AMBASSADORS FOREWORD

Foreword from the South African Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates

It is a great pleasure for me to give a word of support to the INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (ICE) in its quest towards internationalizing South African education and training. ICE's initiative is an acknowledgement that South African universities, colleges and institutions have a valuable contribution to make to the global higher education community, and in particular to the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC).

In this regard, I am pleased to note that ICE will serve the interests of the international students who wish to share in the "proudly South African" experience. In addition, ICE, with its base in the United Arab Emirates, will serve as an outpost for South African educational institutions who may wish to leverage their programs into the regions. Furthermore, the Centre will also serve the purpose of reinforcing South Africa's relations with the GCC regions through academic research and exchange programs.

South Africa's education institutions offer unique benefits to international students. Already, there are over 52,000 international students studying in South Africa. The qualifications are internationally-recognized and reasonably affordable. Furthermore, students are afforded with an opportunity to blend in with the South African experience, benefit from South Africa's unique research opportunities and associate themselves with the rich cultural diversities and exceptional history which South Africa offers the world.

Our institutions provide high quality education, second to none in the world. Under the Department of Education's direction, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) strive towards excellence and benchmark South African qualifications against the best in the world.

The Embassy in the United Arab Emirates hereby commends the INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF EXCLLENCE (ICE) for its dedicated efforts towards internationalizing South African education and training. We wish all candidates and delegates enrolled onto the ICE programs all the success and trust that you will benefit greatly from the "proudly South African" experience.

His Excellency
Yacoob Abba Omar
South Africa's Ambassador to the UAE