New project unveiled today,with presence of sheikh Mohammed,probably a big academic city that will house large numbers of universities from around the world,the cost of the projest is DHS 10bn and guess what it's already UC. :runaway:

everybody knows about it, but nothing official happened as of now

wheres this going to located? dubailand?

^^Near Wafi City, I heard.

Isn't this going to be similar to Dubai Knowledge Village?..this is just getting crazy.

There are already signs to academic city, on the Hatta road. in fact they even feature in the fil syriana!

i think Knowlege village is moving out there soon aswell.

WHY CANT THEY JUS PUT KNOWLEDGE AND ACADEMIC CITY INTO ONE BIG EDUCATION CITY!

http://www.gulfnews.com/images/06/04/30/01_nation_students_4.jpg


Dubai Academic City promises to be global destination

By Bassam Za'za', Staff Reporter


Dubai: Dubai Academic City will create a global academic destination that provides all institutions housed in it with opportunities for communication, experience-sharing and cooperation to utilise latest technologies and processes, said a senior official.

"DAC will give its students access to all the available academic sources. It is set to be a way of life with its potential and facilities. Students and faculty will be able to study, work and lead a full-fledged life within the campus which is a miniature depiction of the greater Dubai life," Ahmad Bin Byat, Chairman of Dubai Education Council (DEC), told a crowd of academicians and Dubai-based university directors at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel on Sunday.

Speaking at DAC's official launching, Bin Byat said DAC will provide ample opportunity for interaction regionally and locally by cultivating programmes that are more in tune with developmental requirements in the region and decrease the expanding gap between them and the qualified human resources.

This new global academic destination will service a variety of local, Arab and international institutions, universities, training, research and excellence centres.

The launch comes as part of an ongoing Dubai government initiative to invest in the development of human capital through quality international higher education and training, he said.

Investments for this project, built on a 129 million square foot campus, are forecast to exceed Dh12 billion and will be allocated to different development phases, according to the project's master plan. The development is set for completion in 2012.

Programmes offered will be specialised courses that cater to the needs of the different booming economic sectors in Dubai and the region, he added.

Dr Abdullah Al Karam, DEC's Secretary General and Chief Executive of Knowledge Village, told Gulf News, "It is about time to take higher education to a next step and provide the full academic experience for universities, faculty and students."

Education
Some of the varsities to be based there

- Zayed University

- Dubai Men's College

- Dubai University College

- University of Wollongong

- British University in Dubai

- American University in Dubai

- Harriot Watt University

- Al Ghurair University

- Dubai Police Officers' Academy

- Dubai Aviation College

- UAE Academy of Hospitality

- Azad University

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Education/10036837.html

so it does include knowlege village.

are they going to demolish AUD??

Hell no way! That is one of the most beautiful buildings in the whole of Dubai.

i heard they r indeed going to demolish KV, but i can't remember the reasons.

ah now i do, they want to build more media city towers there, i think it was altin who told us.

TECOM CEO have said that KV will be used for training centers and those sort of stuff

They cant possibly demolish KV... They just built it less than 3 years ago! And from what I understand, they are currently expanding it too!

i think i might wanna study abroad with this project in the pipeline

speakin of studyin, how many students do dubai have and how many are from abroad?

http://i3.tinypic.com/xolkc1.jpg

good project.

wow, should be one hell of a university campus

maybe the largest worldwide

^^ i was thinking the same thing D-L...

is there a bigger render?

wow, should be one hell of a university campus

maybe the largest worldwide

:lol: I seriously doubt that Dennis!

I don't really get this, is this just a designated area where unis can set up and stuff? Will the unis build their own buildings and res apartments for students, etc? Also will they be any good?

It's weird that projects like al bawadi always make big news but others like these go almost unheard of. 150000 students is loads! That's almost as if my whole city were a university :D

150K is definitely a big number... but it cannot be the largest university campus in the world because it's not a university campus! It will be a cluster of small university campuses... imagine a larger version of Knowledge Village.

I seriously doubt the universities will be of international standard looking at the current standard of Knowledge Village

I thought that Knowledge Village had affliations/branches with the likes of Imerpial College London and Harvard... are these just fronts?

i *think* theres also gonna be the new dess secondary school there...(people in dubai wud probably kno what dess stands for..)

Naz you have to visit these "Imperial College" and "LSE" branches to see what I mean... pathetic is what it is... shud be named the Fake Village of Education

UAE Academy of Hospitality Management? Is it related anyhow to the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management?!

Also: About Knowledge Village, since it is a free zone then unis do not have to be registered/accredited by the ministry, ism't that right? If it is, then that explains the lack of quality there

IMT opens its first overseas campus at the Dubai Academic City (DAC).
THE NR EYE: Admissions: NRI students pushed to the wall
Web posted at: 6/11/2006 3:55:52
Source ::: The Peninsula/ by Moiz Mannan

Even as he is embroiled in an unsavoury controversy over the issue of reservations in premier institutions, India’s Minister for Human Resource Development, Arjun Singh, had some heartening statements to make during his recent tour of the Gulf.

The whole of India is currently seized of the matter regarding a proposed hike in the number of seats set aside for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in leading institutions like the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

Dh500m campus to be built at university city

http://www.gulfnews.com/images/06/07/27/27_ae_campus_mohd01_4.jpg
Shaikh Mohammad chose the design out of three models presented to him by Obaid Al Tayer, Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has approved a design for the University of Dubai campus which will be built at the university city on the Emirates Ring Road.

Shaikh Mohammad has chosen the design out of three models presented to him by Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).

Al Tayer said a two million square foot plot had been allocated for the University of Dubai (DoU) of which 450,000 square feet will be occupied by buildings.

"A tender will be announced before the end of the year. The Dh500 million project will be executed in two phases with each one accommodating 5,000 students, taking the total student body to 10,000," he added.

The UoD, previously known as Dubai University College, is being financially and administratively supervised by the DCCI.

Meanwhile, Shaikh Mohammad was briefed on a study conducted by the DCCI on the consumer price index (CPI) which is key to gauging the inflation rate accurately using international standards.

It also measures the average change in the prices of commodities and services quarterly. It is an important mechanism to monitor average real economic growth.

^^ Does this one deserve its own thread? It's going to be Dubai's primary university.. probably as important and as prestigious as Al Ain Univeristy

^^ we can make this thread a discussion thread like DubaiLand and give each universirty a dedictated thread (when we get their information)

There is a university in Tehran, Iran with an enrollment of 850,000 students. (about the same as the entire population of Qatar!)

Construction of permanent campus at Academic City for BITS, Pilani, Dubai

BITS, Pilani - Dubai Campus, since its inception six years back, has grown 20 times in the past six years in its students' strength with corresponding growth in the number of programmes and faculty.

http://www.ameinfo.com/images/news/7/31377-BITSpilaniNewCampusUnveilin.jpg
Left to right: Mr. Syed M. Salahuddin, Managing Director, ETA-Ascon Group, Dr. S.Venkateswaran, Adviser to BITS, Pilani, Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director, Dubai Academic City, Mr. Hemant Kumar, Member, Governing Council, BITS, Pilani - Dubai Campus , Dr. M. Ramachandran, Director, BITS, Pilani - Dubai

It has been operating from Knowledge Village since the year 2003 and it has been its cherished goal to move to its own campus in Academic City.

The first major milestone of this goal is unveiling of the foundation stone by Mr Syed M. Salahuddin, Managing Director, ETA-Ascon Group, in a special function on 5th November 2006. The function was graced by Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director, Dubai Academic City, Dr. S.Venkateswaran, Adviser to BITS, Pilani, Dr. L.K. Maheshwari, Vice Chancellor, BITS, Pilani, Dr. M. Ramachandran, Director, BITS, Pilani - Dubai, Mr M. Riazuddin, Director, ETA-NET and a host of important dignitaries.

Dr. K.K. Birla, Chancellor, BITS, Pilani and Chairman of Governing Council, BITS, Pilani - Dubai set his vision for the institute: "we are committed to quality education and with this new campus BITS, Pilani - Dubai will grow further and become an important centre of excellence. We thank the Knowledge Village for allotting this land and also encouraging our activities. We also thank them for developing the Dubai Academic City with all the necessary infrastructure facilities so that our institute will be able to function properly. I commend Mr. Salahuddin, Managing Director, ETA-Ascon Group, for his commitment in building this campus which will go a long way for educational development in this part of the world."

The construction of the campus of BITS, Pilani - Dubai at Academic City will be completed by July 2007. It will be spread over 14 acres and will consist of an academic block, a Sports Complex and an Entertainment Complex along with the student hostels for boys and girls. It will have the distinction of being the first private institution to build its own campus in the Academic City.

The campus has been designed to accommodate 2000 students who will pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in Engineering, Management and Allied disciplines. The state-of-the-art construction will be best suited for conducive teaching in terms of seating, lighting, and acoustics. The hostels will have a capacity for 1200 students and the auditorium will accommodate 2000 students.

Dr. L.K. Maheshwari, Vice Chancellor, BITS, Pilani, in his speech said: "we are happy with our initiatives for the permanent campus of BITS, Pilani - Dubai in the Academic City. Our philosophy has always been to encourage excellence and we believe that BITS, Pilani -Dubai Campus will become a significant centre of knowledge. India has led the basic tenet of universal brotherhood and we are very pleased to extend our friendly ties with Dubai by enhancing higher educational facilities in this city."

The essence of the spirit of BITS, Pilani in its knowledge- transfer expertise and ETA-Ascon in its construction expertise will be personified in the Academic City campus of BITS, Pilani. The Knowledge Village authorities have always been totally supportive and cooperative in making this dream come true. BITS, Pilani - Dubai had the distinction of being the first major institution to operate from Knowledge Village from June 2003.

The BITS, Pilani - Dubai permanent campus will go a long way in meeting the aspirations of the student community of UAE and GCC countries to pursue quality higher education programmes of international standards, in their own place at very affordable cost.

Construction of permanent campus at Academic City for BITS, Pilani, Dubai

BITS, Pilani - Dubai Campus, since its inception six years back, has grown 20 times in the past six years in its students' strength with corresponding growth in the number of programmes and faculty.

http://www.ameinfo.com/images/news/7/31377-BITSpilaniNewCampusUnveilin.jpg
Left to right: Mr. Syed M. Salahuddin, Managing Director, ETA-Ascon Group, Dr. S.Venkateswaran, Adviser to BITS, Pilani, Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director, Dubai Academic City, Mr. Hemant Kumar, Member, Governing Council, BITS, Pilani - Dubai Campus , Dr. M. Ramachandran, Director, BITS, Pilani - Dubai

It has been operating from Knowledge Village since the year 2003 and it has been its cherished goal to move to its own campus in Academic City.

The first major milestone of this goal is unveiling of the foundation stone by Mr Syed M. Salahuddin, Managing Director, ETA-Ascon Group, in a special function on 5th November 2006. The function was graced by Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director, Dubai Academic City, Dr. S.Venkateswaran, Adviser to BITS, Pilani, Dr. L.K. Maheshwari, Vice Chancellor, BITS, Pilani, Dr. M. Ramachandran, Director, BITS, Pilani - Dubai, Mr M. Riazuddin, Director, ETA-NET and a host of important dignitaries.

Dr. K.K. Birla, Chancellor, BITS, Pilani and Chairman of Governing Council, BITS, Pilani - Dubai set his vision for the institute: "we are committed to quality education and with this new campus BITS, Pilani - Dubai will grow further and become an important centre of excellence. We thank the Knowledge Village for allotting this land and also encouraging our activities. We also thank them for developing the Dubai Academic City with all the necessary infrastructure facilities so that our institute will be able to function properly. I commend Mr. Salahuddin, Managing Director, ETA-Ascon Group, for his commitment in building this campus which will go a long way for educational development in this part of the world."

The construction of the campus of BITS, Pilani - Dubai at Academic City will be completed by July 2007. It will be spread over 14 acres and will consist of an academic block, a Sports Complex and an Entertainment Complex along with the student hostels for boys and girls. It will have the distinction of being the first private institution to build its own campus in the Academic City.

The campus has been designed to accommodate 2000 students who will pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in Engineering, Management and Allied disciplines. The state-of-the-art construction will be best suited for conducive teaching in terms of seating, lighting, and acoustics. The hostels will have a capacity for 1200 students and the auditorium will accommodate 2000 students.

Dr. L.K. Maheshwari, Vice Chancellor, BITS, Pilani, in his speech said: "we are happy with our initiatives for the permanent campus of BITS, Pilani - Dubai in the Academic City. Our philosophy has always been to encourage excellence and we believe that BITS, Pilani -Dubai Campus will become a significant centre of knowledge. India has led the basic tenet of universal brotherhood and we are very pleased to extend our friendly ties with Dubai by enhancing higher educational facilities in this city."

The essence of the spirit of BITS, Pilani in its knowledge- transfer expertise and ETA-Ascon in its construction expertise will be personified in the Academic City campus of BITS, Pilani. The Knowledge Village authorities have always been totally supportive and cooperative in making this dream come true. BITS, Pilani - Dubai had the distinction of being the first major institution to operate from Knowledge Village from June 2003.

The BITS, Pilani - Dubai permanent campus will go a long way in meeting the aspirations of the student community of UAE and GCC countries to pursue quality higher education programmes of international standards, in their own place at very affordable cost.

c'mon. its not at all affordable. tution fee is high plus living cost, university charge and etc...................:cheers: :bash:

Worker dies as roof collapses in Academic City

http://www.gulfnews.com/images/07/01/16/17_ae_building_collapse01_4.jpg


Dubai: One worker was killed and four suffered moderate injuries on Tuesday when the roof of a parking lot under construction caved in at Academic City.

A police official told Gulf News the roof of the second floor of the parking lot collapsed, killing one man as he took an afternoon nap. The incident occurred at 1.10pm.

The body of Inayathul Haq, 26, a plumber, was still under the rubble until late in the evening.

Dubai Police rescue teams were trying to extricate the body. Workers who saw the accident said there was a loud bang when the roof caved in.

"All of us rushed to the spot but we could not get down to rescue the men who were trapped inside," said a worker.

Another worker said: "Soon after the loud bang, there was deadly silence. We waited anxiously to hear sounds of those trapped underneath the rubble. It was very scary. I was relieved to hear screams. Dubai police were here in no time and saved five of them."

A rescue official told Gulf News the rescue operation was delicate.

"It seems the roof did not have a solid support. This is because a part of the roof on which concrete was being poured caved in."

On whether salvage operations would be hampered after sunset, he said: "We have inspected the ground underneath the roof. My men are in there.

"Light will not pose a problem in the operation as the area has been well lit by us."

A project manager of the Sun Engineering and Contracting Company said: "We are very upset by the incident. It is very unfortunate. The man who was killed was sleeping under the roof. The injured have been taken to hospital."

Dubai Police's Rescue Department, Difficult Missions Team and officials from the operations room were part of the rescue operation which was supervised by Brigadier Dr Jasim Bel Rumaitha, Director of Dubai Police's Operations Room.

Police have started an investigation into the incident.

http://www.gulfnews.com/images/07/01/16/17_ae_building_collapse02_4.jpg

http://www.gulfnews.com/images/07/01/16/17_ae_building_collapse03_4.jpg

huu.. how said, i wonder how such a thing can happen.
very sad.

it seems like authorities reacted quickly and properly though, however the investigation should be done properly as well now to find the reasons.

Why do all the universities have to be in one campus? Why cant they be big buildings with their own separate grounds and sports areas?

I hope this belongs in here. I have seen the design before, but not with so much detail:

Dubai University:

http://thenoblearchitect.com/architecturedesign/designconcept.html


http://thenoblearchitect.com/architecturedesign/clientpresentationimage.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/overseas/uae-dubai/dubai/page-6/property-14380078

first add for student housing one of 5 blocks to be built

Michigan State University to establish branch campus in Dubai International Academic City


In an unprecedented effort to drive higher education to world class standards, Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), a member of TECOM Investments, and Michigan State University (MSU), top ranked US public Tier I research university, announced today a collaboration to establish a not-for-profit regional branch campus in Dubai.

http://www.ameinfo.com/images/news/0/46020-michigan.jpg
Lou Anna K. Simon, President of Michigan State University, and Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director of Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Village, signing the agreement in East Lansing, Michigan, U.S., to establish an MSU campus in Dubai.

MSU in Dubai will offer a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs spread across various subjects. Several degree options are being considered for offer in areas as diverse as media, communications, public relations, computer engineering, construction management, family studies, business cognates, and others.

The joint initiative is in line with the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 and the emerging higher education needs of the region. Graduates of MSU in Dubai will receive exactly the same degree as students graduating from the East Lansing Michigan campus.

MSU in Dubai is a DIAC initiative. With a mission to support Dubai's knowledge economy and its exceptional growth, DIAC's partnership with Michigan State University will establish MSU in Dubai as a centre for new knowledge generation, providing world class higher education and research facilities for outreach to the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa.

Abdullatif Al Mulla, CEO of TECOM Investments, said: 'Our goal is to help develop Dubai into a world class higher education and research hub.'

Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director of Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Village, said: 'Establishing a campus in DIAC presents MSU with an extraordinary opportunity to expand its international presence and provide top quality education. For DIAC, it will fulfill our intention to offer students the opportunity to learn from leading MSU faculty. It will also allow them the same scope for achievement on par with students that graduate from East Lansing, Michigan.'

MSU in Dubai will be the first not-for-profit international higher education initiative in the UAE, offering equal higher education opportunities to students. The campus will bridge regional higher education needs while working with existing premier institutions of higher learning in the Emirate.

Christopher D.Wentzel, Senior Consultant for TECOM Investments, who led the negotiations with MSU said: 'MSU in Dubai plans to offer a broad academic spectrum of degrees, providing a unique opportunity for students to receive a top degree from a major U.S. research university, while staying closer to home in one of the most vibrant and growing economic hubs in the Middle East.

'This is a landmark initiative that will enhance the international higher education landscape - the not-for-profit MSU campus in Dubai International Academic City strongly reflects MSU's commitment to provide nothing less than world-class education and research in the region.'

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said: 'Michigan State University is excited about expanding its international presence to this important region. This development can significantly advance our strategic priority of internationalizing the University and expand our teaching and research capabilities, while simultaneously advancing our vision of defining a world-grant university.'

MSU will have full academic authority and quality control over courses and programs. MSU's regular course, program, degree, admissions, and accreditation requirements will be maintained to the highest standard. Multiple MSU colleges and schools will be involved in the initiative. MSU in Dubai is also exploring options for scholarships and endowment grants for qualified students with unique scholarship opportunities for UAE nationals.

Michigan State University is amongst the top public research universities worldwide and has over 150 years of success in attracting and shaping talented individuals. MSU has long been ranked with Harvard, Yale, MIT, UMASS and others as a Carnegie Foundation Research I University, offering a full range of academic programs from Undergraduate to Doctorate degrees.

MSU degrees and professional schools have a great tradition of praise amongst university rankers such as the U.S. News and World Report and The Wall Street Journal.

I 've never heard most of the names you guys list. so the new project means
I might apply for further study in the future?

^^ The names of the universities listed are pathetic ( no offense to anyone who attended any of them). Its more than obvious that they're having issues getting some good names on that list...

^^ Is Michigan State University pathetic too?

Education Conference in Norway Spotlights Dubai International Academic City

http://www.gowealthy.com/images/news/news_2916_2_8.jpg


George Saad, Head of Commercial and Alliances for Dubai Knowledge Village addressing the European Association for International Education (EAIE) conference held in Trondheim, Norway.


George Saad, Head of Commercial and Alliances for Dubai Knowledge Village has made a speech in the recently concluded 19th annual convention of the European Association for International Education (EAIE) held in Trondheim, Norway, from 12-15 September. He said that with increased mobility of information and a multicultural work force, information and knowledge are steadily replacing capital and energy as the primary wealth-creating assets in the UAE. Campus locations such as the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) and Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV) attract the best minds and provide them with the most productive environments in which to collaborate with one another.

Dubai Knowledge Village, the regional educational hub and a member of TECOM Investments, participated in the event as the gold sponsor, seeking to strengthen links with higher educational institutes in Europe. Earlier this year, Dubai Knowledge Village signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the EAIE to boost the development of international education in the UAE and the region.

Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director of Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City said: “The EAIE networking platform helped generate greater awareness about our clusters, attract potential business partners and collaborate with world class European universities.

“The event also helped us identify areas for knowledge exchange with leading institutes to help align our entities with global best practices, accreditations and programmes.”The EAIE conference in Norway will assist Dubai Knowledge Village’s mission to draw globally renowned institutions to the UAE to facilitate the creation of an information society with knowledge management as the critical asset.

Currently, leading European universities that have already established their campus in Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City include the European University College, Brussels, Belgium; Heriot Watt University, UK; Middlesex University, UK; Saint-Petersburg State University of Engineering and Economics, Russia; University of Exeter, UK; and Manchester Business School, UK.

The EAIE is a member-led organisation made up of individual members. It has a committed membership of more than 1600 international education professionals - from rectors to professors to international exchange coordinators. The EAIE is dedicated to serving and representing this membership.



R

^^ Is Michigan State University pathetic too?

No, Michigan State is a good reputable university.

^^ Is Michigan State University pathetic too?

No, its not bad, but nothing impressive... at least not impressive enough to balance what else is on that list :S

let me put it in prospective, MSU ranks 75th in the world, 70th in USA, (from wikipedia), i rekon, you need atleast one in the top 20 for dubai acadamic citiy to make some kind ofa statment.

Anyone know whats happening with this project?are there any universities getting built out there now?

Anyone know whats happening with this project?are there any universities getting built out there now?

Can somebody point me to the "knowledge village" thread plz?[if there is one]

In my opinion Sharjah University City (http://education.theemiratesnetwork.com/zones/sharjah_university_city.php) is better. All the universities from Dubai Knowledge Village (http://education.theemiratesnetwork.com/zones/dubai_knowledge_village.php) will shift to Dubai International Academic City (http://education.theemiratesnetwork.com/zones/dubai_academic_city.php), so i can say that is one advantage of Dubai Academic City is that it has a dedicated freezone area for foreign universities. The assumption is that DAC will be completed in 2012 but DIAC will be finished in 2015, so that is a long way to go.

What is the difference between DAC and DIAC and where is DIAC?
DAC which is next to Silicon Oasis has nothing going on there right now so how can it be completed by 2012?

Academic City housing to be powered by windmills

http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2009/5/PublishingImages/5_27_2009/eb24_riximanight_27_small.jpg

on Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The Dh1.2 billion student accommodation in Dubai International Academic City (Diac) could become one the first developments in Dubai to have its power sourced from windmills, according to Rixima Development.

Spread over 1.3 million square feet with 1,400 plus units, the project will include studio apartments and single bedroom accommodation. Construction work on the first phase is expected to be completed by 2011.

The development is currently in negotiations with Tecom for licensing to operate the windmills.

"There is a lot of wind here. Based on our studies, it is enough to generate sufficient electricity for evening and night use," said Zoltan Katana, Managing Director of Rixima Apartments.

He said Rixima plans to build five windmills. "The actual number is still being negotiated with Tecom for licensing. Each windmill will be built at a cost of Dh25 million," he added.

According to Katana the idea is to maximise the sustainable initiatives and inculcate those habits within the student and the academic community. "We are not merely worried about attaining Leed criteria. Our idea is not to merely earn Leed points or ratings. We want to move beyond the rating initiatives and adopt practical solutions that will make the building truly sustainable," he added. "We believe these are the solutions that can make the buildings green and add to the accumulation of green points."

The development will also have tanks built about 15 metres underground to utilise the geothermal cold.

"In Europe, we are using geothermal heat whereas here we can use geothermal cold. At 15 metres below the ground, the temperature today is 17 degrees. We are looking towards this solution so that the water can be used for air conditioning," he said. "The water tank will have a capacity to store water for almost four days. This will also be helpful in emergencies."

The development will be built in phases. "Currently, we are building the first phase. This will involve the construction of three buildings with seven floors each and basement parkings."

18/10/09
already a few buildings up, few are also completed and used.
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/3020/academiccity.png

Like many of the projects around Dubai this one seems to be going nowhere.

investing in education can't be a mistake.. It has been a long-term project anyway so I don't think its progress is negative.

investing in education can't be a mistake.. It has been a long-term project anyway so I don't think its progress is negative.

Thats the point,there hasn't been much progress.

Heriot-Watt begins Dh200m expansion

Dubai:The Heriot-Watt University Dubai campus is expanding to a Dh200 million new development set to open in September 2011, to accommodate a student body three times its current size.
At the ground-breaking ceremony of the 28,000 square metre campus yesterday, officials said the expansion was to cater to regional demand for quality education in Dubai.

"We are witnessing the expansion of our student population, last year it grew by 30 per cent, which is evidence we have reached full capacity at our current campus," said Professor Amar Kaka, Deputy-Head of the Dubai campus.

"This [the ground-breaking ceremony] is not just a celebration of our achievement but a serious commitment to our future in Dubai as we will be using this campus for many years to come," he added.
The state-of-the-art campus, located at Dubai International Academic City — not far from the current campus, will accommodate an extra 3,000 enrolment, totalling a student capacity of 4,500.
On offer

It will also see Heriot-Watt's Dubai campus expand its course offerings to include: architectural engineering, interior design, logistics and supply chain management, applied psychology, food science, health and safety, financial risk management, graphic design and international law.

Kaka said the evident success of Heriot-Watt Dubai campus' success amidst an economic downturn is due to the quality of education on offer and its reasonable fees. "We deliver top quality education that prepares students for immediate employment at reasonable fees…the Dubai campus is not a cash cow, we are here to educate people," Kaka said.

Average fees at Heriot-Watt's Dubai campus are just under Dh45,000, for which its civil engineering students will witness first-hand the progress of the new campus.

"We have our own project we can have full access to and make use of for educational purposes," Kaka said.

"The intention is to involve students in regular site visits to see how foundations are laid and also take concrete samples," he added.

The university has also developed a new module to study the vast amounts of waste generated in construction.


source: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/education/heriot-watt-begins-dh200m-expansion-1.653077