• Al Shamsi: 70 per cent of work on universityís new campus completed, opening due in September this year

Dubai, May 25, 2015: His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chief Executive of Emirates Group, distributed graduation certificates to 114 students of the faculties of Business Administration, Information Technology and Law during the 13th graduation ceremony of the University of Dubai on May 24, 2015 at the Cultural and Scientific Association Auditorium in Dubai. The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of the Federal National Council; HE Majid Hamad Rahma Al Shamsi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University; HE Hamad Buamim, Director General of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Dr. Eesa M. Al Bastaki, President of the University of Dubai. In his speech during the ceremony, Al Shamsi said: ìThe high academic standing achieved by the University of Dubai is the result of sustained and committed efforts to develop the curricula and keep pace with the requirements of the times.î Highlighting the major achievements of the university during the last year, Al Shamsi said University of Dubai now stands among 85 business schools which have extended their AACSB accreditation in business, offered by AACSB International, the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools. Also last year, the Faculty of Information Technology renewed international accreditation from the Council for Academic Accreditation of Engineering and Technology. He pointed out that the university has also been awarded the British Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM-UK) Level 5 and Level 7 programmes, making it the first university in the Middle East to offer these certifications to its graduates of the Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, and MBA in Leadership & Human Resources Management.† HE Al Shamsi also said the university has been ranked along with nine other universities from the UAE among the top 50 universities in the first QS University Rankings Arab Region report. Al Shamsi said: ìThe launch of Dubai Plan 2021 has reinforced our commitment to the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. We aim to stay ahead of the race and contribute to the growth of the country by focusing on innovation and excellence.î Identifying the distinguished initiatives in this regard, HE Al Shamsi pointed out the memorandum of understanding with IBM Global to establish a Smarter Cities Institute and the announcement of a joint project with San Diego State University to establish a Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. He also said the university has launched new courses on subjects such as Islamic economics and Smart Cities, which are relevant to the future growth of Dubaiís economy. HE Al Shamsi said the ongoing work on the new campus of the University of Dubai in Dubai Academic City reflects a major step forward in its journey. ìI am pleased to reveal that 70 per cent of the work on the new campus has been completed. The new campus will accommodate 1,500 students. Its opening in September this year will be a major achievement for not only University of Dubai but also for the field of higher education in the UAE and the region,î HE Al Shamsi added. Speaking on the occasion, student Ahmed Aljaziri called upon students to continue their pursuit for higher education. Aljaziri congratulated the parents of the students on the successful graduation and thanked the faculty and the University of Dubai for supporting the students in their educational process. Another student, Sundas Ijaz, delivered a speech in English and said: ìEvery day that I attended classes at UD reminded me of how fortunate I am to be a part of such a great nation, and to have the privilege of studying in such an outstanding university. And let us not forget where we came from: had our parents not supported us, we wouldn’t have made it to graduation day. I know we don’t say it enough but my fellow graduates and I thank all our parents for their love and support, through the good times and the bad. I am sure that if we had an opportunity to go back in time, we would all remember to say ëI love youí more often. The event was covered live by the University of Dubaiís social media channels.