Dubai to get design university
Curriculum of the institution to open in 2018 will be developed by MIT and Parsons
The region’s first design university the curriculum of which will be jointly developed by two world-class institutions, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and New York’s Parson School of Design (Parsons), is expected to open by September 2018, it was announced yesterday.
The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), to be set up under the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was established by Tecom Group. The 100,000 square foot undergraduate university offering a Bachelor of Design degree will be located within the Dubai Design District and will help create a new generation of skilled professionals to cater to the demand for 30,000 designers in the region by 2019.
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said the DIDI will serve to diversify higher education opportunities at a time when the fields of design and innovation are attracting more talent.
The Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), the region’s first formal design university, will be jointly developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and New York’s Parson School of Design (Parsons) on a 100,000 square foot facility at Dubai Design District, it was announced yesterday.
DIDI, being developed at a cost of Dh270 million, will be a private non-profit educational institution accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education. It is expected to open by September 2018 and will include 36,000 square feet of mega studios.
The undergraduate university, with the first ever Bachelor of Design degree in the region offering cross specialisations, will help cater to the demand for 30,000 designers in the region by 2019 — a number provided by The MENA Design Education Outlook study.
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said that the launch of DIDI supports the government’s efforts to develop design talent in the region. He said it also supports the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VicePresident and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to make Dubai a model for sustainable economic development based on innovation and productivity as outlined in the Dubai 2021 Plan.
“Dubai seeks to constantly enhance its capacity for sustainable development by driving innovation and creativity, and creating an environment for skilled graduates across sectors to acquire the skills that will enable them to meet the challenges of the job market. Today, we are launching a new platform that will support the development of creative talent not only in the UAE but also the region. This initiative will have a positive impact on sustainable economic growth both locally and regionally,” Shaikh Hamdan said.
Diversification
Shaikh Hamdan also said that DIDI serves to diversify higher education opportunities at a time when the fields of design and innovation are attracting more talent. Given the importance of innovation as a key driver of development across sectors, Dubai is taking the lead in establishing educational institutions that help students meet the requirements of the job market, thereby raising its profile as a hub for both talent and enterprises specialised in creativity and design.
Dr Ameenah Al Rustamani, Group CEO of Tecom Group, said DIDI will play a critical role in delivering on the National Agenda and on Dubai’s wider vision and goals of becoming a globally competitive city by inspiring youth and developing talent. “We are aware of an abundance of talented young people in the UAE and region and have come to realise the need to provide a hub for learning. The university will shape culture and people, aligning curriculum and research to the needs of the regional design industry,” she said.
The campus has been designed by Foster + Partners, she said. “The UAE is ranked first among Arab countries in terms of overall performance on the Global innovation index, and this is strongly driven by design and technology. It is exciting that the future students of DIDI will be part of this agenda and will partake in realising the vision,” she said.
Ali Jaber, Dean of Mohammad Bin Rashid School of Communication at the American University of Dubai (AUD) and Group TV Director of MBC, said the curriculum is still in the process of being developed and is expected to attract students from across the region and the world. The first intake of students at DIDI is planned for Fall 2018.
“DIDI will offer an engaging non-traditional concentration structure.
‘Capital of design’
“MIT and Parsons will also help us evaluate the professors, supervise practical teaching courses and help us achieve the learning outcomes. We are confident that DIDI teaching approach and curriculum will position Dubai as a capital of design,” Jaber said.
In the 2016 ranking of the world’s best art and design schools by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), MIT and Parsons were ranked among the top five.