The Middle East is an area of increasing business opportunities for all types of companies so establishing solid connections there is a priority.
Clearly, lines of communication need to be effective and one way forward is an ability to speak the language of potential clients and customers.
With this in mind, the Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education is now offering Arabic Language courses at its Blackness Road Campus in Dundee.
The once-a-week evening classes, starting in January, are aimed at professional people as well as school leavers, anyone seeking a leisure course or graduate students.
Principal and Vice Chancellor of the College, Dr Hossein Godazgar, said new markets were opening up in the Middle East and a knowledge of the Arabic language could prove most beneficial.
“While many companies have executives and personnel fluent in English, taking steps to learn Arabic could be advantageous and give individuals an edge over their competitors,” said Dr Godazgar.
“Potential customers will be pleased and equally impressed if companies here have made an effort to learn Arabic as part of a drive to forge business links with the Middle East.
“Our tutors offer expert guidance and insights on the beginners’ language course, which will greatly help learners as they engage in the lessons.
“At the College, we have successfully run community Arabic classes so we regard this new evening class as very much a continuation of those.”
The new, 12-week block of Beginners’ Arabic Language classes starts on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, running from 6 to 8 pm. The session ends on March 31.
If students wish to do so, there are opportunities to progress onto an SQA-approved qualification, beginning in September 2015. Bursaries are available for such programmes.
Established in 2001, the College is an independent and internationally recognised, research-led centre of excellence.
A total of 140 students from over 30 countries have studied in and graduated over the past decade from the College, a not-for-profit educational charity and one of the small number of private colleges of higher education in the UK.
