On November 9, 2022, one of the UK's leading public universities in Leicester graduated its first cohort of students in the Middle East (Dubai, UAE). The graduation event was held at its campus in Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) De Montfort University Dubai.
The event served as a fitting send-off to its promising MBA (Global) graduates who will go on to contribute to businesses and industries in the UAE and beyond, supporting the region’s unique values and ambition. The University brings its innovative approach to learning that embeds sustainable education and supports students’ personal and professional development, economic growth, and human capital development in the UAE and the entire Gulf region. DMU is the only higher education institution in the UK to be listed as a global hub for one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 16) to promote peace, justice, and strong institutions.
This year's unique ceremony underlined DMU's commitment to providing its students with a global and diverse educational experience in line with industry networking opportunities.
According to Professor Katie Normington, Vice-Chancellor of DMU, "A campus in Dubai offers us an unparalleled opportunity to establish a global footprint, a place from which we can contribute to the wider region and the city. UK higher education is recognised as some of the best in the world, and we pride ourselves on the quality of our teaching."
The ceremony was attended by approximately 300 guests, including graduates, families, VIP networks, industry experts, faculty, staff, DMU Leicester alumni and Enterprise representatives celebrating the gala event. The event was commemorated with a keynote address delivered by Prof. Katie Normington's (DMU Vice-Chancellor) speech. At the same time, the guests also heard from Simon Bradbury (Pro Vice-Chancellor International) and Prof. Michael Gallimore (Head of Campus) congratulating the graduands.
According to Pro VC International, Simon Bradbury's "DMU’s vision is to provide a transformative educational experience for our students. Our focus on supporting students to become entrepreneurs and the importance of sustainability is the key to the success of our graduates."
During the event, DMU graduands’ confidence grew as they got the opportunity to interact with the alumni and enterprise representatives from DMU Leicester. The event momentum picked up at the dinner reception, where DMU's recent graduates received ample opportunities to network with alumni, discussing local and international industry opportunities and gateways for their future. DMU’s faculty and students were delighted to be able to celebrate this momentous occasion together in person.
Prof. Michael Gallimore (Head of Campus, DMU Dubai) adds, "our goal at DMU is to enhance social and educational justice while advancing the UAE labour market. With their breadth of knowledge and skills for the future, DMU graduates are sure to touch people's lives for the better. We are firm in continuing the reputation for excellence that DMU has built so well over the last 150 years - and supporting economic development in the UAE through highly skilled graduates, industry engagement, and high-impact research."
DMU takes student employability seriously, and DMU Leicester's careers and employability service, known as DMU Works, was awarded the Best University Careers/Employability Service at the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) Awards in the UK in February 2021.
According to Simon Bradbury (Pro VC International), “DMU Dubai will ensure to operate at the same level of quality as its Leicester campus.” DMU Dubai offers a wide range of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in management, engineering, design, computing and more. For more information on DMU Dubai please visit www.dmu.ac.uk/dubai
