The University of Birmingham will establish a campus in Dubai, within the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) free-zone.

In depth market research has been conducted and has identified a significant gap in the market. The university has been working closely with Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Agency (KHDA) over the last year and have already been granted approval to deliver a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. 

Plans are in place to open Phase 1 of the campus, using a refurbished building within the existing DIAC structure, which will open in late 2017, with teaching programmes commencing in September 2018 for an initial cohort of 250-300 students. The intention is to grow student numbers within the Phase 1 building up to 600, before moving into our own purpose-built Phase 2 campus in 2020. The Phase 2 campus will allow the university to grow at a greater pace by adding additional degree programmes, with a rapid ramp up to 4,500 by year 7. 

In order to deliver Phase 2 - the full campus in Dubai - the University is seeking a collaborator. The successful organization will finance and build the phase 2 campus, acquiring the already identified land from TECOM, building the campus itself and providing a long term leasehold arrangement for the University to take up occupation.

The estimated value os the project is £100 million (US$114 million). 

Deadline for submitting proposals is July, 17. Further information is available here.