Under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), the Rochester Institute of Technology – Dubai (RIT-Dubai), located in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the special economic zone for knowledge and innovation and member of DIEZ,  graduated more than 250 students across 16 bachelor’s and master’s programs for the academic year 2023-2024.

• Among top 10 in quality of education

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said: “Universities play a pivotal role in achieving the goals of the Dubai Social Agenda 33, such as building an education ecosystem that can keep pace with Dubai’s future ambitions, enhancing its human capital, advancing education, and providing students with future skills and abilities. Under the objectives of the Dubai Social Agenda 33, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai aspires to be among the world’s top 10 cities in terms of quality education for the decade until 2033. It also supports the development of a sustainable education system that nurtures talent and promotes entrepreneurship among students.”

His Highness praised the performance of the graduates, congratulating students, and parents on their accomplishments. He highlighted that academic institutions, especially those specialized in innovation and technology sectors, are key to preparing future leaders capable of creating new opportunities in the knowledge and digital economy that benefits from emerging technologies, data, and AI applications.

His Excellency Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RIT-Dubai, underlined the university’s keenness to fulfill its role of providing students with world-class education that contributes to strengthening Dubai’s position as a preferred destination for students, graduates, and researchers from the region and around the world.

His Excellency said: “RIT-Dubai plays a central role in the knowledge community in Dubai and the wider UAE. It is a vital economic and creative zone that enables young talents to lead the opportunities of the future economy based on knowledge, innovation, and excellence. In doing so, it strengthens the competitiveness of Dubai and the UAE regionally and globally, qualifying expertise and building capabilities that establish an ever-evolving educational system and support the achievement of strategic goals and visions for students and society alike.”

• Dubai empowers people

His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, said: “The integration between knowledge development and innovation is the basis for sustainable socio-economic growth and a standard for comprehensive progress in designing and creating the future. RIT-Dubai has today become a springboard for young talents and experts that lead development paths. The university has also succeeded in strengthening its position as a laboratory for the economy of tomorrow, in Dubai and the region, benefitting from the latest in science and technology. Therefore, our strategic partnership with RIT in promising research programs is a global model for all economies keen to enhance competitiveness and sustainable growth opportunities and building people through research and knowledge acquisition and achieving a balance between economic and social development and attracting investments.”

• World-class academic education in Dubai 

Dr. James Myers, Associate Provost for International Education and Global Programs at RIT, said that the graduates’ specialties reflect positively on their communities and careers, especially in Dubai, where RIT has launched programs that are linked to artificial intelligence and advanced solutions. He pointed out that the university’s presence in Dubai has facilitated these achievements in line with Dubai’s plans.

Myers added: “We are proud of what RIT-Dubai has achieved since its launch in 2008, as it has become a major part of RIT in New York, which is committed to the latest scientific research based on its mission of enabling students with useful skills and abilities to benefit from promising opportunities and achieve success. We thank all graduates for their excellence in the bachelor’s and master’s programs, and we wish them further excellence in the future.”

• An effective role in development and progress

For his part, Dr. Youssef Al-Assaf, President of RIT-Dubai, expressed pride in the university’s students, faculty, and researchers for enhancing Dubai’s journey towards greater scientific and knowledge excellence by creating an educational ecosystem that supplies labor markets with creative cadres ready to create a bright future based on curiosity, research, continuous learning and innovation. He noted that the university’s location in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the knowledge and innovation hub within Dubai Urban Masterplan 2040, gives it more opportunities to build partnerships with the government and private sectors as a laboratory for students to develop promising technologies and innovations.

Al Assaf said: “The university has graduated more than 1,900 students since 2010 across specialties vital to the knowledge, innovation, technology and data economy in Dubai and the UAE. With the graduation of a new batch of motivated minds, we aspire to be a key partner in making Dubai one of the top three global cities for living and working by 2033.”

• 16 specialized programs

The specialties of graduates covered 16 academic programs. Nine of them are for undergraduate degrees – global business management, marketing, electrical engineering, computing and information technologies, cybersecurity, psychology, finance, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, and psychology. The remaining seven are for graduate degrees – electrical engineering, cybersecurity, smart cities, data analytics, mechanical engineering, engineering management, and future foresight and planning. Next academic year, RIT-Dubai will launch two new master’s degrees – new media design and organizational leadership and innovation.

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