Boarding School Inaugurated at Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 03, 2018 --(PR.com)-- Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), joined by Jürg Metz, Consul and Head of Consular Affairs at the Embassy of Switzerland to the UAE; Christophe Darbellay, Head of Department of Economics and Education at Canton du Valais; Omar Danial, Founder SISD, Beat Sommer, Head of School, a delegation from the Canton du Valais and key members of the school’s staff were present for the inauguration.

“Dubai’s school sector is very diverse. There are 194 private schools, offering 17 different curricula, with 280,000 students from 180 different nationalities. Just the right setting for the Swiss School in Dubai,” Dr Karam commented on the occasion.

He informed that KHDA recently held the first Dubai Student Wellbeing Census for all Grade 6 to Grade 9 students in Dubai, about 65,000 students altogether. It showed that 84 percent of students in Dubai say they’re happy most of or nearly all the time. “I looked at the results for the Swiss School in terms of the diversity of its students; on average, 23% of students in Dubai say that their friends are from many different countries in the world. For the Swiss School, that figure is 49%. We know that when we have friends from different countries, we feel more connected to the world, and we have higher levels of empathy,” Dr Karam added.

The celebration included opening speeches from Swiss International School’s leadership and the delegation from the Canton du Valais. The event concluded with a visit of SISD’s campus along with a tour of the newly completed boarding school.

Commenting on the school tour, Swiss International Scientific School Head of School, Mr Sommer said, “At SISD, our goal is to foster a community of global citizens that are inquisitive, active and compassionate learners who contribute to their society through intercultural understanding and respect. We believe that being international means opening your mind to other cultures and different ways of thinking. Our students are uniquely privileged to learn the skills and aptitudes required to thrive in a perpetually changing world, as a fundamental part of their education.”

Having recently been awarded the patronage of the Canton du Valais, one of 26 in Switzerland, SISD is laying the foundation for the introduction for the Swiss Baccalaureate in the UAE and the wider region. Recognized for its high academic performance as per the PISA report (Program for International Student Assessment), the Canton will support Swiss International Scientific School in an advisory capacity on academic matters. SISD is the 27th school abroad to receive a patronage from a Swiss Canton.

Currently in its third year of operation, SISD is home to 1000 day and boarding students from over 60 nationalities. SISD officially opened its first boy’s boarding house. Girl’s boarding will also be available from September 2018 onwards.

Students from Grades 6-11 have access to all campus facilities and the option between full-time, weekly and flexi boarding. The fully furnished boarding facilities have four floors with 14 rooms and en-suite bathrooms in each double room for a total capacity of 100 students per house. Each floor has a fully equipped pantry room and a community room for students to relax. The dormitory building also features dedicated apartments for housemasters and tutors.