The United Arab Emirates University was established through the Federal Law No. (4) issued by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates on 7 July 1976.[3]
Location
The university is located in the city of Al Ain, an oasis city in the Abu Dhabi emirate 140 km east of the capital city of Abu Dhabi and a similar distance from the city of Dubai.[4]
Students
Students come from all seven Emirates and more than 64 other countries. 6,696 students live on campus. In 2014 enrolled international students constituted 25% of the total enrolled students.[5]
The United Arab Emirates University is continuously ranked as the second top university in the United Arab Emirates after Khalifa university, and the 4th in the GCC.[10] The university is ranked as the 5th in the Arab region,[11] the 284th in the world in the 2021 QS World University Rankings.[12] In the 2021 QS Top 50 Under 50, i.e. the top 50 world universities that were founded within the past 50 years, UAEU was ranked number 27.[13]
In its capacity as a business school, UAEU was placed as the third best business school in Africa and the Middle East in the 2010 QS Global 200 Business Schools Report.[14] As a research university the UAEU is ranked as number one in the GCC countries, number two in the Arab World, and ninth in the Muslim world. It was ranked the best 86th university in Asia by Times higher education:Asia university ranking.[15]
Structure
The Vice-Chancellor is responsible for the management of the university as well as policy and strategic planning, budget and financial activities, external relations, and alumni. The Provost is the Chief Academic Officer responsible for the Colleges, undergraduate studies, research and graduate studies, and information technology. He is assisted by the Deputy Provost. The Secretary General is responsible for services including finance, budget, facilities management, human resources, auxiliary services, and safety. The Deans are the heads of the academic colleges, which are groupings of academic disciplines, through which the academic staff teach at undergraduate and post graduate levels, and conduct research and scholarship.
The UAEU has undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in nine colleges:
College of Business and Economics
College of Education
College of Engineering
College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
College of Information Technology
College of Law
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
College of Science
The University Foundations Program prepares students for academic degree programs with pre-university courses in English, Arabic and Mathematics and other support in making the transition from school to university.
In addition to undergraduate and graduate programs, the UAEU conducts continuous education courses and vocational certificates for the community across all disciplines and hosts the Emirates Health Services, which provides medical skills training.
In November 2016, the University held its first ever symposium on Biological Sciences "GENOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS" attended by experts from different parts of the world.[16]
Research
The university launched the first PhD program at a national university in the UAE. As a research institution it attracts national, international, and industrial grants. PhD programs and professional doctorate degrees cover a range including Pharmacy, Public Health, and a Doctorate of Business Administration.[17]
The university hosts research centers including the Zayed Center for Health Sciences and the National Water Center.
Maryam Al Roumi, minister of social affairs of the United Arab Emirates and the second woman to hold a cabinet post in the history of United Arab Emirates, listed among top 10 most powerful Arab women in government by Forbes[19]
Saqr Ghobash, minister of labour of the United Arab Emirates and former ambassador to the United States of America and Mexico
Fatima Al Jaber, first woman to be elected to the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce board of directors in December 2009.[20] As of 2014, she is listed as the 94th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes[21]
Salma Hareb, Chief Executive Officer at Jafza (Dubai free zone), the first female in the Middle East and North Africa to be appointed head of an economic free zone,[23] ranked as the 2nd most powerful Arab woman in government by Forbes[19]
