Dubai university breaks ground on mega campus
The University of Birmingham Dubai broke ground on the second phase of its 50,000-square-metre campus in Dubai International Academic City on Thursday.
The expansion of the campus, from 2,500 square metres, includes a new 300-seat lecture theatre and 10 laboratories.
Construction on the new campus, opposite Dubai’s first student housing complex, is expected to be completed by September next year.
The university plans to offer courses not yet available in the UAE, including specialisations in business with marketing, clinical psychology and master’s degrees in artificial intelligence and computer science.
“The new campus will be able to accommodate 2,900 by 2023, while we hope to have over 4,000 students by 2026,” said Sir David Eastwood, vice chancellor of the University of Birmingham.
The university has 200 students and runs 14 bachelor’s and master’s programmes.
Two thirds of students are UAE residents while the rest come from other countries.
Most of the international students came to the university from China, North Africa, India and Pakistan.
Ben Bailey, director of campus operations, said students would be able to move between the two universities in Dubai and England.
He said five students from the Dubai campus were at the Birmingham campus for a year of studying abroad. International students at either campus pay the same fees.
“We want to start by asking what the important issues for Dubai and the UAE are where we can make a contribution,” Mr Bailey said.
“This campus is also a hope through which we want to bring the best of Birmingham to Dubai, so our research efforts will have an impact on the country.
“We are looking at extending our law school offerings to specialisations in arbitration and dispute, maritime law and aviation industry law.”
Last year, the University of Birmingham became the first global top 100 and UK Russell Group university to establish a campus in Dubai.