Dubai: The UAE on Monday announced the region’s first formal design university in the region with a world-class curriculum to be jointly developed by two international leading design universities, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and New York’s Parson School of Design (Parsons), one of the leading institutions for art and design education in the world.
Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) will be a private non-profit educational institution located in a 100,000 square foot facility within the creative community at Dubai Design District (d3) and is expected to open by September 2018, it was revealed on Monday.
The institute, under the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was established by TECOM Group, part of Dubai Holding, and Dubai Creative Clusters Authority and will set Dubai globally as a design leader, officials said during an announcement.
Artist’s impression of the interior of Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, which is expected to be ready in 2018.
The undergraduate university, with the first ever Bachelor of Design degree in the region offering cross concentrations, will help create a new generation of skilled people and cater to the demand for 30,000 designers in the region by 2019 — a number provided by The MENA Design Education Outlook study.
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said that the launch of DIDI supports the government’s efforts to develop design talent in the region. He said it also supports the vision of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid to make Dubai a model for sustainable economic development based on innovation and productivity as outlined in the Dubai 2021 Plan.
“Dubai seeks to constantly enhance its capacity for sustainable development by driving innovation and creativity, and creating an environment for skilled graduates across sectors to acquire the skills that will enable them to meet the challenges of the job market. Today, we are launching a new platform that will support the development of creative talent not only in the UAE but also the region. This initiative will have a positive impact on sustainable economic growth both locally and regionally,” Shaikh Hamdan said.
Shaikh Hamdan also said that DIDI serves to diversify higher education opportunities at a time when the fields of design and innovation are attracting more talent. Given the importance of innovation as a key driver of development across sectors, Dubai is taking the lead in establishing educational institutions that help students meet the requirements of the job market, thereby raising its profile as a hub for both talent and enterprises specialised in creativity and design.
Dr Ameenah Al Rustamani, Group CEO of TECOM Group, said DIDI, with a four-year degree programme, will play a critical role in delivering on the National Agenda and on Dubai’s wider vision and goals of becoming a globally competitive city by inspiring youth and developing talent.
“We are aware of an abundance of talented young people in the UAE and region and have come to realise the need to provide a hub for learning. The university will shape culture and people, aligning curriculum and research to the need of the regional design industry,” she said.
The campus has been designed by Foster + Partners and will create a unique learning environment for students to create and showcase their innovation and creativity, she said.
With a total financial investment of Dh270 million and a capacity for 550 students, DIDI will include 36,000 square feet of mega studios and provide concentrations in product design, strategic design management, media, visual art and fashion design. It will also be accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education.
“The UAE is ranked first among Arab countries in terms of overall performance on the Global innovation Index, and this is strongly driven by design and technology. It is exciting that the future students of DIDI will be part of this agenda and will partake in realising the vision,” she said.
Ali Jaber, Dean of Mohammad Bin Rashid School of Communication at the American University of Dubai (AUD) and Group TV Director of MBC, said the curriculum is still in the process of being developed and is expected to attract students from across the region and the world. The first intake of students at DIDI is planned for Fall 2018.
“DIDI will offer an engaging non-traditional concentration structure. It will be a nurturing and mentoring space catering to the needs of young innovators,” he said, adding that the private university will recruit best in class faculty members from around the region and the world.
“MIT and Parsons will also be help us evaluate the professors, supervise practical teaching courses and help us achieve the learning outcomes. We are confident that DIDI teaching approach and curriculum will position Dubai as a capital of design,” Jaber said.
In the 2016 ranking of the world’s best art and design schools by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), MIT and Parsons were ranked among the top five.
Design market
The region requires 30,000 designers by 2019
20 per cent annual increase in designer head count expected over the next 2-3 years
Survey across 13 countries reveals that the UAE is the fourth preferred destination for higher education
Source: Mena Design Education Outlook
6 per cent MENA design sector growth 2x Global Pace by 2019
$100 billion is the 2014 market value of the Mena design industry
Source: Mena Design Outlook
DIDI
Four-year bachelor degree
Concentrations: Product Design, Strategic Design Management, Media, Visual Art and Fashion Design
DIDI campus: Spread over 100,000 square feet in the creative community at d3
Capacity: 550 students
Total financial investment for the project: Dh270 million
