Dubai: The summer vacation is over and thousands of UAE students are set to return to their respective universities and colleges this week for the start of the autumn semester.

Some students are already attending orientation sessions, registering for courses or signing up to clubs and associations today while several will start classes today.

More than 7,000 new students will attend their first day of classes at the Higher Colleges of Technology today. Zayed University and UAE University will have about 1,800 and 3,000 new students respectively starting class today.

Other universities that have accepted large batches of new students include the American University of Sharjah with 900 new students, University of Sharjah with 2,230 and Ajman University of Science and Technology with 1,900.

The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the world world's first graduate academic institution dedicated to research into alternative energy, environmental technologies and sustainability, welcomed its first batch of 92 students this weekend.

The institute, which has a student body of more than 22 nationalities, will be launched officially next Sunday.

Meanwhile, Dubai Women's College (DWC) is getting ready to welcome 614 new students today. However, it witnessed a decline in admissions this year compared to the 630 new students who enrolled at the college last year said Dr Howard Reed, DWC director.

Reed went on to say that although admission test scores had seen an improvement year on year, no significant improvement in academic performance has been noted.

"The students have just got better at taking the test," Reed said.

"This is due to a lot of talk but no action in reforming the public school system," he added.

AUS chancellor Dr Peter Heath pointed out that 50 per cent of new students chose their course out of interest in the particular field while 42 per cent chose their field of study due to favourable future job prospects.

Abu Dhabi University has seen an increase in applications after 891 applications were filed for the 2009/2010 academic year.

Business and computer science programmes are the most popular this year. There has been an increase in applications from female students interested in engineering programmes such as landscape architecture, construction management and computer engineering. Applications from East Asian students are also up.

Applications rose by 50 per cent at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus said executive dean Prof Brian Smart.

"We are heading toward a student population of in excess of 1,200 this year," he said.

DWC students are currently being oriented to a new method of learning. Scavenger hunts will be held as part of the process.

This is to ensure personal connections with fellow students and staff are established, student affairs supervisor Mary Lackie said.

Ahead of the first day of class today, Al Ain Women's College (AAWC) also held a 'Together For Success' orientation programme last week.