NYU plans Abu Dhabi campus

New York University is to open a campus in Abu Dhabi in a bid to attract students from Arab and Muslim countries.

The degree-granting campus, which will accommodate up to 2,000 students, will be funded by the Abu Dhabi government, US press said Friday. A full undergraduate college, it is likely to offer divisions in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

Mariët Westermann, currently director of the university’s Institute of Fine Arts, will head the campus, according to the New York Times. A senior faculty member told the newspaper “She’s a brilliant scholar, an impressive, polished person, and she’s a woman, which makes a statement.”

The source said there were risks attached to the project, which is to be formally announced next month. “The two issues for which there are not clear and easy answers are whether we can get faculty comparable to the quality of N.Y.U. faculty, and whether we can get students comparable to N.Y.U. undergraduates,” he said.

Details are yet to be finalised, the paper said, however financial incentives are likely to be offered to NYU professors to visit the Abu Dhabi campus for short or long term courses.

Students will take broad general education courses in their first two years, with all instruction in English.

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READERS' COMMENTS

NYU in the UAE
Posted by Dick E. Orense, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Sunday 2 September 2007 at 14:00 UAE time

The arrival of NYU in the UAE is a healthy sign of competition among universities in the UAE. Resources, services and facilities will be greatly enhanced and more particularly, university libraries will have better interlibrary cooperation. Students will have better choices to pursue their education and careers.

NYU in the UAE
Posted by Valerie Houghton, Abu Dhabi, UAE on Sunday 2 September 2007 at 13:00 UAE time

Great news and a fantastic opportunity for students of Abu Dhabi and the community at large. I hope that the college will consider offering the Steinhardt Nutrition and Dietetics program which is so badly needed here in Abu Dhabi and the UAE! Regarding the search for qualified students and faculty...remember that NYU has been in the business of education since 1831, the UAE has been in the business of building a country since 1966 when oil was discovered. Keep the 135 year "gap analysis" in mind when developing and implementing your programs. Recruit and place people over here who have lots of patience, plenty of time, and the wisdom to understand the rate of progress. Regards, Valerie Houghton RD

NYU in the UAE
Posted by T Crowe Semler, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Sunday 2 September 2007 at 06:00 UAE time

What a wonderful joint venture in education and cultural exchange. Qatar's Education City has followed basically the same format with highly regarded educational institutions...

Establishing campus extension within the Gulf Region allows our citizens seeking a higher education the opportunity to attend the worlds best right here at home. This is a great model for expanding higher education in our rapidly globalizing world.

Education is the key for our greatest resource, our people.

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