Dubai, UAE, 14-May-2009: The British University in Dubai (BUiD) celebrated a record year following its largest graduating class to date, as postgraduate students from a range of disciplines received Masters Degrees and Postgraduate Diplomas today.

The graduation ceremony – held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, and Chancellor of The British University in Dubai – witnessed 53 students receiving their postgraduate awards, nearly one-third of whom are UAE nationals.

BUiD provides its students, which include young professionals, leading academic, corporate managers and aspiring leaders of all description, with the region’s first research-based postgraduate university experience, allowing the students to develop in-depth research and developmental skills that can be applied for their current and future career progression.

“Now more than ever, applicants holding postgraduate awards in higher education have better job experiences, opportunities and prospects,” said Dr Abdullah Alshamsi, Vice-Chancellor, The British University in Dubai.

“With the UAE and the rest of the Middle East developing at a fast pace, graduate study in project management is an ideal programme choice for students looking to develop their careers in the region. At the same time, our suite of programmes addresses the full range of key management and leadership disciplines for a knowledge-based economy and society. I am confident that our graduates are bright leaders and we hope our degrees will encourage more UAE-based students to accelerate their career pathway by providing rigorous and advanced postgraduate studies,” added Alshamsi.

This year, more than 50 percent of the graduating students – and 80 percent of the Emirati graduates – completed their Master of Science in Project Management, a field that has seen a surge in the number of applicants in recent years.

In addition, for the first time BUiD witnessed graduates receiving Master of Science in Finance and Banking this year – another discipline attracting a growing number of students.

BUiD also graduated the first batch of students who completed their Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) as part of the ‘Teach in Dubai’ programme – a joint initiative between BUiD and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to encourage Emirati nationals (male and female) and Arab expatriates who live in the UAE to make a place for themselves in the education sector.

From the 2009 graduating class, 12 students – double the 2008 number – have passed their programmes with Distinction, the highest available award for Masters Degree students. For the Master of Science, Aamena Alshamsi and Suad Salem Al-shamsi– both UAE national – were awarded Distinction in Information Technology and Muna Abdelhakim Al Seeni in Project Management.

BUiD also awarded five outstanding students who completed their Master of Education with the highest Distinction of merit.

Companies that have sponsored employees to undertake research-based, post-graduate education and who are graduating this year include Arabtec, Dubai Police,TECOM, and Lloyds TSB.  In addition, scholarships were provided by Atkins, Emirates Foundation, KHDA, Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and BUiD Council.

“BUiD’s ongoing success is largely due to the commitment and support from our friends and founders, who include the Al Maktoum Foundation, the British Business Group, the Dubai Development and Investment Authority, the National Bank of Dubai, and Rolls-Royce and of course the university’s council members ” concluded Alshamsi.