GEMS students earn university credits thanks to collaboration with Arizona State University

Pictured: Ashley Szar; Director of Academic Pathways at Dubai American Academy (DAA); with Tammy Jochinke DAA High School Principal who led the pilot cohort of students studying ASU courses whilst still in school

• GEMS-ASU collaboration allows students to access world-class courses
• 27 GEMS Dubai American Academy students set to earn university credits
• All Universal Learner Courses taught online by ASU’s highly rated faculty

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Students at GEMS Dubai American Academy (DAA) have begun exciting new courses that will earn them valuable university credits at Arizona State University (ASU) while still at school as a result of GEMS Education’s collaboration with the highly-rated American university.

A total of 27 DAA students are now enrolled in rigorous college-level courses taught directly by ASU’s highly rated faculty. Students can choose from over 20 of ASU’s first-year Universal Learner Courses, all which are taught by leading experts in their respective fields. Options selected for the initial cohort include College Algebra, English Composition, History, and Habitable Worlds.

DAA student Dalia Al-Dhamin said: “The invitation to join this ASU pilot programme is an honour and a privilege, and I am thrilled to be a member of the ASU team. I’d like to express my gratitude for providing us with this unique opportunity to take part in a college course before graduating from high school. Taking part in this programme will allow me to improve my time management skills while also earning college credits, learning more about certain fields of study in greater depth, making room for a variety of activities, and saving money.”

Fellow DAA classmate Elena Laubenthal commented: “The extended challenge beyond my regular classes as well as the college-like experience and courses, especially from a university with a reputation like ASU’s, is very exciting. I am hopeful that this programme will help me to determine a pathway for my future and personal development after considering my strengths.”

The re-imagined online learning experience for high school students is highly flexible, enabling them to design their own tailored pathway and preparing them in advance for university success. The university credits gained can result in significant savings in terms of both time and money if students choose to enrol at ASU for an undergraduate degree. The earned credit can also potentially be transferred to any other accepting university.

Dino Varkey, Group Chief Executive Officer of GEMS Education, said: “Preparing our students for future successes, whichever path they choose to follow, is a core ambition at GEMS Education. We’re committed to encouraging and enabling future-relevant education opportunities for our school community long after they leave school, and this unique collaboration with ASU will set Dubai American Academy students on the right track to maximise opportunities in higher education, and hopefully lead to great highs in their future careers.”

ASU is a comprehensive public research university based in Tempe, Arizona. It is rated a top world university by the Center for World University Rankings and ranked #9 in the world for global impact by Times Higher Education. GEMS Education plans to roll out the opportunity to study with ASU throughout its schools in the near future.