His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, and Chairman of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), attended the graduation ceremony of the eighth batch of students of Rochester Institute of Technology – Dubai (RIT Dubai), the Dubai campus of the leading US university that is located at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated free zone technology park.
Held at Grand Hyatt Dubai, the ceremony drew the participation of the Board of Directors of the University in Dubai, and Dr Ellen Granberg, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, RIT New York, Dr James H. Watters, Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration, RIT New York, and Rick Swart, Counsel Chief of Consular Services.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum presented 120 graduates with their degree certificates, marking the completion of their studies. Eighty students who completed eight undergraduate programs received bachelor’s degrees, while 40 students across six graduate programs received master’s degrees. The graduates represented diverse nationalities and age groups, highlighting the institute’s ability to attract a multinational student body and its focus on helping young professionals expand their skills to drive career growth. Diversity at RIT Dubai also extends to its academic programs, including Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computing Security, Computing and Information Technologies, International Business, Marketing and Finance, Management, Smart City Science, and Service Leadership and Innovation.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said: “RIT Dubai exemplifies DSOA’s dedication to investing in the educational sector in line with the UAE’s national strategy to support youth, develop human resources, and diversify national income sources.”
He added: “As one of the leading US universities in the region, the institute offers programs that qualify the UAE’s young generation for rewarding jobs in highly promising sectors. We are confident that RIT Dubai’s advanced technology-based curriculum will continue to prepare its graduates to meet the needs of the future job market.”
Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RIT Dubai, said: “We congratulate our new graduates on this educational milestone. We hope they will become true ambassadors of RIT Dubai and look forward to welcoming them back on campus for future events and ceremonies to share their progress since graduation.”
Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Vice Chairman and CEO of DSOA, said: “At DSOA, we view education as the cornerstone of our nation’s development. We work closely with our partners to shape a modern educational system tailored to the requirements of the UAE’s youth in line with the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021. We are honored to collaborate with institutions of higher learning such as RIT Dubai that share our commitment to contributing to the science and technology domains and leading Dubai’s transition to a knowledge-based economy.”
He added: “With the continued support of our chairman, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, we have succeeded through the years in launching new programs with the university that align with the innovative vision of Dubai and the wider UAE. We will continue working closely with RIT Dubai to develop highly qualified student cadres that are fully prepared to meet and exceed workplace demands, particularly in the technology domain.”
Dr Ellen Granberg said: “This is our 11th anniversary in Dubai, and we are proud to have partnered with DSOA to provide our students with a cutting-edge innovation- and technology-based curriculum. At RIT Dubai, our mission is to shape the future through empowering our students to think creatively and out of the box. As an engaged, intellectually curious, and socially conscious community, we leverage the power of technology, arts, and design for the greater good. With the world economy offering new opportunities every day, our goal is to help our students contribute to the economic development of the UAE, the wider region, and the world at large.”
For his part, Dr Yousef Al-Assaf, President of RIT Dubai, praised His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s sustained support for RIT Dubai’s efforts to fulfill the aspirations of Dubai and the wider UAE. He added: “RIT Dubai continues to achieve new milestones in its quest for excellence. Our upcoming innovative, smart, and sustainable campus is currently under construction and will welcome students in 2020. Our programs in smart city science, data analytics, corporate and customer happiness, and innovation and leadership contribute to establishing Dubai as one of the smartest and happiest cities in the world.”
In February 2019, RIT Dubai commenced construction works on its new campus valued at AED500 million. Phase one of the project with an investment of AED200 million is set to span 30,000 square meters and is scheduled for completion by Q1 2020. Meanwhile, phase two is set for handover in 2023 at a projected cost of AED300 million, adding 116,000 square meters to the campus.
With the capacity to accommodate 4,000 students, the new campus will factor in current education trends and comply with the latest sustainability, smart city, and connectivity standards.
