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On International Literacy Day, we are reminded that education is not a privilege, rather a foundation for opportunity, dignity and progress.



With the global literacy gap remaining stark as 739 million young people and adults still lacking basic literacy skills, as per UNESCO, the UAE is demonstrating what sustained investment in education can unlock. UAE’s education ecosystem continues to expand, with 218,241 students enrolled across UAE universities, 103 higher education institutions, and 2,500 academic programs



As the world marks the 60th International Literacy Day in 2026 under the theme “Literacy for People, Planet and Prosperity,” the above figures from the UAE education sector represent investment in human capital, innovation, employability and the UAE’s knowledge-driven future.



Education is the bedrock of economic growth and progress begins when people have the ability to learn, participate and create opportunities for themselves and their communities.








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Education may begin with the basics of A, B, C but its true purpose has always been far greater: to help a young mind discover, question, imagine, and find its place in the world.
And at every step of that journey, there is a teacher who encourages, challenges, inspires, and believes.

The world has witnessed a paradigm shift in the transition from ABC to AI as technology is transforming classrooms, careers, industries, and the very way knowledge is created and accessed. However, as machines become smarter, the human act of teaching becomes more meaningful.

While Information can be accessed and answers can be generated; curiosity must be nurtured, character must be shaped, confidence must be built and wisdom must be guided.
The tools may change, classrooms may evolve and curriculums may transform but the teacher always remains relevant.

Teachers don’t merely prepare students for the future rather they are the central force behind the good things that catapult the world forward.’
Happy Teacher’s Day 2026

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Filing your UAE Corporate Tax return is NOT a ten-minute task on EmaraTax.
Getting to a number you’d defend under audit is the actual work that deserves the spotlight - adjusted taxable income, transfer pricing documentation, audited financials where required, exemptions applied correctly.
 
Nine months is the runway UAE’s FTA gives companies with a 31 December 2025 year-end, to file Corporate Tax returns latest by 30 September 2026. The FTA does not grant extensions hence missing the date triggers automatic penalties even if you owe zero tax.
 
Further one detail that finance functions must not miss out on is - a payment isn’t considered made when you initiate the bank transfer rather it is made when funds actually land in the FTA’s account.
 
Email [email protected] and our team will be happy to help you hit your tax milestones.







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Recently, we shared insights on how an Abu Dhabi based mushroom production project looked viable on paper — featuring a 20% cost advantage—yet failed to account for real market dynamics. That case wasn’t an isolated incident. Across three entirely different sectors, our advisory team saw three distinct assumptions lead to the exact same fundamental mistake.
 
1. | | Mushroom Production
A cost advantage was treated as guaranteed market share, but it was never tested against low-cost imports or the established portfolio-selling strategies of local producers.

2. | | Indian Curriculum School
Enrolment projections were benchmarked against a top-performing school elsewhere in the region without adjusting for local neighbourhood demographics. When we analyzed actual household income and competition in the immediate area, the numbers dropped significantly. Even a small drop in enrolment made the financial model unviable—a scenario no one had stress-tested.

3. | Metals & Steel | Steel Fabrication
A third-party study assumed raw material prices would stay flat, projecting a payback period of under four years. The model completely ignored input cost volatility. (We’ll dive deeper into this case in our next post.)

These three projects spanned different industries and locations, but they all suffered from the same core issue: each feasibility study answered the question it was asked, but no one stopped to check if they were asking the right questions in the first place.
 
The issue is rarely the absence of a feasibility study. It is the absence of questioning the assumptions built into it.
 
Email [email protected] our team of experts can help you challenge the assumptions, ask the right questions, and make better-informed decisions that enable business growth.

When King Mahabali makes his annual homecoming, you can be sure the UHY James office is ready to welcome him in style – year after year!

Onam celebrations at UHY James, have grown more vibrant, more elaborate, and more inclusive with every passing year – perfectly encompassing the true spirit of Onam.

Traditionally, for ten days, Kerala comes alive with the colours of ‘pookalam’, the flavours of sadya, music, traditions and festivities honouring the prosperity and abundance associated with Mahabali’s reign. At UHY James, our Onam celebrations bring that spirit right into our workplace as the Keralites in our team join forces to proudly showcase the culture, music, and traditions of Kerala to 250+ colleagues representing at least 10 nationalities and our wonderful guests from different walks of life across the UAE and India.

UHY James Onam Celebrations 2026 were made even more memorable by the presence of our distinguished guests: John Joseph – CFO, DWTC Free Zone; Tomin Thanchakery - Former Director General of Police (Kerala), Dr(CA) Sahitya K. Chaturvedi – Secretary General, IBPC, Sreekumar Brahmanandan - Convener, HEWP Focus Group (IBPC); Ankur Gupta – Head of Corporate Affairs & Growth Tata Sons MENA; Sunil Sinha - Vice Chairman, IBPC Dubai; Ramesh Mahalingam – Governor, IBPC Dubai; CA Rishi Chawla – Chairman, ICAI Dubai; CA Amit Khaitan – Vice Chairman, ICAI Dubai; and CA Aashna Mulgaonkar – Secretary, ICAI – Dubai (UAE) Chapter.

From color and music to elaborate ‘sadya’, laughter and camaraderie, the festivities highlight the essence of a state but also hold a deeper meaning behind all that feisty fun.

Onam celebrates the values that defined King Mahabali’s rule — integrity, fairness, generosity, inclusivity and a commitment to the prosperity of his people and these values resonate deeply with us, at UHY James, as we continue to be guided by integrity and ethics in every service, we deliver to support UAE’s flourishing business community.

Celebrating tradition. Building togetherness. Creating prosperity — with values that endure. Onam wishes from all of us at UHY James!