The University of Manchester-Dubai (UoM-D), the Middle East branch of one of the world’s top-ranked universities, has been granted Institutional Licensure by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research UAE (MOHESR) and accreditation of all its academic programmes by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (ACCA). The University of Manchester-Dubai opened in 2006 and supports a growing community of part-time master’s students and alumni, as well as the University’s corporate and social responsibility partners.
UAE MOHESR Licensure applies to the University and all its major activities and ensures that the University has an appropriate mission for higher education and the governance structure, resources, academic programmes, faculty and quality assurance measures to achieve it.
Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) accreditation of the University’s academic programmes in the UAE (will) adds further value to the University’s qualifications by ensuring their recognition by public and private employers across the UAE and GCC.
Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, stated: “I’m pleased that our Dubai branch has achieved this licensure and accreditation of all our academic programmes, and I would like to thank the Ministry for awarding it and the CAA for the accreditation. Our colleagues in Dubai have worked extremely hard to reach this milestone.
“Licensure will change the way we operate in the UAE and wider region. It paves the way for us to contribute much more to the UAE through our academic programmes and activities, such as research. We aim to cultivate deeper connections and collaboration across academia, business and government in the UAE and Middle East.”
The University of Manchester-Dubai at Dubai Knowledge Park opened in 2006 and is the largest and fastest growing in the University’s international network comprising five hubs in key business cities around the world. The branch has supported 3,600 Manchester Global Part-time MBA students (all highly qualified and experienced working professionals) in the region and graduated over 2,650 MBA students. The branch also works in regional collaborations with a range of industry groups, professional bodies and companies, social responsibility partners, and supports a regional alumni base of over 5,500.
Professor Ken McPhail, Head of Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), commented: “The UAE is a world-class business destination attracting multinational companies, global talent and investment. Our Dubai branch team has made an extraordinary impact with the support of an amazing group of proactive alumni. Licensure and accreditation are part of our long-term plans to expand our portfolio and activities here to support the UAE’s ambitions. From an education perspective, this signals our strategic commitment to be part of a research agenda focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship. As we celebrate this milestone – and the 60th anniversary of AMBS in 2025 – there is an exciting opportunity to support the UAE’s aspiration to shift to an innovation economy and help attract, retain and develop the business talent required.”
Randa Bessiso, Founding Director Middle East at The University of Manchester-Dubai, added: “Our thanks to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research UAE (MOHESR) and the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) for their support in achieving this significant goal. Since we opened in Dubai in 2006, we have endeavoured to focus on the University’s mission of world-class teaching and learning, research, and social responsibility. With our Licensure and programme accreditation, we will be able to develop our portfolio and teaching even further, alongside our social responsibility activity and with a greater emphasis on academic research collaboration. This will help us make an even bigger impact and a difference for the UAE and wider region, as well as enrich our student and alumni experience, and our partner relationships. The University is one of the UK’s great higher education success stories in the UAE and we aim to continue to pioneer business education and academic research here.”
The University of Manchester-Dubai offers a dynamic programme portfolio including a range of part-time, faculty-led, flexible learning Master of Business Administration programmes – Global MBA, Global MBA Finance Accelerated, and Global (Executive) MBA, and specialist part-time master’s programmes, the award-winning Master of Arts Educational Leadership in Practice, and Master of Science Financial Management. Working with the University’s Alliance Manchester Business School, the branch offers two MBA intakes per year (January and July). The Global MBA offers options to accelerate study and as much face-to-face time with faculty as many full-time MBA programmes.
Alongside the part-time master’s portfolio, the branch has recently introduced a new range of executive education short business courses (including Leading Digital Transformation; Managing Complex Business Challenges; Leading ESG and Sustainability; Data and AI for Leaders; Leading Major Projects).
Part of the prestigious Russell Group of universities, The University of Manchester is a centre of teaching excellence, world-class research, outstanding student experience, and social responsibility. Its research and innovation track record includes creating the world’s first artificial nuclear reaction, building the modern computer, isolating graphene, pioneering development economics, and transforming cancer diagnosis and treatment across the world. The University celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2024.
About The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and is one of the UK’s largest single-site universities with more than 44,000 students on campus – including more than 10,000 international students. The University is consistently ranked among the world’s elite institutions for graduate employability and world-class research across a diverse range of fields including cancer, advanced materials, global inequalities, energy and industrial biotechnology. 26 Nobel laureates have either worked or studied at the University, which is the only UK University to have social responsibility among its core strategic objectives, dedicated to making a positive difference in communities around the world.
About The University of Manchester-Dubai
The University of Manchester’s Middle East branch at Dubai Knowledge Park opened in 2006 and is the largest and fastest growing in the University’s international network comprising five hubs in key business cities around the world. The branch has supported 3,600 Global MBA students in the region and graduated around 2,650 MBA students. The Centre also works in regional collaborations with a range of industry groups, professional bodies and companies, and supports a regional alumni base of over 5,500.
