Foreign companies can open liaison offices in the UAE that could aid them in establishing themselves in the region without the need to undertake spate commercial activities. These liaison offices are also known as branch offices or representative offices. These offices can though carry out all the activities like their parent company but they actually act as a communication channel or mediator between the parent company and the customers or partners of that company. To open an academic liaison office in the United Arab Emirates, the parent companies can appoint a local agent. There are several activities carried out by the liaison offices. This involves promotion of the products and services of parent company and conducting surveys or marketing activities as well as carrying out various other non-transactional activities.

In order to open an academic liaison office in Dubai, the company must appoint a local agent and then the procedure of registering the office begins. First of all, the company needs to submit an application to DED (Dubai Department of Economic Development) and obtain a business name for the liaison office. For settlement of liaison office, the company then needs to send an application to the Ministry of Economy. When the company is allowed by the Ministry of Economy to register its representative office, its local agent can approach the DED to submit the required documents. There are several documents of parent company that the local agent needs to submit such as its Certificate of Incorporation and last two years audited balance sheets. Other than this, a statement is to be submitted as evidence of authorization given by the parent company to establish liaison office in Dubai and appointment of a manager. Also, a copy of the identification papers of the manager is to be submitted along with the statement of company’s objectives. Apart from this, notarized agreement between the company and local agent as well as the identification documents of the agents are to be submitted.

An academic liaison office can have a maximum of four employees. Companies who need assistance in opening the liaison office can contact the company registration agents who can provide all the support required for drafting and submitting documents. An example of a liaison office of UN Women which was inaugurated in Abu Dhabi which is one of the top five liaison offices in the world. It aims at writing and advising policies for removing the barriers of equal opportunities for all the women in the Gulf region. Other liaison offices of the UN Women are located in Denmark, Tokyo, Brussels and Geneva. The liaison office in Abu Dhabi is well supported by the General Women’s Union as well as its Chairwoman.

Another example is Student Sponsorship Liaison Office of CUD (Canadian University Dubai) which is aimed at coordinating between the students studying at Canadian University Dubai and the external organizations who want to sponsor them. They assist the eligible university students in availing the sponsorship. Once sponsorship is granted to the CUD students, they can complete all the formalities and submit Sponsorship Details Form at the office of the Student Sponsorship Liaison.

Similar example is of another academic liaison office, United Arab Emirates Cultural Bureau located in Ottawa established in the UAE Embassy. They strive towards meeting the educational needs of the students of the UAE who wish to pursue their studies in the universities and colleges in Canada. It is a liaison office and acts as a coordinator between students, Canadian institutes and sponsor agencies to deal with all the academic matters of students belonging to the United Arab Emirates who are studying in Canada. Apart from this, it makes best efforts to provide all the possible educational opportunities to the students.