January 2018
لقراءة النشرة باللغة العربية، الرجاء الضغط هنا
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What Have We Learned? New Publications

The results of international assessments suggest that Arab students are falling behind students in other countries in terms of their academic performance and reading comprehension levels. Research suggests that Arab students may be struggling due to visual, linguistic, and social obstacles. This study uses perspectives from cognitive science to offer recommendations linked to how improving reading comprehension in the early grades can potentially have a positive effect on students' achievement levels and performance on international assessments.  Read More

The Rise and Role of State Philanthropy in the United Arab Emirates

Over the past decade, the UAE has seen a rapid increase in the number of philanthropic institutions. However, there has been no comprehensive mapping of these institutions' various missions and activities, and information on philanthropic activity is generally scarce. This chapter from "Policy-making in the GCC: State, Citizens and Institutions" examines the growth of 11 state-funded philanthropic foundations in the UAE, their similarities and differences, and the ways in which they engage with stakeholders and promote social change. It discusses the purpose and potential of these institutions, examines areas of over- and under-supply in the philanthropic landscape, and offers suggestions for future research that could lead to more effective, sustainable, and wider-reaching philanthropic endeavors.   Read More

This policy paper examines teacher satisfaction and public perceptions of teachers in the UAE. Using data from the OECD's 2013 Teaching and Learning International Survey, as well as supplementary analysis based on a survey of UAE residents, it finds that there are significant differences in overall teacher satisfaction among teachers in the UAE by nationality, with public attitudes being linked to perceived status and salary. This paper makes recommendations for strengthening recruitment and retention mechanisms to increase teacher professional satisfaction and improve public perceptions of teacher status.  Read More 

Over the past two decades, policymakers, international organizations, and scholars focusing on gender and education have largely concentrated their efforts on issues relating to girls. However, results from recent international assessments, coupled with data on higher education enrollment rates, have led to a new concern about the performance and retention of males -particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This report examines the growing gender gap in favor of females in education and its implications for the labor market and society by using both empirical data from PISA and TIMSS and case studies from six countries. It concludes by offering some recommendations for policymakers who wish to re-engage at-risk boys in education. The report is available in both English and Arabic.  Read More

The Al Qasimi Foundation's Hands on Learning (HOL) pilot program continues to positively impact male students at Saeed bin Jubair School for Boys in Ras Al Khaimah. For the last four years the program has been re-engaging students at risk of dropping out or disengaging from school. During the 2016-17 academic year, the program saw a 70% improvement in student attendance as well as substantial gains in students' life skills development. Read More
Announcements
Tickets on sale for the 6th Annual Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival
 
Tickets for all #RAKFAF events can be purchased in-person at the Al Qasimi Foundation or online starting January 7. Buy your tickets now so you won't miss:
 
 
Applications for the Al Qasimi Foundation's Faculty, Doctoral, and Seed Grants are now being accepted until March 1, 2018. For more information about these competitive funding opportunities, including eligibility and application process, click here.
 
Want to do more than fetch coffee this summer? Al Qasimi Foundation interns gain professional experience while working on projects with a diverse, multilingual, international staff. Apply now to be matched with a project that fits your interests. For more information on eligibility, application process, and  requirements, visit the Al Qasimi Foundation's internship page. Deadline: March 1, 2018
 
Hosted by the Al Qasimi Foundation, the 8th Gulf Comparative Education Symposium will be held from April 7-9, 2018 in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. The theme of this year's Symposium is "Public, Private, and Philanthropic: Exploring the Impact of New Actors on Education in the GCC." Accepting abstracts from policymakers, NGOs, academics, and educators who wish to participate in the debate and explore policies and practices across the Gulf.
Submit your abstract Deadline: January 14, 2018
 
Do you enjoy visiting new places, meeting new people, and learning from others? Are you interested in doing action research in different school settings? Do you enjoy helping your community by sharing new insights with colleagues and neighbors? If you answered YES to these questions and have completed at least two of the Foundation's professional development courses, please apply to be a part of the professional development opportunity available through the UAE Teacher Exchange Program, which will visit Hanoi, Vietnam from March 24-30, 2018. Read More
In the Headlines 
 
Recent exams data shows that boys' performance continues to lag behind that of girls. National programs that involve fathers in their children's education can help tackle boys' underachievement in schools. Fathers who are actively involved boost their children's self-esteem, which leads to more positive outcomes, according to research by the Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research. 
Read More


A new report shows the UAE is ranked highest in the Gulf for gender equality, while regionally the gap is widening. The report examines equality across education attainment, health, economic opportunity, and political empowerment in 144 countries, and includes an index that ranks women's status against men. But there is more to gender equity than just female attainment, as there are huge inequalities for males.  Read More

 
The UAE's Vision 2021 has eight pillars of development for achieving a 'first-rate education system,' which include increasing student performance on international assessments such as PISA and TIMSS. The Emirati School Model, a new unified education system, will focus on the STEM fields and will build critical thinking skills, develop innovation and teamwork among students, and use IT in problem-solving. 
Read More

Tips & Tricks

Every January the Al Qasimi Foundation issues its call for Faculty, Doctoral, and Seed Grant applications. While always happy to offer individual guidance and feedback, the grant awards committee has identified the top five things potential grantees should consider as they prepare their submissions. This list reflects applicants' most frequently asked questions and the places proposals often lose points during review. Although the specifics are particular to the Al Qasimi Foundation's grants, the general advice on how to approach tailoring proposals would hold true for many funders. Read More
Podcasts
Download and listen to the Foundation's latest podcasts:
We're Intrigued: Resources with Relevance

This multimedia experience explores the ways your brain experiences art. It looks at why we feel connected to something larger through art, why we feel a story, why movement is mesmerizing, and why we are drawn to the logic of art.  Read More
 
With tech rapidly changing our economic, cultural and social realities, the question of how to prepare the younger, and even the current, generation for the fourth industrial revolution has been a pressing issue for higher education. How do we educate for the fourth industrial revolution? Are our ed systems and programmes still relevant? And if not, how do we reconstruct them so that they are?  Read More


Predatory publishing is becoming an organized industry, meeting the demand on researchers to publish as many papers as possible to get ahead but delegitimizing their work.  Read More
 
If you've devoted months to writing the paper, dealing with comments, doing rewrites and hacking through the publishing process, why wouldn't you spend the extra couple of hours crafting an accessible blogpost to broaden your audience/increase your impact? Here are 11 easy steps to generate a short version of your research article. Read More
 
Sometimes the messages in the stories we tell are inconsistent or reach the public with less than full power. At worst, our stories contradict our purposes by loading them up with, or attaching the frameworks and language of, dominant narratives. Nonprofits can do better. This new series analyzes the front lines of communications research to address the issues that concern nonprofits today.  Read More
Join Us: Events & Deadlines 
Visit our website or email us at events@alqasimifoundation.rak.ae for the most up-to-date information on our upcoming events. You can also visit our Facebook page to tag yourself in photos from our events.

January 14, 2018:
 
February 16 - March 2, 2018:
Press

Members of the press who are interested in covering or learning more about the Al Qasimi Foundation's research, events, or other initiatives may contact  Ms. Caitrin Mullan , Director of Community Engagement and Outreach.
Our Mission

To aid in the social, cultural, and economic development of Ras Al Khaimah and the United Arab Emirates through high-quality policy research, strategic capacity development, and purposeful community engagement.
Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research