The new campus of The British University in Dubai (BUiD), the Middle East’s leading research-based postgraduate university, was formally inaugurated yesterday by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chancellor of The British University in Dubai, President of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman & CEO of Emirates Group.
At the event, Sheikh Ahmen Bin Saeed Al Maktoum unveiled BUiD’s new campus foundation stone alongside a large number of VIP guests, including Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of KHDA, Mirza Al Sayegh, BUiD’s Council Member, Chairman of Al-Maktoum Foundation, Scotland – UK, and Director of the Office of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, and David May, BUiD’s Council Member and Technical Director, Khansaheb.
BUiD’s move from Knowledge Village to Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) is in line with Dubai’s strategy to operate as the Emirates intellectual hub, and part of the university’s plans to upgrade and expand its facilities to accommodate a larger and stronger academic community of students, staff and key strategic, professional associates.
“We are proud to be located in DIAC, a place dedicated to the development of higher education. At our new campus, we are able to expand our facilities and offering for our students and staff, making BUiD a truly local university of international standard,” said Professor Abdullah Alshamsi, Vice-Chancellor, The British University in Dubai.
BUiD’s new campus boasts an extended library, increased classroom capacity, more open-access space, and staff offices.
Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director of Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV) and Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), BUiD’s guest of honour at the event, addressed BUiD students and staff, as well as VIP guests. This was followed by an official tour of the new BUiD campus headed by BUiD’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abdullah Alshamsi.
Dr. Kazim said: “The opening of the British University in Dubai campus marks an important milestone not just for the university but also for DIAC, a member of TECOM Investments.
“We are honoured to partner with The British University in Dubai - an institution that embodies world-class education, scholarship programmes and research standards. Its presence in our academic cluster contributes to the increasing importance of Dubai as a hub for higher education,” he added.
In addition, being based in Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) will allow BUiD students travelling from all Emirates to take advantage of BUiD’s new location.
Located in phase three at DIAC, BUiD has applied environmentally-friendly initiatives at its new location. Provided to BUiD as core and shell, the University was able to fit the interior with its sustainably designed plans for lighting, cooling, partitioning and flooring.
The design for BUiD’s new campus was overseen by Professor Bassam AbuHijleh, the Atkins sponsored Head of Sustainable Design of the Built Environment, who believes conscious decisions in the design of an office or home can have a very positive impact for the environment. International consultant Atkins have been supporting BUiD over a number of years and additionally funds the position of the Atkins Senior Lecturer, Dr Abeer Shaheen AlJanahi, its specialist in architecture and urban design.
DIAC is a regional base for premier international higher education institutions. Spread across an area of 25 million square foot, the DIAC campus provides an intellectually inspiring environment for students and faculty members. This thriving knowledge community was founded as part of a long-term economic strategy to develop the region’s talent pool, to accelerate its support for Dubai a knowledge economy and society in the 21st centaury.
