Ahmed bin Saeed Attends RIT-Dubai Graduation Ceremony for 300 Students

• RIT Dubai celebrated its 14th graduation ceremony under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, awarding degrees to over 300 students across 15 academic programs.
• The Institute announced a major AED 313 million expansion, boosting campus capacity by 115% and reinforcing its role as a global innovation and education hub within Dubai Silicon Oasis.
• With new programs in AI, health informatics, and media design, RIT Dubai continues aligning education with UAE's strategic priorities, including digital transformation and a knowledge-based economy.

In the patronage and presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), the Rochester Institute of Technology, Dubai (RIT Dubai), in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the special economic zone for knowledge and innovation and member of DIEZ, marked its 14th graduation ceremony, awarding degrees to over 300 students in 15 bachelor's and master's programs.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), stated: "Today is a turning point in the life of an aspiring generation that embarks courageously toward its future, armed with the knowledge, scientific insight, and expertise needed to keep up with swift global progress". Human capital investment is one of the pillars towards the fulfillment of the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 and making Dubai one of the world's top living, working, and innovation cities.

We are delighted with the degree of excellence exhibited by the RIT Dubai university, which has established itself as a model success in developing effective partnerships between education institutions and specialized economic zones. These partnerships are critical to creating a visionary academic climate that underpins Dubai and the UAE's future economic ambitions", His Highness added.

For his part, His Excellency Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh, Board of Directors Chairman for RIT Dubai, said: "We strive to offer a world-class learning environment that supports Dubai as a prominent regional educational hub. This is accomplished with academic offerings that closely mirror the changing needs of the employment sector as well as the wider objectives of sustainable economic and social growth".

“Today, RIT Dubai has become a comprehensive ecosystem for talent development, capacity building, and innovation. It stands as an academic pillar supporting Dubai’s long-term economic and social aspirations, in line with the vision of our wise leadership to establish a diversified, knowledge-based economy built on data and advanced technologies”, His Excellency added.

His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, stated: "Our agreement with RIT Dubai is a cornerstone of DIEZ's vision to build a top-of-class economic and knowledge-based ecosystem in the UAE and across the region. This collaboration is an important contribution to the development of impactful opportunities and empowering a new generation of future-ready leaders and thought leaders".

“We consider RIT Dubai a key component of long-term economic infrastructure, serving as a launchpad for entrepreneurial ideas and a driver of research and development culture. Its mission aligns closely with Dubai’s strategic priorities at both the local and national levels, particularly in the areas of digital transformation, smart energy, and sustainable urban development,” His Excellency continued.

Dr. Yousef Al-Assaf, President of RIT Dubai, said: “RIT Dubai continues its steady growth as a center of educational excellence that fosters creativity and strengthens applied research partnerships across various sectors. These efforts enable us to remain an integral part of Dubai’s academic and economic landscape”.

"While we are launching new programs in disciplines such as artificial intelligence, integrative design, health informatics, health management, advertising, and public relations, driven by changing market needs, this marks our ongoing commitment to academic innovation, to make sure that all RIT Dubai graduates are ambassadors of excellence, knowledge, and a sustainable future", he added.

This year's graduates undertook 15 programs of study consisting of eight undergraduate and seven postgraduate degrees. Undergraduate studies involved electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, marketing, global business administration, finance, cybersecurity, and computing and information technology. Postgraduate graduates were in data analysis, smart cities, future foresight and planning, mechanical engineering, engineering management, electrical engineering, and cybersecurity.

This graduation rite is the end of an achieving academic path. Since it was founded in 2010, RIT Dubai has graduated over 2,100 alumni from its bachelor's, master's, and diploma courses.
In the ongoing academic year, RIT Dubai introduced a new bachelor's program in modern media design, one of the newest specialized courses intended to prepare students with interactive and platform design expertise.

To complement these initiatives, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum has just endorsed the second stage of RIT Dubai campus expansion project. The AED 313 million project covers a construction site of over 85,000 square meters and will increase the total built-up area of the campus to over 124,000 square meters, up from a 217% increase above its existing size.

This expansion will raise the university's capacity to about 4,500 students, an increase of 115 percent. It will comprise nine new academic and administrative buildings, and state-of-the-art learning facilities, further establishing the Institute as a hub of global innovation and scientific research.

The Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) will implement the expansion project in two phases. The first phase is scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2027, while the second phase is expected to conclude by the third quarter of 2028. Upon completion, the total investment in RIT Dubai’s campus infrastructure since its inception will exceed AED 520 million.

RIT Dubai is a proud extension of the high-reputation Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) of New York, and with it comes a rich tradition of high-quality academic excellence spanning almost 200 years. RIT Dubai has since established itself as a pioneering education center since its founding in Dubai, providing specialized courses in engineering, IT, business administration, psychology, and soon digital media design.

RIT Dubai offers American-accredited degrees accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education, and students also have the rare chance to study at RIT's Rochester campus in New York or any of its international campuses, further enhancing their learning experience and broadening their global opportunities

With state-of-the-art laboratories dedicated to pioneering research in AI, cybersecurity, robotics, and smart energy, RIT Dubai continues to strengthen its role as a hub for innovation and advanced technology. The Institute is committed to delivering forward-thinking educational programs that align with Dubai’s vision of becoming a global leader in knowledge and the digital economy, ensuring that students are well-prepared to meet the evolving demands of tomorrow’s workforce.