Canadian University Dubai

Canadian University Dubai opened in 2006 to carry the Canadian model of higher education into the United Arab Emirates. It grew out of a partnership between Centennial College and Athabasca University and was established under Chancellor Buti Saeed Al Ghandi and President Prof. Karim Chelli. It now occupies an expanded campus in Dubai’s City Walk district.

Faculties cover Architecture and Interior Design; Communication, Arts and Sciences; Engineering, Applied Science and Technology; and Management. Architecture, Interior Design, Communication, Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Industries sit alongside business majors, while graduate study includes a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, a Master of Science in Design Innovation for Circular Economy and a Doctor of Business Administration.

Teaching is practice-based and industry-informed, built on work-related skills and applied research alongside senior faculty, with a student business incubator and the option of starting in Dubai before transferring with credit to a Canadian partner. The community represents over 120 nationalities across more than 30 accredited programmes, and CUD ranks first in Dubai in the QS World University Rankings 2027, holding five-star QS Stars status.