UAE's best universities: United Arab Emirates University


Daniel Bardsley
  • English
  • Arabic

As thousands of final-year students in the UAE submit their applications to local universities, we take a look at some of the best higher education options in the Emirates and what they have to offer

Where does it originate?

Al Ain, the UAE's Garden City

When was it founded?

1976

What is it?

United Arab Emirates University or UAEU is the first national university and one of the highest-ranked and largest higher education institutions in the country. It offers courses at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels in a wide array of subjects. It is frequently ranked among the top in the UAE and Gulf.

Where is it based?

Al Ain

How did it handle Covid-19?

Prof Hassan Selim, professor of analytics in the digital era and director of the UAEU Centre of Excellence for Teaching & Learning, says the university had been working on virtual classrooms for years preceding the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The online learning management system adopted by the UAEU was shifted to the cloud, as the university has strived to adopt virtual classrooms for years, before the pandemic.

"Rather than having a few faculty members shifting online, all UAEU faculty were able to, thanks to the cloud’s massive capacity. The UAEU team’s experience with the switch from traditional face-to-face to remote teaching and learning was smooth and successful. At the start of this academic year, the university looked to gradually shift back to face-to-face learning.

"It was suggested to adopt HyFlex teaching and learning modality, which combines hybrid and flexibility and allows remote learners to attend face-to-face sessions while at home. Overall, the pandemic has had a positive influence on the university, as it began inviting international speakers to conduct webinars to its faculty, which widened their experience and their knowledge.

"Today, the university is working to provide the very first micro master’s online, which are not widespread in the region due to scepticism and hesitation in recognising online degrees."

What are the fees?

Dh228,000 – bachelor’s degree in the humanities and social sciences (120 credit hours at Dh1,900 per credit hour. This is the fee for international students)

Dh250,000 – bachelor’s degree in food and agriculture (120 credit hours at Dh2,500 per credit hour. This is the fee for international students)

Dh99,000 – master of professional accounting (36 credit hours at Dh2,750 per credit hour)

Dh86,400 – master of business administration (48 credit hours at Dh1,800 per credit hour. This is the fee for Al Ain students. Costs can vary by campus)

Dh129,600 – doctor of philosophy (54 credit hours at Dh2,400 per credit hour)

What subject areas does it teach?

Bachelor’s degrees include: accounting, agricultural resource management, Arabic language and literature, biochemistry, biology, business administration, chemistry, computer science, dietetics, economics, education (various sub-disciplines), engineering (various sub-disciplines), finance and economics, food science, geography, geosciences, horticulture, information security, information technology, law, linguistics, marine fisheries and animal science, mass communication, nutritional science, physics, political science, psychology, social work, speech language pathology, statistics and data analytics, tourism studies and veterinary medicine. (Only majors are listed, and the university offers minors in many additional subjects).

Master’s degrees include: business administration, chemistry, clinical psychology, education, educational innovation, engineering (various sub-disciplines), engineering management, environmental sciences, food science, governance and public policy, horticulture, human nutrition, information security, information technology management, mathematics, medical sciences, molecular biology and biotechnology, physics, private law, professional accounting, public health, public law, remote sensing and geographic information systems, social work, software engineering, space science and water resources.

Doctoral degrees include: biomedical sciences, business administration, cellular and molecular biology, chemistry, ecology and environmental sciences, engineering (various sub-disciplines), food science and technology, geosciences, horticultural sciences, informatics and computing, language and literacy education, law, leadership and policy studies in education, mathematics, mathematics education, medicine, nutritional sciences, pharmacy, physics, public health, science education and special education.

What doesn’t it teach as majors?

Anthropology, archaeology, criminology, dentistry, geology, history, journalism, marketing, modern languages, music, philosophy, politics, sociology and sports science. (some of these subjects are taught as minors)

Where is it ranked globally?

284th – QS World University Rankings

351st - 400th – Times Higher Education World University Rankings

Who goes there?

There are 14,385 students (13,007 undergraduate, 1,378 postgraduate). The best-represented country is the UAE, followed by Oman, Yemen and Jordan.

Who has gone there?

- Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, who graduated in political science.

- Amjad Abu Alala, a UAE-born and raised Sudanese film and television producer and director. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from UAEU.

- Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, who was the President of the Federal National Council from 2015 to 2019. She took a bachelor’s degree in architecture at UAEU and later returned to the university as an assistant professor.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, attended UAEU. Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, attended UAEU. Ministry of Presidential Affairs

A word from Prof Ghaleb Alhadrami, vice chancellor:

"UAEU is the nation’s first and the leading comprehensive national university with more than 71,000 alumni and is continuously focused on the future-readiness of our graduates.

"We are an innovative, socially conscious university that places the student at the heart of what we do.

"Our mission is to ensure that each graduate has the skills, attitudes, knowledge, and spirit of entrepreneurship they need to take-up their roles as leaders of social, economic, and cultural advancement, nationally and globally.

"Our faculty are distinguished scholars and academic leaders in the comprehensive range of disciplines offered by our nine academic colleges and 10 specialist centres of advanced research.

"Their active research programmes ensure undergraduate and postgraduate curriculums address the latest developments in their fields and involve doctoral students in cutting-edge techniques and international research collaborations. All students enjoy our rich campus experience, a safe living-learning residential environment, and continuously updated educational resources and technologies.

"We welcome talented students from within the UAE and around the world to join our academic community, to prepare for and advance their careers.

"Your future is our vision."

Race card

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m

7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m

9.25pm: Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m

10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

10.35pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m

The National selections

6.30pm: Shahm, 7.05pm: Well Of Wisdom, 7.40pm: Lucius Tiberius, 8.15pm: Captain Von Trapp, 8.50pm: Secret Advisor, 9.25pm: George Villiers, 10pm: American Graffiti, 10.35pm: On The Warpath

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What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind
The biog

Age: 59

From: Giza Governorate, Egypt

Family: A daughter, two sons and wife

Favourite tree: Ghaf

Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense 

Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”

Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

THE SPECS

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm

Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Top speed: 250kph

Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: Dh146,999

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.

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

THE BIO

BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Updated: April 18, 2022, 8:40 AM`