Where is Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi is located in the heart of the Middle East, on the southwestern coast of the Gulf. Click here to see a map. It is the capital of both the emirate of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE is a federation of seven sheikhdoms or emirates: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain. After the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the region in 1971, the UAE was formed under the leadership of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the country, who died in 2004. Sheikh Zayed also ruled Abu Dhabi from 1966 until his death.
Abu Dhabi is the largest of the emirates in the UAE both in terms of physical area and population. It covers 87% of the country’s total area, and according to the 2005 census, Abu Dhabi has a population of 1.3 million, of which 27% are UAE citizens. Abu Dhabi's wealth rests on natural resources. Oil was discovered in the emirates in 1958. Abu Dhabi has 9% of the world’s crude oil resources and 5% of the world’s natural gas reserves. The emirate is actively diversifying its economy.
When will NYU Abu Dhabi open?
The first class of students will be admitted for the fall of 2010.
Where will the campus be located?
NYUAD will be located on Saadiyat Island, 500 meters off the coast of Abu Dhabi. The island, now undeveloped, is being planned for a population of 150,000 with a cultural district featuring several museums, including the Guggenheim Museum and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The precise site of the campus on Saadiyat Island has not yet been determined.
How will campus planning and construction proceed?
A master planning process will be launched to establish a physical and spatial framework for development of the campus. Design guidelines will develop a basic vocabulary for the campus; the guidelines will reflect underlying design goals, such as responsiveness to the climate, and address such issues as building materials and height. Individual buildings will then be designed by a variety of architects. Construction will begin once master planning and design have been completed. Throughout the planning, design and construction process, updated information and images will be available on the NYUAD website.
Will academic activities begin before the campus is completed?
The NYU Abu Dhabi Institute will sponsor public lectures, conferences, seminars for local students, and faculty colloquia beginning in 2008. Short courses may also be offered to regional students. The location of the Institute has not yet been determined. Further information about the NYUAD Institute is available on this website.
What is the projected student body?
Eventually, NYUAD is projected to have at least 2,000 undergraduate students and about 800 graduate students. The students will be drawn from all over the world and especially the broad Middle East.
Will NYU students enrolled at Washington Square be able to study at NYUAD?
Yes. Once NYUAD has opened, NYU students enrolled in New York may spend a semester studying at NYUAD, just as they can at NYU's other sites abroad.
Will students admitted to NYUAD be able to study at NYU Washington Square and other NYU global sites?
Yes. Students enrolled in NYUAD will be encouraged to study abroad for one or two terms at NYU in New York and one of the other NYU sites.
What degrees and programs will be offered at NYU Abu Dhabi?
NYUAD will offer comprehensive undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and specialized graduate programs. The university will offer two undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.). They will be NYU degrees.
Will NYUAD be co-educational?
NYUAD will co-educational. It will be open equally to male and female students, faculty, and staff. Classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and most other facilities will be fully co-educational. There will be student residences for men and student residences for women.
What will NYUAD's admissions policy be?
Students will be chosen based on their academic potential and qualifications according to the same standards governing admission at Washington Square and as determined by NYU’s Office of Admissions, without regard to race, religion, gender, nationality, or sexual orientation.
Will NYUAD have athletics?
NYUAD will have a rich program and the finest facilities for individual and team sports as well as personal fitness and athletic development.
How are UAE and the Abu Dhabi governed?
The hereditary rulers of the emirates form the UAE’s Supreme Council of Rulers, the body which sets federal policies. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was president of the council from the formation of the UAE in 1971 until his death in 2004.
Upon Sheikh Zayed's death, his oldest son, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan became ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the UAE. At the same time, his half-brother Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan became Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, which governs the emirate. The Crown Prince is also Commander of the Armed Forces of the UAE.