Vice-Chancellor opens Dubai’s ‘Campus of the Future’
Cutting-edge technology and infrastructure at UOWD will support blended learning for students world wide
University of Wollongong (UOW) Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Patricia M. Davidson officially opened the University of Wollongong in Dubai’s (UOWD) new “Campus of the Future” in a ceremony at the campus today (Monday 31 January 2022).
The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests including His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retired) Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia; Australia’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Ms Heidi Venamore PSM, Australia’s Consul-General Dubai Mr Ian Halliday; TECOM Group Chief Executive Officer Malek Al Malek; and Director General of Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority Dr Abdulla Karam.
UOW was also represented by UOWD President Professor Mohamed Salem, UOW Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Health and Sustainable Futures) Professor David Currow and UOW Global Enterprises CEO Marisa Mastroianni.
Professor Davidson described the new campus as “a monumental step in innovation and adaptation in the region” and thanked everyone at UOWD who had worked hard to make the new campus a reality.
“Universities are thought leaders and difference makers. They transform lives. And at their core, they are hubs of innovation and discovery. So it makes me extremely proud to stand here today and open UOW Dubai’s Campus of the Future,” Professor Davidson said.
“In a post-COVID era, we are entering a world where the traditional ways of facilitating education have changed dramatically. Our new campus at UOWD represents the future of learning.”
The Campus of the Future is located in the heart of Dubai’s vibrant education and training precinct, Dubai Knowledge Park, a setting that encourages knowledge sharing through academia-industry collaborations.
The campus features a modern architectural design that combines traditional and innovative learning spaces. It is equipped with the newest technology and infrastructure that supports blended learning, combining online educational materials and opportunities for interaction with traditional classroom-based methods.
Along with dedicated learning and meeting rooms, and a range of student facilities, the campus houses laboratories specialising in chemistry, thermodynamics, manufacturing, physics, robotics, media and communications, cybersecurity, networking and gaming, to name a few.
“I am very proud and excited to see UOW Dubai continue to grow,” Professor Davidson said.
“As the first international Australian university in the UAE, with more than 40 internationally accredited degrees from 10 industry sectors, UOWD is one of the region's oldest, most prestigious, and pioneering tertiary institutions.
“Despite being the first Australian university in the UAE way back in 1993, UOW is still a relatively young University, which gives us a dynamic and innovative edge, and has put us in the position of being a benchmark for a new generation of global universities.”
Professor Davidson said her vision was for the University of Wollongong to continue to make a meaningful and significant impact in the world through its teaching, research projects, and learning environments.
She highlighted a UOWD research project focused on the deployment of fast-charging electric vehicle stations in high renewable energy penetration areas in a smart city, in collaboration with the University of Wollongong in Australia and Heriot-Watt University Dubai, as one example of the University making a meaningful impact.
“Not only is this a pioneering development in the renewables sector, it is also an exciting showcase of collaboration between UOW’s global network of campuses,” Professor Davidson said.
The Vice-Chancellor said that another of her ambitions is to make UOW a leader in access, inclusion, and diversity – through the lens of blended learning.
“This thinking is already reflected here in the design of Campus of the Future, which is outfitted with cutting-edge technology and infrastructure to support blended learning for students all around the world,” she said.
“I have great hopes for the future and what the students and staff here will achieve, even as we continue to grapple with the ongoing effects of a worldwide epidemic.
“As educators, we have the power to foster real change in our world, and a responsibility to create a more diverse, inclusive, and accessible world of learning for everyone.
“The digital innovation and advanced technology here at UOW Dubai Campus of the Future will ensure we reach these goals.”
ABOUT UOWD
The University of Wollongong in Dubai is one of the UAE’s oldest and most prestigious Universities. Established in 1993 by the University of Wollongong in Australia, UOWD represents a pioneering Australian initiative in the Gulf region that has grown into a comprehensive, dual-accredited institution. UOWD provides a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Business and Management, Finance and Accounting, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Computer Science and Engineering.