Why UAE Parents Should Plan for Opportunity, Not a University

From School Fees to University Bills: The Financial Planning Gap UAE Expat Parents Discover Too Late
Akshay Sardana on why saving for a destination, not an outcome, is the biggest planning mistake | Khaleej Times
In a feature examining education costs for UAE expat families, Khaleej Times breaks down why the real financial strain isn't school fees but the sharp, concentrated jump into university costs. Akshay Sardana, CEO of Continental Group, explains that many parents plan too rigidly toward a single destination or university, which is both inflexible and risky given how much higher education itself is likely to change under pressure from AI and alternative learning pathways, and argues that families should be saving for opportunity rather than a specific institution. He also cautions that tuition is only one line in a much longer bill, once accommodation, travel, currency exposure and emergency costs are factored in, and warns against taking on significant debt purely to preserve a university's brand. Sardana recommends structuring education planning around protection, liquidity and growth over an 18-year horizon, starting with income security before returns, alongside other advisers who stress that early, even small, contributions matter more than the size of any single payment.