Harvard's Emirati graduates have denounced the Trump administration's plan to bar foreign students from attending the Ivy League university as “deeply misguided and counterproductive” and say it would damage the US economy.
The White House move would force international students enrolled at the university to transfer to a different institution or lose their legal status, the Department of Homeland Security said last week.
A US federal judge on Friday blocked the government's effort to remove Harvard's right to enrol international students, with another hearing set for Thursday in Boston.
The Trump administration says Harvard has not done enough to fight anti-Semitism and change its admissions practices – allegations the university has strongly denied. Harvard said the proposed ban is a “blatant violation” of the law and free speech rights.
Emiratis who studied at Harvard have spoken out against the decision, which would stop thousands of overseas students from pursuing their academic dreams.
“He isn’t harming anyone but the USA,” Bader Alawadhi, who attended Harvard Business School and is a member of the Harvard Club of the UAE, told The National.
“What this administration doesn’t understand is that they are trying to arm twist an institution that was in existence long before the idea of a United States even existed.
'Reliant on immigrant talent'
“The idea of hurting Harvard will end up hurting an economy that heavily relies on immigrant talent coming to the country,” he added.
“Harvard has seen so much change on the North American continent, not least revolution, the abolition of slavery and civil war. Trump will be seen as a minor issue in the long arc of time.
“This madness should stop, or we will see less innovation.”
Harvard has a significant foreign student population. Data shows that 6,793 international students make up 27.2 per cent of its enrolment in the 2024-25 academic year. There are currently 14 Emirati students and scholars on the university's books, according to statistics on its website.
Students left in limbo
“As a Harvard Kennedy School graduate, I strongly believe that any ban on international students studying at institutions like Harvard is deeply misguided and counterproductive,” Muhra Almuhairi, who earned a master's degree in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School in 2021, told The National.
“Such a ban would harm both international and domestic students alike.”
Ms Almuhairi, 50, continues to mentor Emirati students at the university.
She said she knew of five Emiratis directly affected by the policy shift: four in the one-year master’s programme and one in the two-year master's course in public administration.
“The four students have a week to graduate,” she said. “But it is Sara, who is enrolled in the two-year programme, whose future is undecided.
“We are confident that Harvard will win the case because such a move doesn’t just affect individuals, but the entire dynamic of what Harvard is all about,”
Ms Almuhairi said she recently applied for a researcher’s post at the Harvard Kennedy School but has yet to receive a response.
She warned that restricting student visas undermines America's global standing and its power to bring about change.
“Education is one of the most powerful tools of diplomacy. Many international students return to their countries with a deep appreciation for American values and institutions. That goodwill is irreplaceable – and banning them creates resentment, not respect.”
“Whether in health care, climate, or AI governance, students at institutions like Harvard are developing cross-border solutions. Denying access denies humanity the brainpower it urgently needs,” she said.
Students look elsewhere
Varun Jain, chief executive of UAE education consultancy firm UniHawk, told The National the decision has affected the perception that the US is the “place where people build their dreams, especially through education”.
“Europe and Australia are becoming increasingly popular among international and expatriate students,” he said. “Families are actively seeking backup plans outside the US due to increased uncertainty.”
Mr Jain said Washington's move has pushed parents to “explore and prioritise alternatives more seriously than before”.
To those considering their own applications, his advice is to “stay as informed and flexible” as possible. “Students have to watch the proceedings to see how it affects each individual case. There's not much else to do but observe and monitor,” he added.
Fewer Emirati students were already applying to study in the US, said one education expert in the UAE, and recent developments were unlikely to reverse that.
“Over the past few years, approximately 11 per cent of Gems Education graduates have enrolled into a US higher education institution, with students attracted to the reputation of these institutions,” said Christopher Goodbourn, director of the Gems for Life programme to help students advance into third-level education.
“However, interest has been declining due to questions around programme return on investment, post-study employment paths and government policy.”
Students and families were increasingly prioritising stability, affordability and long-term opportunity – factors that were becoming harder to guarantee in the US, he added.
“While interest in US universities remains steady, we’re seeing more students applying to institutions in the UAE, and Europe – keeping their options open until they feel confident in the long-term value and security of their choice.”
What sparked standoff?
US President Donald Trump is furious with Harvard – which has produced 162 Nobel Prize winners – for rejecting his demand that it submit to oversight on admissions and hiring, and his claims that it is a hotbed of anti-Semitism and “woke” liberal ideology.
Harvard is the wealthiest US university, with an endowment valued at $53.2 billion in 2024. However, the absence of foreign students would affect the institution, where it can cost nearly $100,000 a year to study.
The Trump administration has also moved to revoke visas and deport foreign students involved in protests against the war in Gaza, accusing them of supporting Palestinian militant group Hamas.
In the fight with Harvard, the US government has threatened to put $9 billion of funding under review, then froze a first tranche of $2.2 billion of grants and $60 million of official contracts. It has also marked a Harvard Medical School researcher for deportation.
Ivy League universities – in pictures
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Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
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Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
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Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Titanium Escrow profile
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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
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Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
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One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
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Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
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Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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