First global top 100 and Russell Group University to establish a campus in Dubai’s leading international education hub, Dubai International Academic City

Dubai-UAE: 28 May, 2017 – The University of Birmingham will open a campus in Dubai in November, becoming the first global top 100 and Russell Group University to establish a campus in Dubai’s leading international education hub, Dubai International Academic City. 

Located within Dubai International Academic City’s diverse higher education ecosystem, the first phase of the campus will open in autumn 2017, with the first undergraduate and post-graduate students commencing their studies in September 2018.

Already recognised in the top 1% of universities across the globe, this landmark announcement marks the latest phase in the University of Birmingham’s global expansion and builds on the University’s international teaching activities in Singapore and China, and its extensive international research collaborations.

Speaking on this milestone, Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of Dubai International Academic City stated: “As Dubai International Academic City celebrates a decade of excellence, we are honoured to welcome one of the world’s top universities, University of Birmingham, to our vibrant and diverse higher education community. The University of Birmingham’s commitment to knowledge transfer through cutting-edge research makes it an ideal partner of choice in contributing to the achievement of the UAE’s vision of creating innovative and enduring solutions that meet the demands of key sectors of development such as STEM and Education. 

He added: “We are excited to strengthen our relationship with the University of Birmingham and are confident that together, we can tap into world-class expertise and provide a truly global experience for students and faculty.”

DIAC’s efforts to collaborate with top global academic institutions is key in elevating the UAE’s National Innovation Strategy by ensuring learning and innovation go hand in hand and meet the demands of emerging industries. The integrated and innovative education experience offered by DIAC universities gives students the right skills to succeed in an increasingly competitive world.

By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between world class institutions, DIAC harnesses the best innovative thinking from leading universities, providing a rich and rewarding student experience as well as a wealth of opportunities for research and thought leadership that cuts across a range of disciplines. 

The University of Birmingham Dubai will provide opportunities for students to study on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Initially, these will include Business, Economics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Primary and Secondary Teacher Education, with further programmes to be offered subsequently.

With a strong tradition of teaching excellence, commended by the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in 2016, degrees at the University of Birmingham Dubai will be taught, examined and accredited to the same recognised high standards as those delivered on the University’s UK campus in Birmingham.

Professor Sir David Eastwood, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Birmingham, said: “For more than a century, we have been welcoming international students to our campus in Birmingham and for the last 20 years have been providing opportunities for students to study on University of Birmingham degree programmes at partner institutions, including in China and Singapore. We have strategic partnerships in the USA, Australia, China, and Brazil and active research collaborations across the world. Opening a campus in Dubai is the next step in our global mission and demonstrates our ambition as an outward looking, world-class institution.”