American University in Dubai (AUD) is to establish a school of medicine with an Ivy League US university to assist in the UAE's quest to become a “global leader” in health care.
The partnership with the prestigious University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine (Penn Medicine) aims to place AUD at the forefront of medicine in the region, help train the next generation of doctors locally and improve health care in the UAE and across the region.
Penn Medicine was founded in 1765 and was the first medical school in the US. The agreement signed on Tuesday at the Dubai campus launches the project to build the school under its guidance.
The American institution has been responsible for several medical breakthroughs such as the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology used in Covid-19 vaccines, and pioneering cancer treatment. It will now help guide the curriculum, faculty, admissions and more at the Dubai campus.
'Phenomenal' partnership
“We are really excited,” Dr Kyle Long, president of the American University in Dubai, told The National. “They are a phenomenal partner. They have the expertise and they have the global profile to help us to help the UAE achieve its ambitions to be a global leader in the health sciences space,” he said. He said the new school aims to set new standards in education.
Penn Medicine and AUD will develop a curriculum for a doctor of medicine degree programme that will follow the US postgraduate model under which students first have a graduate degree and then enter medical school, but it will also be tailored to the needs of the region. It has not been announced when the school will accept its first students but that is expected to be several years away.
It is expected that new buildings will be constructed for the school in or close to the existing campus, which is located in Al Sufouh, but nothing was formally announced on Tuesday.
“At this point we are ready to get going and move past the planning phase and really start to implement,” said Dr Long.
“We are trying to proceed as fast as possible to get students enrolled in a doctor of medicine programme because we really believe in what we're doing, and so we are going to be moving at the speed that our compliance and regulators allow,” he said.
Dr Long expected the future intake to mirror the make-up of the current student body, which has about 100 nationalities – about a third Emirati, a third foreign residents living in the UAE and the rest those who come to the UAE to study. When students do enter the medical school, years one and two will be typically taken on campus and the remaining two at hospitals.
The launch also aims to bolster the UAE’s strategy to boost the healthcare sector and help cement Dubai’s vision to establish the city as a global hub for medical tourism.
Building for the future
Dr Glen Gaulton, vice dean and director of the centre for global health at Penn Medicine, said the school would help the sector in the UAE and bring Penn’s experience – it operates in about 80 countries across the globe – to the Emirates. Dr Gaulton said it is important to increase the number of doctors trained in the country, given the rising population and reliance on overseas medics, and that the school aims to do this.
“Hopefully then they would stay for the residency programmes and hopefully stay longer term to build their whole lives and careers here,” Dr Gaulton told The National. “That breeds a continuance of excellence [and will have a] dramatic effect on improving health care.”
Dr Gaulton said Penn does “really distinctive things”, particularly through its pioneering use of new medical developments such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, simulation and more, and that these could be brought to the region. “Medicine is going to be practised incredibly differently 10 years from now,” he said.
There are eight universities in the UAE that offer undergraduate medical degree courses, according to Allocation Assist Middle East, which connects doctors with hospitals in the region.
The event on Tuesday was also attended by Dr J Larry Jameson, president of the University of Pennsylvania, and other representatives from both universities, government dignitaries, industry partners, doctors from leading healthcare institutions and academic leaders.
“Working with Penn is humbling and inspiring,” said Dr Long. “We wouldn't be doing this if we didn't think it was going to have a transformational impact.”
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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