in the She for She campaign, launched as a worldwide initiative to promote gender equality everywhere and noting being chosen for this exhibition was a great boost for the image of the university abroad and highlights its support for gender balance.

The Exhibition will be held in The Warehouse on Watts in Philadelphia on November 4th, 2017.

Graduate School Professor Participates in UN World Investment Forum

Dr. Nnamdi Madichie, a professor of business at The Graduate School, Canadian University Dubai, has contributed to the international debate on the future of research into ‘investment for development’ at the United Nations World Investment Forum 2014.

Dr. Madichie was among a multidisciplinary team of academics – including professors from Oxford University, the National University of Singapore, University of Bern, The Graduate Institute (Geneva) and New York University – who were invited to take part in a round table discussion to help shape a policy-orientated research agenda on investment for sustainability, for the next 15 years and beyond.

Organized by the Unites Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Investment Forum is a platform for international leaders and stakeholders to debate and promote investment flows that contribute to sustainable and inclusive development across the globe. The biennial event brings together heads of state, global CEOs, academic experts, and leaders of international organizations and civil society groups from 150 countries.

As a member of the Academy of International Business and the Editor in Chief of the African Journal of Business & Economic Research, Dr. Madichie was invited to participate in the round table based on his expertise and research in higher education policies across emerging markets. Discussions focussed upon how policy plays a vital role in ensuring that corporate investment is beneficial to the territories, communities and individuals it is directed towards.

Dr. Madichie said, “The forum was an extremely valuable opportunity to come together, not only with academics, but with policy-makers and industry representatives to discuss how we can embrace a trilateral network in supporting sustainable development strategies.

“I have conducted extensive research in the area – from the business of higher education to the development of women’s entrepreneurship, especially in the context of emerging markets, including Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East – and it was pleasing to be able to draw upon this to contribute to the discussions.”

Dr. Madichie’s session culminated in the launch of the Business Schools for Impact, a UNCTAD initiative that aims to support business schools to contribute to sustainable development in the poorest areas of the world, by teaching the skills required to invest and operate in low-income environments with positive social impact.

The four-day event, which is widely regarded as the most important gathering of stakeholders in the international investment community, also tackled the issue of investment in women’s empowerment and gender equality, another of Dr. Madichie’s research interests.

Dr. Madichie revealed, “With dignitaries such as Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary General, UNCTAD; and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UNWOMEN, this was a memorable session for me. I was pleased to have Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka respond to my question on the role of higher education in sustainable development and to acknowledge the importance of a policy agenda in that direction.”

Dr. Mohamed Ben Moussa Talked Gender Divides and E-empowerment at Journalism Conference

DUBAI, May 3, 2017 – Canadian University Dubai Associate Professor in Communications and Media Studies, Dr. Mohamed Ben Moussa, recently participated in a Journalism and Media Conference at Middlesex University Dubai, where he presented his research titled “Gender Divides and e-Empowerment in the Arab World: the case of the UAE.” 

The paper, which was co-authored with Dr. Joanna Seraphim, explores the impact of Information and Communications Technology’s (ICT’s) diffusion and its use on women’s empowerment in the UAE. Their article addressed the key questions: To what extent have women in UAE appropriated the Internet in their everyday life? How do gender relations inform the use and appropriation of the Internet in the country? And to what extent have Emirati women, through their use of the Internet and ICTs, been empowered to bridge existing gender divide?

“One of the major findings of the study is that ICTs are playing a central role in Emirati women’s life in the private and public sphere,” said Dr. Ben Moussa. “And in many cases women are outperforming men in adopting new information and communication technologies in various fields and domains, especially in education and academic research.”

The conference brought together the region’s best and brightest journalism and media minds to explore the theme of emerging trends in global journalism.

“It was an honor to have the opportunity to present my research at the conference, and engage with my peers from around the region,” said Dr. Ben Moussa.  “I look forward to participating again and hearing more about the wide variety of media and communications research being conducted across the Middle East.”

International Women’s Day Concert

Canadian University Dubai’s Faculty of Communication, Arts, and Sciences, are pleased to invite everyone to the

International Women’s Day Concert, featuring Babylon Orchestra Berlin & Sanaz Sotoudeh

On Wednesday | March 8th, 2023 | 6:00pm – 7:30pm | CUD HUB Atrium

See you there!

International Women’s Day Workshop Discusses Sexual Harassment at Work

Dubai, March 8, 2016: Dr. Louise Lambert, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Ethics at Canadian University Dubai (CUD) advised people facing sexual harassment in the workplace to ‘speak up’ and report the matter to concerned authorities when they feel the ‘line has been crossed’.

Speaking at a workshop on ‘Sexual Harassment at Workplace’ at the university on the eve of International Women’s Day, Dr. Lambert gave an overview of common examples of sexual harassment, common responses, ways of extricating oneself from a situation and the role of HR in handling such issues.

Focusing mainly on student-faculty cases of sexual harassment, she recommended taking a firm line from the start when contracted with ‘unwanted attention’ by way of emails, looks, phone calls, notes, gestures, touch or presence beyond the necessary.

“It is important to speak up. If a student is inappropriate with faculty, the right approach is to demonstrate who the boss is. If the harassment persists, it should be reported. It is also important to document and keep records of emails and other evidence, as such cases may escalate,” she said.

Dr. Louise also underlined the role of HR in creating an environment in which victims will be heard and believed and the case resolved. This should be backed up by proper policies and complaint mechanisms, code of conduct and awareness programs. In some cases, disciplinary action should be taken to resolve particular cases.

The audience, comprised of faculty and students, raised a number of pertinent issues particularly those prevailing in a university environment and recounted their experiences in facing cases of sexual harassment.

Dr. Louise said sexual harassment at universities was more common than generally admitted. She pointed out that some faculty hesitate to speak up because they want to be nice, don’t want to cause trouble, are not comfortable in being assertive, are troubled by a history of not being believed or are under the mistaken belief that such issues are normal for women.

Speaking on behalf of Canadian University Dubai, Hennie Ferreira, HR Director, assured faculty that the university has systems in place to tackle cases of sexual harassment, for the benefit of faculty as well as students. There is a strict code of conduct and the university is ready to take disciplinary action when a particular situation demands, he added.

Happy International Women’s Day! 

Today we honour the strength, accomplishments, and achievements of women around the world. At Canadian University Dubai, we celebrate the inspiring women who are making a meaningful and positive impact in our community and beyond.

Happy International Women Engineering Day

https://twitter.com/CUDUAE/status/1539901594061471744/photo/1

Federal Decree Law No. 2 of On Combating Discrimination and Hatred

GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN CANADA

  1. What is the meaning of Gender Discrimination?
  2. Gender discrimination means discrimination based on a person’s gender or sex, which more often affects girls and women.  Because of gender discrimination, girls and women do not have the same opportunities as boys and men for education, meaningful careers, political influence, and economic advancement.
  3. Where does it happen?

Gender-based discrimination happens throughout the world.   Because of gender discrimination, women who perform the same tasks as men are often paid less and receive fewer benefits from their work.  Even in developed countries like  Canada, women earn only 70.4 percent of what men earn – a percentage lower today than in the 1990’s. 

The root cause is based in culture.  A society’s culture both shapes the way ‘things are done’ and explains why that is.  Culture defines who women and men are, what they do, and establishes the structure of the relationship between them.  Cultural explanations describe “women’s work” and “men’s work” in the home and community.  These explanations differ among societies and change over time.  Generally, women have less personal autonomy, fewer resources and less influence than men regarding decisions which affect and form their societies and their own lives.

Canada has laws opposing gender discrimination.  Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.”

There are also several international agreements upheld by Canada, which guarantee gender equality.

Gender equality means both men and women can exercise their rights and realize their full human potential, regardless of their gender.

Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Overview

The UAE places education at the cornerstone of Vision 2021. The Ministry of Education (MOE) and its strategic partners have laid out a strong strategy to harness the national human capital’s full potential by maximizing participation in high-quality education, encouraging entrepreneurship, and nurturing public and private sector leaders. The 2016 merger between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education has enabled the UAE to focus on equity and quality from kindergarten to higher education to fill the gap between academic requirements

and labour market demands. MOE is accelerating progress towards the SDGs by infusing Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) (such as Artificial Intelligence) in the education system through a smart learning program and a specialized data centre.

Policies and Initiatives

  • The Early Childhood Policy (2018) targets children from birth until the age of 8 and calls for the establishment of a national framework with a comprehensive and integrated approach for the care and learning of children
  • The Inclusive Education Policy Framework (2018) defines an Emirati school model focused on providing quality education from birth through its five tracks (Specialization track, General/Academic track, Professional track, Advanced track and Professional Advanced track).

Challenges

  • Quality as measured by students’ learning outcomes: Although recent international assessment results (TIMSS and PISA) are showing improvements
  • Teacher preparation and professional development: Increased quality of teachers (with a shift from a supply-driven to a demand-driven focus of all professional development programs) to ensure that teachers adopt teaching and learning methodologies and assessment practices that reflect the intent of the curriculum, the need of students, and system expectations for effective teaching
  • Clear, consistent and sustainable SDG 4 Monitoring Framework at a global level: Although many efforts are under way to develop a holistic monitoring framework for SDG 4, it is still a global challenge to finalize all components of a sound monitoring framework including operationalization of certain targets, development of indicators, standards and tools to match the ambitions of SDG 4.