Dubai, April 15th, 2010 (WAM) -- The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) announced the introduction of Bachelor of Engineering degree programs at the Spring Graduation Ceremony, in the presence of His Highness, Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Director General of the Dubai Department of Information.
Degrees were conferred on 237 undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Ceremony, which was also attended by His Excellency, Doug Trappett, Australian Ambassador to the UAE, Mr. Vince Lendrum, CEO of ITC, Dr Jim Langridge, former Chairman, UOWD Board of Trustees, Prof. Rob Whelan, President of UOWD, and other dignitaries. Delivering the welcome address, Prof. Rob Whelan said UOWD was proud to be committed to the national goals of the UAE and playing a leading role in the education of the countrys human capital. "Over the past 17 years, UOWD has been offering a high-quality Australian-based education in the UAE. We have already produced nearly 4,500 graduates. With todays ceremony, this number increases still further, and will exceed 5,000 by the end of 2010. This is a significant milestone for any university.""In another milestone, the Universitys proposal to offer Engineering degrees has now been reviewed by the UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation. We expect to welcome our first students into the Computer, Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering programs later this year, thus capitalising on the research strengths of our staff," Prof. Whelan added. The Bachelor of Engineering degree will be largely based on the strong, internationally recognized programs offered by the University of Wollongong in Australia, which are accredited by the Institute of Engineers Australia and the Washington Accord. Reflecting the multinational environment of UOWD, the graduation ceremony witnessed students of 31 different nationalities receiving their degrees, including students from the Seychelles, Cameroon, Eritrea, Finland, Rwanda, Azerbaijan and Trinidad & Tobago. Nearly 20 per cent of the graduates were Emiratis, a number that has been rising steadily over the years.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2010.
