In line with the government’s instructions and procedures to limit the spread of the emerging coronavirus (COVID-19) and the university’s responsibility to protect students, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi announces its success in launching distance learning. Professor Silvia Serrano, Vice Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, highlighted the efforts and the readiness of the Digital Transformation & Innovation department and the teamwork spirit of staff and faculty. “Our key priority is to maintain the continuity of the educational process and to ensure high quality of learning for our students during this critical time,” she said. The DTI department provided multiple training sessions, e-manuals and instructional videos to students and professors.

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s preparedness for distance learning is the result of a long-term strategy that was developed by the university. It aims to provide the needed digital support to all staff, faculty and students. Along with other proactive steps, it enabled the university to take effective actions during the emerging of COVID-19 and to quickly move to distance learning.

Hamdan Alkalbani, Head of the Digital Transformation & Innovation Department at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi added: “The proactive measures that we have been taking in the previous years helped in the distance learning implementation. Sorbonne Abu Dhabi is the first university in the UAE to transition its virtual learning environment to Blackboard Learn on a cloud.  A virtual lab allows the students to access remotely to their labs, library is also accessible on the cloud.  In addition, an E-Space was launched, which is a platform that facilitates the access of all Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi members to all services and applications needed from one page, at any time and at any place.” Also, there is a technical team to support staff, students and Faculty. All these steps allowed all students and professors to go through distance learning process smoothly.

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi also took a number of preventive infrastructure measures to prepare for any difficulties arising from the increased pressure and burden on the network as more and more students move to study remotely. In addition, professors were provided with all the tools that can help them manage their digital classrooms and meet their teaching objectives.

Sorbonne University was established in May 2006, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and under the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK).

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is an Emirati university that benefits from the 760 years of experience of the prestigious Sorbonne, with a state-of-the-art campus located on Al Reem Island that combines comfort with the efficiency of new technologies.

The methodology, education and degrees adopted by Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi follow the French Education System. Sorbonne University and Paris University issue the diplomas and the Ministry of Education in the UAE accredits all.

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is immensely proud to continue a remarkable heritage of academic excellence that has been nurtured since the 12th century, and the same pursuit of perfection that has made our mother institution in Paris one of the world’s most prestigious beacons of enlightenment. More than 2,000 students from over 90 countries have graduated from Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

Separately, the Ministry of Education, MoE, has recently rolled out a distance learning system for two weeks, targeting all students in the UAE’s schools and higher education institutions

The move is in line with the earlier decision by the ministry to move forward the spring break and shut schools for four weeks, the last two weeks of which are devoted to resuming study through the distance learning system.

According to the timeline of the distance learning classes in government schools, 20 classes per week are held in the first cycle at three hours per day and two optional hours in the morning between 9:00 and 11:00 are devoted to activities. Evening classes are between 16:00 and 19:25.

As for the second cycle, 20 classes are held per week at four hours per day. Classes start at 9:00 and continue till 12:45 and an evening hour (between 17:00 and 17:50) is allocated for reading enrichment and a variety of exercises.