10
IMPACT | Broadening horizons in the UAE
178
STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN PART IN WESTMINSTER WORKING CULTURES SINCE 2017
76%
OF STUDENTS TAKING PART COME FROM A WIDENING PARTICIPATION BACKGROUND
60
ALUMNI HAVE HOSTED OUR STUDENTS AT THEIR WORKPLACES
Broadening horizons in the UAE Our Westminster Working Cultures programme continues to expand, and last September we took 16 students on an inaugural trip to the Middle East to experience the ultra-modern, bustling business environments of Dubai. One of our hosts, alumnus Rehan Khan (Applied Social Research MA, 1995), describes his motivations for welcoming our students and shares the perks of working in one of the world’s most glamourous cities.
“I normally take out the Bentley in the morning and save the Ferrari until the evening… only kidding! But ‘what car do you drive?’ is often the first question people ask when they hear you live in Dubai.” Rehan Khan, originally from south London, gained his MA at Westminster in 1995 and built his career with BT until 2003, when he left his job and the city to pursue new challenges in the Middle East. “We moved to Bahrain and then Dubai, where I worked in an array of other industries, including executive education, media and property development. I rejoined BT in 2011 and my current role is to lead the team which undertakes digital consulting assignments for BT’s Top 200 global customers. “For us as a family, Dubai has been a very positive experience, as I think the city provides a space for people from the vast milieu of cultural spectrums and beliefs. Outside of my day job I write historical fiction novels, and for an artist, Dubai provides tremendous scope for stretching one’s thinking and imagination. If the city becomes too
overwhelming, then the empty desert is less than an hour away and you can always escape into the high mountainous peaks of Oman, which is only a few hours’ drive from here.” Dubai is one of six destinations now on offer to our students as part of the Westminster Working Cultures programme, which has grown every year since its launch in 2017. As a student mobility opportunity, the shortterm programmes give undergraduates,
who may otherwise not have the means to travel, the chance to enrich their student experience and global outlook by visiting businesses around the world. Our international alumni and partners are fundamental to the success of the programme, as they generously volunteer their time to host the students and run educational sessions at their workplaces. “I had the pleasure of meeting some students from the University,” says Rehan, “and we had a really engaging session
