The first students to graduate from the British University in Dubai (BUiD) have been honoured at a ceremony at the University, receiving their Masters Degree certification in front of an audience of family and university staff.
For BUiD, which is the only dedicated research-led, postgraduate university in the United Arab Emirates, it represents a huge milestone as these students become the first graduates and alumni of the university.
Launched in 2004, the University has grown rapidly with full-time and part-time students studying Masters programmes and conducting a wide range of research in areas critical to the local economy. Executives at BUiD are confident that the new graduates will go on to make major contributions in their chosen fields.
At the ceremony, Ghada Hammouda, Pushpa Sadhwani and Lavina Khan received their certificates from David Lock, Registrar and Acting Chief Executive of the University, who paid tribute to the students’ pioneering steps in both the university’s life and their own careers.
“BUiD is delighted to present the first of what will be many Masters Degrees here at the University and congratulate our pioneering students on their recent success,” said Lock.
All of the full-time students, graduating from BUiD’s Institute of Education, voiced their elation on their recent graduation and indicated that this would be seen as the means to take further steps towards fulfilling career and yet further education ambitions in the future.
Masters graduate, Ghada Hammouda said, “It has been a very challenging year, especially living in Al Ain and regularly commuting to Dubai, but I was really committed and the professors and administrators devote a lot of time, enthusiasm and energy to make sure that help and guidance is always readily available.”
Speaking on the programme, graduate Lavina Khan commented: “I have learnt so much from my lecturers along with such concepts as ‘critical thinking’ which I had not knowingly applied before I started the course.”
“I have been a teacher in mainstream education for many years but with my Masters I am hoping to move into areas such as ‘learning support’ whereby I will actually create the programmes that teachers will then use with their students,” added Khan.
BUiD’s first Masters graduate with distinction, Pushpa Sadhwani, gave a brief speech on behalf of the students sharing with the audience a clear affection the students held for their tutors.
“I am so grateful that BUiD was set up and gave me the opportunity to be part of it. We all have dreams but to make dreams a reality, a lot of sacrifices have to be made and priorities set. However, at the end of it all, I must admit that the fruit of this labour has been immensely sweet.”
Addressing the students directly, Dr. Mick Randall, Senior Lecturer in TESOL and Head of the Institute of Education at the British University in Dubai said: “We are delighted to be celebrating your pioneering success as the first graduates of BUiD and to recognise the efforts needed to celebrate success here today. We wish you all the best in your future careers.”
The first graduates at BUiD all gained their Masters in Education (MEd); the university also offers four other disciplines within its institutes of Engineering, Finance and Banking, Informatics, and the Built Environment.
About The British University in Dubai
The British University in Dubai (BUiD) is the Middle East’s first research-based, postgraduate university. The University was established to facilitate access to world-class education, training and research in the Middle East. BUiD aspires to the highest, internationally recognized British standards as reflected in its partnership with the University of Edinburgh, the University of Birmingham, the University of Manchester, Cardiff University and now the Cass Business School at City University, London. Each has a five or five-star rating in the UK national Research Assessment Exercise that signifies research of international standard.
The not-for-profit university offers full and part-time Masters Degree programmes and Continuing Professional Development courses in Information Technology, IT Management, Project Management, Finance and Banking, the Built Environment and Education.
All BUiD’s current Masters Programmes have received Accreditation Eligibility Status from the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research’s Commission for Academic Accreditation.
The founders of the University are the Al Maktoum Foundation, the Dubai Development and Investment Authority, Rolls-Royce, the British Business Group and the National Bank of Dubai. The University is managed by a Council under the chairmanship of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
The Emirates Group, DUCAB, Atkins, Hyder Consulting, the Emirates Foundation, DUGAS and Dubai Duty Free are supporters of the university through financial contributions or the provision of scholarships.
For further enquiries call BUiD on +971.4.391.3633.
