Over one academic year, the author documented the experiences of new first-year male Emirati students at a college of higher education in the United Arab Emirates. He described and attempted to explain the gamut of transition experiences as young male Emirati school-leavers moved from their pre-dominantly Arabic life-world associated with their families and schooling to the pre-dominantly Western culture found in higher education. He also investigated factors affecting student learning and assessed best practices in the college administrative and academic areas which appeared to facilitate...