Abu Dhabi University’s cosmopolitan community makes each day a multicultural adventure

The famous story “Around the world in 80 days” featured a character who raced around the world by train, ship, elephant rides and even hot air balloon. But today’s students don’t have to resort to such drastic measures to enjoy the full global experience. With over 60 nationalities at Abu Dhabi University, students graduate with an international mindset that turns the world into their campus.

A typical day in the life of an ADU student could involve an Emirati youth walking with his Canadian best friend to a lecture presented by a British professor; after which they enjoy Lebanese cuisine with a Malaysian classmate while listening to the latest hit song by a South African superstar.

The air is alive with friendly greetings being exchanged in Arabic, English, French, Urdu, Persian and numerous other mother tongues. But ADU translates as “eye-opening and mind-opening experience” in any language.

From the diversity of personalities to the diversity of fresh ideas, it is clear that this campus is a bubbling hub of effervescent young thinkers. This diversity also extends to the faculty, where the internationally renowned academic gurus bring a reservoir of knowledge and experience from all corners of the globe. Since different professors’ have different teaching styles, students have come to expect the unexpected. The diversity in the lecture theaters is a preview of the diversity in the workplace, giving these students an advantage in interacting with staff and faculty of any background.

But the attractions go much further than just the campus itself: the city of Abu Dhabi is fast becoming one of the world’s favorite playgrounds and boardroom for the world’s top movers and shakers. As the nation’s capital and an economic powerhouse in the region, it also gives students a front row seat to see industry heavyweights shaping the global economy.

Imagine seeing A-list filmmakers at a prestigious film festival in the morning, then attending a Formula One race in the afternoon, before having your photo taken with the world’s Number One tennis ace at an international tournament; and by dinnertime you are already preparing for a sold-out concert featuring a global music star… All these are things other students worldwide only see on TV. But at ADU, the world’s wildest dreams are an everyday reality.

So is Abu Dhabi a place for business or pleasure? ADU graduates will tell you that in Abu Dhabi, “business is a pleasure.”

This dynamic metropolitan center creates a vast array of exciting career and internship opportunities - with ADU graduates enjoying one of the highest rates of employment after graduation.

Every year, a group of ADU students are chosen to travel to Scotland and participate in the Multiculturalism and Leadership Program organized by the Al Maktoum College of Higher Education in Dundee. This adds a distinctive flavor to the melting pot, boosting students’ Multiculturalism & Leadership strengths through eye-opening tours of such iconic sites as the UK Parliament and futuristic research facilities.

The life of a student is spiced up with surprises at every corner, and this cosmopolitan interaction has helped many students to discover talents that would otherwise have remained hidden. For example just because a student is pursuing one of the university’s internationally competitive programs in Engineering or Business, there is nothing stopping them from exploring their creative side - where they can discover their filmmaking talents using only their smart phones as a mobile ‘studio’.

Since each student is like an unofficial “ambassador” of their nation, it motivates them to excel and portray the best possible image of their nationality or culture. This competitive spirit is incubating tomorrow’s pioneers, and each student you meet could be a future sports star or World Cup winner, or award-winning artist in music, film, art, fashion or much more.

Students are at the peak of their physical, social, creative and intellectual lives. So for open-minded youths who want to experience the world, ADU is their passport to cosmopolitan success.