IIM Ahmedabad inaugurates Dubai Campus with First MBA Cohort of 35

Digital Desk

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has officially launched its first international campus at Dubai International Academic City, marking a milestone in India-UAE educational collaboration. The inauguration on September 13, 2025, was presided over by His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, alongside India’s Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Ambassador Sunjay Sudhir.

Aligned with Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy to rank among the top ten global student destinations by 2033, the new campus embodies the ethos “Indian in spirit, global in outlook,” as highlighted by Minister Pradhan at the ceremony. The 30-acre facility will initially host a one-year, full-time MBA programme structured across five terms, designed to equip global professionals and entrepreneurs with advanced management education and international exposure.

The inaugural cohort comprises 35 students—27 male (77.1%) and 8 female (22.9%)—representing diverse sectors such as banking, financial services, insurance, consulting, information technology, manufacturing, and healthcare. IIM-A plans to establish two Centres of Excellence in its first year: one specializing in case writing and development, and the other focusing on start-up incubation. Additional programmes are expected in subsequent years as the campus scales.

Last year, IIT Delhi opened its Abu Dhabi campus offering BTech programmes in Computer Science and Energy Engineering to 52 students, underscoring India’s expanding footprint in Gulf higher education. Building on this momentum, IIM-A’s Dubai campus also unveiled an Atal Incubation Centre and launched PhD and BTech programmes in Chemical Engineering and Energy & Sustainability on September 10, 2025.

The Dubai campus positions IIM Ahmedabad to attract global talent, foster research, and drive innovation in management education. With strategic partnerships and cutting-edge facilities, it is poised to enhance India-UAE knowledge collaboration and reinforce Dubai’s role as a premier international learning hub.