The higher education system in the United Arab Emirates is loosely based on models developed in many Western countries. Expatriate faculty members trained in Western universities are often times recruited to teach at government or public universities. Confusion often arises when faculty members expect similar learning patterns and values which they encountered as faculty members in other contexts. A qualitative approach was used to explore how students and non-UAE faculty members perceive aspects of teaching and learning. It was found that both had diverging views. Faculty needed to use more active teaching strategies and more attention needed to be paid to students’ language skills and cultural concerns. The study concludes with recommendations for how expectations can be bridged by incorporating pedagogies that are culturally relevant and responsive to Emirati students.