Sorbonne Abu Dhabi Holds Academic Orientation Week for New Students 2019-2020
3 September, 2019The Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) organised an orientation week for the new students starting from yesterday until the eighth of this month at the university’s campus on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi. The orientation week acts as a reflection of the university’s educational vision that aims at achieving the highest level of training and academic guidance for students. All the event’s activities were in line with the university strategy, which focus on reinforcing academic and professional excellence to help students adjust to university life.
The orientation week hosted students, their parents and student representatives in order to help new joiners adapt to the disciplines that suit their skills, abilities and experiences, as well as to provide clear information on the nature of each programme. In addition, the event informed students about SUAD’s newly established science specialisations, courses of study, and how to get in touch with guidance counsellors. “The orientation week is one of the main highlights of the academic year. We have the great pleasure to welcome more UAE students every year along with students from other nationalities from all over the world. We are happy to strengthen our relationship with the community and to start from this very day to build ‘bridges between civilisations’,” said Dr. Laurence Renault, Acting Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director for Academic Affairs of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.
The event included both entertaining and educational activities aimed at integrating the new students into the university’s culture. The activities included a visit to the National Archives in Abu Dhabi, a field trip to Saadiyat Island, Al Reem and Yas Island, a visit to Dubai Museum and to Dubai Mall. Mr. Eisa Al Raesi, Head of Students Affairs Department at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi added, “The students integrated educational journey is not limited to the university life only; therefore, the Department of Student Affairs seeks to enrich the educational journey with an integrated life experience through the organization of the orientation week, which aims at preparing students for the new academic year, integrate them into the society and introduce them to the history and culture of the UAE within an educational and entertaining framework.”
Sorbonne Abu Dhabi is keen to achieve environmental sustainability and make it an integral part of the student life following the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may God have mercy upon his soul) approach, as he said: “The protection of the environment should not be seen as governmental and official authorities’ responsibility only… It’s the responsibility of everyone and the responsibility of every member of our society, citizens and residents”. Therefore, Sorbonne Abu Dhabi has chosen the Ghaf tree, the official symbol for the Year of Tolerance, as the main title as one of the workshops that will take place during the orientation week where students will plant the Ghaf trees throughout the campus in order to promote the culture of afforestation and celebrate the year of tolerance.
The activities of the orientation week will end with a meeting organised by the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi management team with the new students in order to share with them valuable information on the UAE’s heritage and to prepare them for their new journey.