It has been ranked as one of the top 200 universities in the world by The Times Higher Education Supplement - Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2006/2007.
In the 2007 edition of the Good Universities Guide UOW achieved an impressive five-star rating in the important categories of Positive graduate outcomes, Getting a job, Graduate starting salary, Educational experience: overall satisfaction, Educational experience: generic skills, Educational experience: overall experience and Staff qualifications. The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) has completed 15 years of delivering top-class Australian education in the UAE. It is one of the UAE’s oldest and most prestigious universities with a proud, Australian heritage. Since its foundation, the University has conferred more than 52,000 degrees, diplomas and certificates. Its student population, originally drawn predominantly from the local Illawarra region, is now comprised of students from over 70 countries with international students accounting for more than 30 per cent of total enrolments. The University of Wollongong has developed into a multi-campus institution. The main Wollongong campus is on the original site, 5 km north-west of the city centre and now covers an area of 82.4 hectares with 94 permanent buildings, including six student residences. The Dubai Campus in the United Arab Emirates was established in 1993 and the Shoalhaven Campus was opened in 2000 at Nowra on the New South Wales south coast. The University also offers courses in conjunction with partner institutions in a number of offshore locations including Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. The University has always had a strong research focus and has developed an international reputation for its applied research (often in partnership with industry or government) in areas relevant to national economic, technological and social goals. It is home to eight research institutes and three ARC Key Centres for teaching and research - in smart foods, bulk solids and particulate technologies and Asia Pacific social transformation studies.
UOW has developed as a State “Centre of Excellence” in telecommunications. It is one of the largest sites of information technology, multimedia and telecommunications research in the Southern Hemisphere. Other areas of expertise include superconductors, intelligent polymers, steel processing andproducts, microwave technology, biomedical research, medical radiation physics and environmental research. The University’s strength in collaborative research was acknowledged when in 1999 the University was announced joint winner of the Good Universities Guide ‘University of Year’ Award for 1999-2000 for its “Outstanding Research and Development Partnerships”.

In an unprecedented achievement, the University won the award a second time in 2000-2001 for its efforts in “Preparing Graduates for an E-world”. It thus conclusively reaffirmed its standing as an innovative university with the highest rating in the country for the employment of its graduates. The teaching, research and cultural life of the University is supported by state-of-theart facilities, including an extensive library collection, an interactive Science Centre, and a Recreation & Aquatic Centre. In late 2002, the University announced the establishment of a Wollongong Innovation Campus on a 20 hectare site at Brandon Park.

UOWD was established in 1993 by the University of Wollongong in Australia. UOWD represented a very early Australian initiative in the UAE. From a small beginning at Almullah Plaza, through its landmark presence at Jumeirah Beach Road and to its current location at Dubai Knowledge Village, UOWD is recognised as being an integral part of Dubai’s academic life.
The University of Wollongong in Dubai pursues distinction as a teaching and research University with a regional reputation for the quality of its student-centred undergraduate and graduate education. The University is committed to promoting academic excellence, producing students with the ability to think critically, creatively, become technologically literate and to communicate effectively.
UOWD is highly innovative in its approach to education, constantly updating its course material and introducing new programs, driven by the needs of a modern world, with a strong focus on regional requirements.
In March 2007, UOWD launched three new postgraduate programs in Engineering, Finance & Banking and Information Technology. Earlier in the year, it launched bachelor’s and master’s degrees in HR Management and the Master of Strategic Marketing. The University places considerable importance on academic research by creating a supporting environment, one that allows each faculty to pursue its academic interests, emphasising the academic areas of strength in which the University can gain a reputation for excellence.
The 15-year-reputation as an Australian university with a local touch has attracted students from diverse nationalities. Today, UOWD’s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are attended by students not only from the UAE and the Gulf, but the Indian Subcontinent and rest of the world. The university offers the following undergraduate courses: Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce (with specialization in Management, Marketing, Accounting, Finance or HR Management), Bachelor of Computer Science and Bachelor of Internet Science and Technology.
At the postgraduate level, UOWD offers MBA and other specialised degrees in International Business, Quality Management, Strategic Marketing, Strategic Human Resource Management, Finance and Banking, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Engineering Management and Information Technology Management. In addition, English and Arabic language courses and IELTS preparation and testing are available, along with CELTS teacher training.
“UOWD is focused on blending academic excellence with the requirements of a changing world,” says Professor Nicholas van der Walt, CEO, UOWD. “More than any other foreign university, we understand the specific needs of this market and we take measures to adapt our programs to meet these needs. That is why our students can be found in top positions across the UAE and the region.”
UOWD attaches major importance to identifying and encouraging outstanding performers. The university offers scholarships in academic and sports. In addition, the university offers scholarships for development of Emirati nationals as well as humanitarian scholarships as part of its contribution to the wider society. Nearly 40 students are currently benefiting from such scholarships.
Another outstanding feature of UOWD is its faculty staff, a mix of international and locally recruited academics who have extensive experience in classroom teaching as well as in business and industry.
At UOWD, a student can expect a vibrant social life on campus with facilities including a good court, an active student representative council, a dedicated career development centre, personal and academic counseling, a medical centre and a wellresourced library. No wonder, today over 2,500 students comprising more than 80 nationalities are currently enrolled at UOWD and e n joy a qua l i ty a c a demic experience.