Dubai, January 6, 2011. Continuing in its tradition of firsts in the UAE, the American University in Dubai (AUD) recently added an accolade to its long list of successes with Assistant Professor of Architecture and Interior Design Prof. Alex Albani becoming the first person in the UAE to earn the Professional Certificate for Revit Architecture (BIM). Prof. Albani is also one of four in the UAE to earn the Associate Certificate for Revit Architecture (software used in Building Information Modeling - BIM). Offered to both Architecture and Interior Design students, BIM is taught at AUD as part of the Integrated Computational Design (ICD) concentration under the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design.

In terms of reckoning such news as an asset to the university's Architecture and Interior Design departments, Dr. Nabyl Chenaf, Chair and Associate Professor of Architecture and Interior Design at AUD, comments:

"Through this achievement, Prof. Albani has fast tracked AUD's Architecture and Interior Design students in their pursuit of excellence".

Reflecting on the professional and educational development dimensions of such an achievement, Prof. Albani states:

"It was a pleasant surprise when I learned I was the only one in the UAE so far who had earned the BIM Revit Architecture 2011 Professional Certificate. This is indeed a step forward which, eventually, will enable our own Interior Design and Architecture BIM students to become certified. We are confident that, in the near future, AUD will become authorized to award associate and professional certifications right here on campus. This, of course, will be a substantial added credential and advantage in the market place, for our Integrated Computational Design concentration and Architecture students".

Autodesk is a world leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software. The BIM certification has been developed not only to validate the skills and knowledge of candidates, but also to accelerate their professional development, improve their productivity and help their employers get the most out of their software investment. It thus strengthens the organization's competitiveness, a corporate standard which AUD has never ceased to uphold throughout its scope of professional progression.

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About AUD
The American University in Dubai (AUD) is a private, non-sectarian institution of higher learning founded in 1995. It serves UAE nationals and international students who seek world-class career-oriented education. AUD, as an international institution of higher education, encourages global understanding by providing an atmosphere of cultural diversity and opportunities for an international education.

AUD is accredited by the Commission on Colleges (COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award Bachelor's and Master's degrees.   

AUD is officially licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry has accredited the university's programs in Architecture, Business Administration (both undergraduate and graduate), Communication and Information Studies, Engineering, Information Technology, Visual Communication and Interior Design, in addition to a Certificate in Middle Eastern Studies program.

AUD holds an Agent's License issued by the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission (Washington, DC, USA), and is approved to operate by the State of Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (NPEC).

AUD has received specialized accreditation for its Bachelor's of Business Administration (B.B.A.), and Master's of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree programs in business through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). The university's undergraduate concentrations in Marketing Communications and Advertising (Creative) have been accredited by the International Advertising Association (IAA) in New York.

All programs (i.e., Civil, Computer, and Electrical Engineering) of AUD's School of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The Bachelor of Information Technology (B.I.T.) program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.

For more information, please visit www.aud.edu.

For more information, please contact
Ms. Rim Ibrahim
Marketing Communications Coordinator
American University in Dubai
T. +971 4 3183 139
E. ribrahim@aud.edu

© Press Release 2011