Winter 2011 - Heriot-Watt University

news
Alex Salmond opens Heriot-Watt’s
new purpose-built Dubai Campus
Heriot-Watt’s new £35m (ED200m) purpose-built campus has
been opened by First Minister Alex Salmond at Dubai International
Academic City (DIAC).
Mr Salmond was accompanied on a tour of the new 28,000 sq.m
(300,000 sq.ft) state-of-the-art campus by Principal, Professor Steve
Chapman, meeting with students and academic staff. The September
2011 intake saw an increase of 55 percent on the previous year,
with a total student population of 2,500.
The Campus has been designed to be modern and eco-friendly,
and doubles the level of provision to 4,500 students. Investment in
the Campus has been supported through the University’s partnership
with Eikon International Holding.
Bespoke fashion labs, design studios, well-equipped engineering
laboratories, and ICT labs with video-conferencing facilities have
all been incorporated into the new facility. Phase two of the Campus
is currently underway, which will encompass modern student
accommodation (with associated food court and banking facilities)
and a multi-purpose auditorium with capacity for 800 people.
Smart card and fingerprint technologies are also incorporated.
Development of the new Campus will allow expansion of recently
introduced programmes in Civil Engineering and Construction
Management; Logistics and Supply Chain Management; Architectural
Engineering; Water Resources; Interior Design; Management and
Psychology; and Computer Systems.
“As Scotland’s international university, the official opening of our
new state-of-the-art, eco-friendly Campus, built in partnership with
Eikon International and offering world class facilities, demonstrates
our ambition and continued vision for providing high quality and
relevant Scottish higher education in the region.”
Dr Lena Wilson, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, Scotland’s
main economic development agency, said, “Opening up new
opportunities and possibilities with other nations is vital to secure
Scotland‘s long-term economic growth. This new Campus will
place further international focus on both Heriot-Watt University
and Scotland and will pave the way for a new generation of
business leaders.
“Scotland has a strong reputation in education and this new
venture further highlights the high value that other nations place
on Scotland‘s knowledge, skills and expertise as world leaders
in education and academia. In fact, The Sunday Times recently
recognised Heriot-Watt as the Scottish University of the Year 2011/12,
stating that its graduates are ‘highly regarded‘ throughout the world.
“By collaborating with Dubai we can proactively make it easier
for Scottish companies to trade within the UAE, ultimately boosting
the Scottish economy.”
Alex Salmond said, “This 21st century campus will quite rightly
help establish the high quality reputation of Heriot-Watt University
in the United Arab Emirates and will pave the way for the University’s
expansion in the region and further afield. However, even more than
that, it will showcase the advantages of gaining an education in a
Scottish university.
“For centuries, a Scottish education has been much treasured and
today it is no different. Heriot-Watt University was the first overseas
university to set up in Dubai International Academic City, offering
top quality British education to students and executives from the
Gulf and further afield.
“The high-quality Scottish education available at Heriot-Watt’s
Dubai Campus will provide thousands of students with the skills
to become future leaders, managers and innovators to create a
stronger business world.”
Professor Steve Chapman said, “The opening of our new,
purpose-built Campus heralds an exciting new chapter in
Heriot-Watt University’s history in Dubai and builds upon our
considerable and pioneering success here.
First Minister Alex Salmond with Professor Steve Chapman, Principal
and Professor Ammar Kaka, Vice-Principal (Dubai) unveiling the
commemoratve plaque
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