Dubai: Abu Dhabi University (ADU) inaugurated its new campus at Dubai Knowledge Park on Wednesday, offering five postgraduate programmes, catered mainly towards working professionals taking evening and weekend classes.
The internationally recognised and accredited programmes include Master of Education in Educational Leadership, Master of Engineering Management, Master of Project Management, Master of Business Administration, and Doctorate of Business Administration.
On Wednesday, the ADU Dubai campus was inaugurated by Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, who is also the vice-president of ADU’s Board of Regents.
The inauguration was held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, who is the president of ADU’s Board of Regents.
Shaikh Nahyan conducted a tour of the campus, accompanied by senior officials from ADU and the government education sector.
Also present were Shaikh Sultan Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Director, East Asia and Pacific Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Dr Maitha Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State; Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Daheri, chairman of ADU’s Executive Board; and Dr Abdullah Al Karam, director-general of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.
Classes at the new 3,490-square-metre campus had started in September. It currently has around 100 students of various nationalities, most of whom are working professionals.
The university has a campus each in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain as well.
During Wednesday’s inauguration, Shaikh Nahyan said Dubai campus further complemented the ADU success story, while underscoring its achievements that would not have been possible without the support of the UAE leadership.
Praising the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed, Shaikh Nahyan said the president of ADU’s Board of Regents has always been keen to affirm the university’s academic excellence.
Shaikh Nahyan added: “Throughout its 15-year-long academic journey, Abu Dhabi University thrived and continues today in earning international accolades such as its ranking in the top 2.8 per cent of universities worldwide and the world’s ‘Top 150 under 50’ in Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2018.”
Al Daheri said ADU’s decision to offer Master’s and DBA programmes on the Dubai campus was based on intensive studies that identified the current and future market needs, as well as the growing demand for high-quality postgraduate programmes that cater to students and working professionals pursuing locally and internationally accredited degrees in business, engineering, and education.
During the inauguration, Dr Ebrahim Sidawi, director of the ADU Dubai campus, told Gulf News that the industry-centric approach of the new facility also extended to cases studies undertaken by its students.
“Students will work on real-life cases so they can even make use of them at their jobs and so that someone else can also benefit from them. In addition, most of our faculty have, besides their academic qualifications, hands-on professional experience in their area of expertise. We are even tailoring our curricula in line with industry requirements,” Dr Sidawi added.
Abu Dhabi University, Dubai campus, at a glance
Established: September 2017
Where: Dubai Knowledge Park
Degrees offered: Master of Education in Educational Leadership, Master of Engineering Management, Master of Project Management, Master of Business Administration, and the Doctorate of Business Administration
All programmes accredited by Commission for Academic Accreditation, Ministry of Education — Higher Education Affairs; as well as various international accreditation bodies
Offers evening and weekend classes, ideal for working professionals, who make up significant proportion of the student profile
Around 100 students currently enrolled at 3,490-square-metre facility
Postgraduate credit hours tuition fees for academic year 2017-18 range between Dh1,750 and over Dh4,000, depending on college/department
Website: www.adu.ac.ae/en-us/dubai
