By Aduragbemi Omiyale

No fewer than 154 bright, savvy and accomplished scholars who are poised to shape the future of global aviation were recently celebrated by Emirates Aviation University (EAU) at its 35th graduation ceremony.

The chief executive of Emirates Airline and Chancellor of the institution, Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, awarded the graduates with their well-earned certificates.

This year’s cohort represented over 25 nationalities and a range of postgraduate and undergraduate degrees and disciplines, including aviation management, aviation safety, air transport management, aerospace and aeronautical engineering.

The graduating class of 154 students includes 24 postgraduate and 130 undergraduate students, and some who are Emirates-sponsored. The university honoured 19 exemplary students across all disciplines.

Since 1991, EAU has graduated over 26,000 students, the size of a small city or large town, shaping the workforce and the future of not just Emirates, but also the local and global aviation industry.

“Emirates Aviation University’s contribution to nation building, particularly in relation to the country’s key aviation sector, is well recognised.

“The university has been an important pivot not just for training and education, but also for research, development and community engagement within aviation.

“Our commitment to EAU is unwavering, and we enhance and amplify its capabilities with support from our Group’s senior leadership team and our solid investments in its future. Congratulations to our graduates – they have every reason to feel proud,” the Chancellor said.

On his part, the Vice-Chancellor of EAU, Professor Ahmad Al Ali, said, “This generation of graduates are stepping into the world of aviation at a pivotal moment of rapid transformation – in the UAE and globally.

“Their commitment and innovation will not only propel the industry forward but will also help to sustain it long-term as the world navigates the shortage of an expert and experienced workforce. Congratulations to our graduates – their achievements are a testament to our successful academic journey.”

In the last four years, over 650 undergraduate students received the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to intern with the Emirates Group for more than one semester.

The Emirates Group Internship Programme offers students valuable real-world experience as an integral part of their academic studies. Undergraduate students undertake a one-semester placement, earning up to 15 credit hours toward their degree.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Nigerian passengers have been slapped with fresh travel restrictions by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the Middle-East nation banning transit visas for Nigerians.

In the new stringent travel conditions introduced by the UAE, it was disclosed that transit visa applications would no longer be processed for Nigerian nationals.

Further, Nigerians aged 18 to 45 years are ineligible for tourist visas if travelling alone, while those above 45 years must provide a personal bank statement from a Nigerian bank for the last six months, each month’s statement must show an ending balance of at least $10,000 or its Naira equivalent, and all existing requirements such as hotel reservations and passport data pages must still be submitted with applications.

“For Nigeria nationals, please bear in mind that an applicant aged 18 to 45 years travelling alone is not eligible for tourist visa category.

“An applicant who is 45 years or above must provide a single Nigerian personal bank statement for a period of last six months, with each month’s end balance reflecting a minimum ending balance of $10,000 or its Naira equivalent.

“Kindly note that the above points must be taken into consideration before sending your applications with other existing documents such as hotel reservation, data page, etc,” the new requirements communicated to Nigerian travel agents on Tuesday stated.

Nigerians have found Dubai in the UAE as a tourist destination. It is also used for business transactions like the purchase of luxury items like gold and others.

Recall that last year, the UAE authorities lifted a travel ban on Nigerian passport holders after two years.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The United States government has announced that most Nigerians applying for non-immigrant visas will now only get single-entry three-month visas.

The US Mission in Nigeria said this was to reciprocate Nigeria’s visa policy for Americans.

“Effective today, most non-immigrant and non-official visas for Nigerian citizens will be single-entry with 3-month validity.” the embassy stated in a press statement on Tuesday. Prior to this, it was up to five years.

It gave the criteria that must be met to see changes to include: secure travel documents with verified traveler identities, implementing measures to limit overstays by travelers on US visas, and sharing relevant security and/or criminal record information to protect public safety.

“We commend the ongoing efforts by the government of Nigeria’s immigration and security agencies to meet standards of international best practices,” it said, adding that, “We continue to engage with Nigerian government officials to address the remaining challenges.”

The US encouraged Nigerian travelers to respect and adhere to the terms of their visas, and ensure travel documents are authentic, accurate, and up to date.

“The United States remains a committed partner in deepening people-to-people ties with Nigeria via business, educational, and cultural exchanges. We look forward to continued cooperation at all levels with the Nigerian public and government officials to ensure safe and lawful travel between the United States and all countries,” it added.

This comes after it was earlier reported that Nigeria alongside some other countries could face restrictions under President Donald Trump’s policy to cut down on immigration.