Hamdan bin Mohammed opens first international campus of Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

Dubai, UAE, 12 September 2025: His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, opened the first international campus of the globally renowned business school, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) at Dubai International Academic City, part of TECOM Group PJSC.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum welcomed the prestigious institution to Dubai, noting that the opening of IIMA’s first international campus in the emirate reflects the deep-rooted ties and growing partnership between the UAE and India. He further said: “Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai is rapidly growing as a destination of choice for exceptional students and a global hub for talent, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The energy and ambition of our youth are the driving forces of Dubai’s future, and by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and values to succeed in a rapidly changing international environment, we are empowering them to lead with confidence.”

“Dubai continues to draw world-class universities as part of our commitment to advancing the higher education sector in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to position Dubai among the world’s top three urban economies, and the Education 33 Strategy, which aspires to make Dubai one of the world’s top 10 student cities by 2033. By fostering a vibrant, multicultural learning environment, we are building an education ecosystem that fuels sustainable development and prepares the next generation to create a brighter tomorrow for Dubai and the world,” His Highness added.

The inaugural ceremony held to mark the opening of the state-of-the-art Dubai Campus of IIMA was attended by His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications; Her Excellency Sara bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of Education; His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE; His Excellency Helal Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET); and Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

From the Indian side, the ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Government of India; His Excellency Sunjay Sudhir, the Ambassador of India to the UAE and senior officials of IIMA.

The establishment of the IIMA Dubai Campus has been made possible with the joint vision of the leadership of the Indian and Dubai governments. With the launch of its first international campus at Dubai International Academic City, IIMA has expanded its global presence in management education. The new campus aims to deliver world-class learning opportunities to aspiring leaders across the Middle East and neighbouring regions, while fostering rich cross-cultural exchange and academic collaboration. The Dubai campus is equipped with cutting-edge academic resources and modern amenities to support students’ learning needs.  

Addressing the audience on the occasion, His Excellency Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Government of India, said, “The inauguration of IIM Ahmedabad Dubai campus, by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is one more step towards globalisation of India’s education. A new milestone in India-UAE knowledge collaboration, Dubai has provided a perfect launchpad to the ethos of ‘Indian in spirit, global in outlook’ by hosting IIM Ahmedabad international campus.”

The first programme launched by the IIMA Dubai Campus is a full-time one-year MBA programme, designed to meet the advanced learning and upskilling requirements of global professionals and entrepreneurs seeking to enhance their management expertise. Structured across five terms, the programme will offer a rigorous academic experience and international exposure in a high-calibre learning environment that reflects the global standards of IIMA’s highly ranked MBA.    

Pankaj Patel, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIMA, said: “The launch of IIMA’s first international campus in Dubai is a proud milestone for the Institute and for Indian management education. By establishing a presence in one of the world’s most dynamic hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship, IIMA is extending its global footprint. This step strengthens our commitment to shaping future-ready leaders who can thrive in an interconnected world.”

“Dubai’s higher education sector is constantly evolving to ensure student readiness and equip emerging talent with the future-focused skills and competencies needed to lead a knowledge-based economy that fosters innovation,” said Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of TECOM Group PJSC. “Our Education Cluster, comprising Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai International Academic City, is attracting the world’s leading higher education institutions and universities, underpinned by ambitious national strategies and plans such as Education 33 Strategy (E33). Home to over 85% of students enrolled in private higher education institutions across Dubai, our Education Cluster is contributing towards talent development by uniting global academic leaders such as IIMA in our communities.”

In the first year of the Dubai Campus, IIMA also plans to establish two dedicated centres of excellence - one will focus on case writing and development, and the other on start-up incubation. As the campus grows, the Institute will offer more academic programmes in the coming years.