News Release

2009-11-04 11:01:38

University of Waterloo and HCT officially open Waterloo-UAE

DUBAI, UAE (Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009) - His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan of the United Arab Emirates and David Johnston, president of the University of Waterloo, today presided over the opening of a new international campus. Students enrolled at Waterloo-UAE will study in both countries, under Waterloo's world-leading program of co-operative education.

Waterloo, in partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), has launched bachelor of applied science degrees in chemical and civil engineering at the Dubai Men's College campus. It will offer a bachelor of mathematics in information technology management and another in financial analysis and risk management in September 2010.

Students study for two years at Waterloo-UAE and the final two years in Waterloo, Canada. University of Waterloo professors will teach the Waterloo curriculum in the UAE, providing the same program content and quality of instruction as is offered in Canada, under a co-operative education model that has students alternating four-month work and academic terms.

"The University of Waterloo looks forward to building a high-quality presence with high-quality partners in the important Gulf region," said Leo Rothenburg, associate vice-president, international. "We are pleased to be working with the Higher Colleges of Technology as well as the Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training in the United Arab Emirates. I would like to also thank His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan for his role in this exciting partnership."

Classes began in Dubai in September 2009 with 22 students. The goal is to grow the number to about 140 next year and 500 by September 2012. The number of Waterloo faculty members in Dubai is expected to grow from three this year to nine next year and 12 by September 2012.

"We will be a real going concern in the region in a couple of years," said Peter Douglas, a Waterloo professor of chemical engineering who was recently appointed director of Waterloo-UAE.

Douglas, who has served as associate dean of engineering (graduate studies and international agreements) and associate dean of engineering (computing), brings significant experience with Waterloo and international scholarship to the position.

"Professor Douglas' rich knowledge of the University of Waterloo and his extensive experience and connections across campus will serve him well as he leads our efforts in Dubai during this very important year," said Rothenberg. "Stationed in Dubai, Professor Douglas will also bring a great deal of previous international experience to this position."

Waterloo's sixth decade plan, entitled Pursuing Global Excellence and Seizing Opportunities for Canada, calls for significant internationalization to ensure graduates are global citizens. Achieving that goal involves sending more students abroad, bringing more international students to campus and expanding UW's presence around the world. It also involves establishing two international campuses, with the other opening in Nanjing, China. The plan is available at www.sixthdecade.uwaterloo.ca.

About the University of Waterloo

In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's Technology Triangle, has become one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities with 28,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. For further details, visit www.uwaterloo.ca.

Resources

Contacts:

Elnaz Zahed, operations manager, Waterloo-UAE, +971 4 4038 452 or
elnaz@uwaterloo.ca

Michael Strickland, Waterloo media relations, 519-888-4777 or
mstrickl@uwaterloo.ca

Waterloo release no. 108

2009-11-04 11:01:38