Zayed University

Zayed University has campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and was founded in 1998 as a higher education institution for women.

In 2008, a new campus – the Sweihan campus – was opened in partnership with the UAE armed forces, and catering for about 200 male students for the first time.

The institution is named in honour of the founder and first president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and it is the newest state-sponsored university in the country. It was also the first government-sponsored institution to be internationally accredited (by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in US).

Zayed University comprises seven colleges, including the College of Business Sciences; College of Arts and Sciences; a College of Education; and the College of Communication and Media Studies.

In addition, its University College seeks to develop students’ critical thinking and quantitative reasoning, global awareness and information literacy skills.

In February 2016, the university launched the Zayed University Happiness Project, which aims to give students more self-confidence, increase their self-awareness and reduce stress.

The university has its own anthem, commissioned by His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, head of the UAE’s ministry for culture, youth and social development. The song is described by the university as “a reflection of the special place that the University holds in the hearts of its students and graduates”.

The lyrics describe how Sheikh Zayed established Zayed University in the pursuit of knowledge, and promises that its students will enjoy a bright and promising future.