10.6.6 Canadian University Dubai — Mentoring, Counselling and Support Programmes for Underrepresented Groups
Institutional Commitment
Canadian University Dubai (CUD) is committed to fostering an inclusive university environment in which students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds have access to appropriate guidance, mentoring, counselling and support.
The University recognises that individuals from underrepresented groups may experience barriers associated with disability, socioeconomic disadvantage, cultural adjustment, gender-related challenges and other personal or institutional circumstances.
CUD addresses these challenges through its Student Success Centre, Personal Counselling service, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Office, Disability Support Office, academic advising arrangements and relevant employee wellbeing provisions.
These services provide academic, personal and practical support to members of the university community, including individuals who may require additional assistance to participate fully in higher education and university life.
The University's institutional framework is supported by its Board-approved Non-Discrimination Policy and designated EDI Officer.
1. Overview of Mentoring, Counselling and Support Provision
CUD provides several complementary forms of support.
| Support Programme or Service | Relevant Beneficiaries | Support Provided |
|---|---|---|
| Student Success Centre | Students requiring academic assistance, including disadvantaged and underrepresented students | Academic tutoring, skills workshops and individual learning support |
| Personal Counselling | Students experiencing personal, psychological, social or cultural challenges | Individual counselling, guidance and appropriate referral |
| Disability Support Office | Students of Determination and students with documented disabilities | Individual assessment, academic accommodations and accessibility support |
| EDI Office | University community members with inclusion-related concerns | EDI coordination and guidance concerning appropriate university support |
| Academic Advising | Students requiring guidance with academic progression | Study planning, academic guidance and referral to relevant support |
| International Student Assistance | International students adjusting to university and UAE administrative requirements | Visa guidance and information about relevant student services |
| Student Peer Learning | Students who benefit from collaborative academic assistance | Peer-to-peer tutoring where available through student-support arrangements |
| Staff and Faculty Wellbeing | Eligible employees, including those from underrepresented backgrounds | Employee wellbeing support and applicable healthcare or counselling benefits |
These services are designed to support educational participation, personal wellbeing and access to appropriate university resources.
2. Student Success Centre — Academic Mentoring and Learning Support
CUD's Student Success Centre (SSC) provides academic and personal development support to students throughout their university experience.
The Centre helps students develop the knowledge, skills and learning strategies required to progress through their academic programmes.
Its services are available to students requiring additional academic assistance, including those who may face socioeconomic, linguistic, educational or other barriers.
Academic Support Services
The Student Success Centre provides guidance in areas including:
- Academic writing and communication.
- Mathematics and English.
- Reading, grammar and research skills.
- Understanding assignments.
- Study strategies and note-taking.
- Time management and organisation.
- Examination preparation.
- Confidence-building and personal development.
Developmental Workshops
The Centre offers workshops throughout the semester and upon request.
Topics include academic writing, study skills, examination strategies, time management and personal effectiveness.
These activities aim to strengthen student confidence and provide practical support for academic progress.
Supporting Underrepresented Students
For students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, students adjusting to a new educational environment and students facing additional learning challenges, the availability of university-based academic assistance can reduce reliance on external tutoring.
CUD's institutional student-support documentation establishes that academic support and tutoring are offered free of charge to students requesting additional help.
The service provides an inclusive support pathway without restricting assistance to a particular nationality or socioeconomic background.
Access: Student Success Centre, Canadian University Dubai.
Contact: StudentSuccess@cud.ac.ae
3. Personal Counselling — Individual and Minority Support
CUD provides personal counselling to help students manage challenges affecting their academic experience, wellbeing and participation in university life.
The service offers individual support within a secure, non-judgmental and confidential counselling environment.
Areas of Counselling Support
Students may seek counselling for concerns including:
- Stress and anxiety.
- Academic pressure.
- Motivation and self-confidence.
- Personal and family challenges.
- Grief and life transitions.
- Adjustment to university life.
- Identity development.
- Social relationships.
- Cultural and minority-related concerns.
Support for Minority and Underrepresented Students
CUD's counselling framework recognises that students from different cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds may experience particular challenges.
The University's health and wellbeing information expressly identifies minority concerns as an area addressed through its counselling provision.
This creates an accessible support pathway for students who may experience isolation, difficulties with cultural adjustment or concerns affecting their sense of belonging.
Counselling Arrangements
The counselling process may begin with an initial assessment of the student's concerns.
Depending on the circumstances, the student may receive short-term individual counselling or guidance towards appropriate external professional services when more extensive support is required.
The University maintains confidentiality arrangements governing counselling records and individual support.
Student Counsellor: Ms. Simran Siddiqui
Email: StudentCounsellor@cud.ac.ae
Telephone: +971 4 709 6292
Office: HUB 1 – 05
4. Disability Support Office — Targeted Support for Students of Determination
Canadian University Dubai provides dedicated support for students with disabilities and Students of Determination.
The University's Disability Support Office assists students who require academic accommodations or additional learning support because of documented physical, psychological, medical or learning-related needs.
The office is overseen by CUD's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
Individualised Academic Support
Students may request support where a documented condition affects their participation in university education.
Examples of support include:
| Support Area | Provision |
|---|---|
| Examination adjustments | Additional time or modified assessment arrangements where approved |
| Assistive technology | Technology support appropriate to documented learning or accessibility needs |
| Learning resources | Additional educational materials or support resources |
| Note-taking assistance | Academic support with information capture and study participation |
| Examination environments | Reduced-distraction settings where appropriate |
| Counselling and guidance | Individual assistance with academic and personal challenges |
| Academic coordination | Communication of approved accommodation arrangements to relevant academic personnel |
Support is considered according to individual needs and the academic requirements of the relevant programme.
Accessing Disability Support
Students seeking accommodation may contact the Disability Support Office to discuss their circumstances.
The process generally involves:
- Contacting the office and explaining the support needed.
- Providing relevant supporting documentation.
- Reviewing the student's individual needs.
- Identifying appropriate academic accommodations.
- Coordinating approved arrangements with relevant academic personnel.
The office manages sensitive information through the University's applicable confidentiality and student-support procedures.
Institutional Policy
CUD's Non-Discrimination Policy (GM-PO-1N), approved on 10 May 2024, expressly commits the University to reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
The policy recognises equal access to education, employment and university services.
The Disability Support Office provides an operational support mechanism relevant to this institutional commitment.
Disability Support and EDI Contact: Ms. Simran Siddiqui
Email: Simran.Siddiqui@cud.ac.ae
Telephone: +971 4 709 6292
5. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office
CUD maintains a designated Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer who oversees the EDI, Counselling and Disability Support offices.
Designated EDI Officer
Ms. Simran Siddiqui serves as CUD's EDI Officer.
She coordinates with Student Affairs and Human Resources to help ensure that EDI and disability-support matters are considered at relevant levels of university management.
The EDI function provides an identifiable institutional point of contact for inclusion-related matters.
EDI Support Framework
| Institutional Function | Role in Supporting Underrepresented Groups |
|---|---|
| EDI Office | Inclusion-related guidance and institutional coordination |
| Disability Support Office | Individual disability support and academic accommodations |
| Counselling Office | Personal counselling and minority-related student concerns |
| Student Affairs | Student wellbeing and academic-life support |
| Human Resources | Employment policy administration and relevant staff concerns |
This framework connects individual support with the University's broader equal-opportunity commitments.
EDI Contact: Simran.Siddiqui@cud.ac.ae
6. Academic Advising and Student Progression
CUD provides academic advising to assist students in understanding and progressing through their degree programmes.
Advising helps students make informed decisions about their studies and access appropriate academic support.
Areas of Academic Guidance
Services may include:
- Understanding academic programme requirements.
- Planning course registration.
- Identifying academic difficulties.
- Discussing study progression.
- Reviewing available academic assistance.
- Referring students to the Student Success Centre or other support services.
These arrangements are available to students who need additional guidance, including those experiencing academic adjustment difficulties or other barriers to successful participation.
Academic advising complements the University's tutoring, counselling and disability-support provision.
7. International Student Support
CUD provides assistance to international students navigating the administrative requirements of studying in the UAE.
For students arriving from outside the country, unfamiliar immigration requirements and university procedures may create practical challenges.
The University provides guidance on student visa applications and related residency arrangements.
Student Visa Assistance
CUD's published international student information explains how eligible students can request university assistance with a student visa.
The process includes:
- Submission of the required documents.
- Guidance concerning applicable visa procedures.
- Processing through the University's relevant administrative arrangements.
- Information about steps required following arrival in Dubai.
Applicable government and administrative charges may apply.
Student Integration
International students can also access the University's general student-support services, including academic advising, personal counselling and the Student Success Centre.
These arrangements provide practical support for international students adjusting to a different educational and cultural environment.
8. Financially Disadvantaged Students — Scholarship and Academic Support
CUD recognises that financial hardship can affect a student's ability to participate consistently in higher education.
The University provides a Financial Hardship Scholarship and associated student-support arrangements for eligible students experiencing documented financial difficulties.
Financial Hardship Scholarship
The Financial Hardship Scholarship provides need-based tuition assistance of up to 40%, subject to relevant eligibility and scholarship conditions.
Applicants may be required to provide financial documentation demonstrating household need.
The University considers applications individually under its scholarship procedures.
Complementary Academic and Personal Support
Financially disadvantaged students may also access the University's Student Success Centre, academic advising and personal counselling services.
These arrangements provide support beyond tuition assistance by addressing academic and personal challenges that may affect continued participation in higher education.
The scholarship itself is a financial assistance mechanism rather than a mentoring programme. The University's academic and counselling services provide the complementary support relevant to this indicator.
9. Mentoring and Professional Development Opportunities for Women
CUD has supported women's professional development through external mentoring partnerships and entrepreneurship activities.
These initiatives demonstrate the University's experience in providing or facilitating mentoring opportunities for women.
Women@Dior Mentorship Programme — Historical Initiative
CUD students participated in the Women@Dior Mentorship Programme in 2017 and 2018.
The programme paired selected female students with experienced professionals from Dior for career guidance, personal development and professional mentoring.
Participants gained opportunities to develop their confidence, professional awareness and career networks.
This initiative represents documented historical mentoring provision for female students.
LINK Women's Mentoring Initiative — Historical Partnership
CUD collaborated with the UAE-based LINK organisation to support women's professional development.
Under the initiative, CUD professors volunteered as mentors and were matched with women seeking guidance in entrepreneurship, leadership and career development.
The programme included structured mentor–mentee relationships and professional learning activities.
CUD's documented participation dates from 2017.
Entrepreneurship Mentoring
The University's entrepreneurship and incubation activities provide access to practical business guidance and mentorship opportunities.
These activities are available to eligible participants according to the relevant programme's conditions.
They can benefit women interested in entrepreneurship, although the incubator's general mentoring provision is not exclusively targeted at female participants.
The historical Women@Dior and LINK activities demonstrate past targeted mentoring initiatives; they are not presented as confirmation of those partnerships operating during 2025.
10. Peer Learning and Student Support Networks
CUD recognises the value of collaborative and peer-based learning in supporting student development.
The University's student-support documentation has historically identified peer-to-peer tutoring as part of its academic assistance arrangements.
Peer learning can help students strengthen subject knowledge, develop confidence and seek assistance from fellow students.
CUD also supports student participation through its Student Council, academic clubs and cultural activities.
These networks provide opportunities for social connection, student representation and collaboration among individuals from different backgrounds.
General student clubs are complementary inclusion activities and are not presented as dedicated mentoring programmes for underrepresented groups.
11. Support for Staff and Faculty
CUD's commitment to inclusion extends to its employees.
The University maintains formally approved non-discrimination, employment and grievance policies and provides wellbeing-related benefits under its employment arrangements.
Staff and Faculty Wellbeing
CUD's health and wellbeing framework identifies mental wellbeing support for staff and faculty.
Eligible employees may obtain mental-health or counselling assistance through their applicable medical insurance arrangements, subject to the benefits and conditions of the relevant plan.
These arrangements complement the University's institutional employee-support framework.
Non-Discrimination Policy
CUD's Non-Discrimination Policy (GM-PO-1N), approved on 10 May 2024, establishes commitments to equality, respect and the prevention of discrimination.
The policy recognises diversity across gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability and other personal characteristics.
It also establishes reasonable-accommodation commitments concerning employment and university services.
Employee Grievance Support
CUD's Faculty and Professional Staff Grievance Policy (FS-PO-5M), revised on 13 March 2023, applies to all CUD employees.
The policy establishes procedures for raising concerns regarding employment conditions and workplace relationships.
These measures provide institutional support and reporting mechanisms for staff and faculty, including those from underrepresented backgrounds.
The grievance procedure is distinct from mentoring or counselling, but contributes to the University's wider employee-support framework.
12. How Students and Employees Can Access Support
| Service | Intended Users | Access Method |
|---|---|---|
| Student Success Centre | Enrolled students requiring academic assistance | Contact StudentSuccess@cud.ac.ae |
| Personal Counselling | Students requiring personal or psychological support | Contact StudentCounsellor@cud.ac.ae |
| Disability Support Office | Students with documented accessibility or learning needs | Contact Simran.Siddiqui@cud.ac.ae |
| EDI Office | University community members with inclusion-related enquiries | Contact the EDI Officer |
| Academic Advising | Enrolled students requiring study guidance | Contact the relevant academic advising function |
| International Student Visa Support | Eligible international students | Contact Admissions and follow student visa procedures |
| Financial Hardship Scholarship | Eligible students demonstrating financial need | Apply under CUD's scholarship procedures |
| Employee Wellbeing Assistance | Eligible staff and faculty | Consult applicable employee benefits and HR information |
Academic tutoring and the University's student counselling provision are provided without additional charges to enrolled students under the relevant student-support arrangements.
Scholarships are awarded according to eligibility and available assistance, while external services or visa-related processes may involve separate charges.
13. Institutional Policies and Responsibilities
CUD's support framework is reinforced by formally approved institutional policies.
| Policy or Function | Relevant Contribution |
|---|---|
| Non-Discrimination Policy (GM-PO-1N) | Equal opportunity, reasonable accommodation and prevention of discrimination |
| Scholarship Policy (FR-PO-9A) | Financial Hardship and Students of Determination Scholarships |
| Faculty and Professional Staff Grievance Policy (FS-PO-5M) | Employee grievance and appeal arrangements |
| EDI Officer | Coordination of EDI, Counselling and Disability Support functions |
| Student Affairs | Student welfare, academic support and student development |
| Human Resources | Employee support, benefits and relevant employment policies |
The Non-Discrimination Policy was approved by the Board of Trustees on 10 May 2024, establishing a formal institutional foundation for inclusion during the 2025 reporting period.
14. Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 10 — Reduced Inequalities
CUD's counselling, academic support and disability accommodation arrangements help reduce barriers affecting students from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups.
These provisions support SDG Target 10.2 by promoting educational and social inclusion.
SDG 4 — Quality Education
Academic tutoring, counselling, individual accommodations and academic advising support participation and progression in higher education.
SDG 5 — Gender Equality
Women's mentoring initiatives and inclusive academic support contribute to opportunities for personal and professional development.
SDG 3 — Good Health and Wellbeing
Student counselling and employee wellbeing arrangements support mental health, resilience and personal wellbeing.
SDG 8 — Decent Work and Economic Growth
Career guidance, entrepreneurship mentoring and employee support contribute to professional development and responsible institutional practices.
Institutional Commitment
Canadian University Dubai provides academic, personal and specialist support to students from diverse backgrounds, including those experiencing disability, financial disadvantage or cultural and social challenges.
The University's Student Success Centre, Personal Counselling service and Disability Support Office provide established pathways for academic guidance, counselling and individual accommodation.
These services are coordinated through the University's student-support and EDI functions, with Ms. Simran Siddiqui serving as the designated EDI Officer.
CUD also maintains employment policies and wellbeing arrangements supporting faculty and staff, alongside a history of mentoring collaborations focused on women's professional development.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate the University's commitment to promoting participation, wellbeing and opportunities for success among individuals who may face barriers in university life.
Responsible Functions: Student Affairs, Student Success Centre, EDI Office, Disability Support Office and Human Resources.
Student Success Centre: StudentSuccess@cud.ac.ae
EDI and Disability Support Officer: Ms. Simran Siddiqui — Simran.Siddiqui@cud.ac.ae
Primary Reporting Period: 2025, with historical mentoring initiatives separately identified.