IIM Ahmedabad, UAE Govt Partner for Dubai MBA Programme

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Mumbai on April 8 to create the IIMA Dubai Campus. The branch will additionally provide a one-year full-time MBA program.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director of IIMA, and Helal Saeed Almarri, the Director General of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, witnessed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and UAE Minister of Defence; along with Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.

The initial program at the IIMA Dubai Campus will provide a full-time one-year MBA designed for professionals and entrepreneurs. Entry into this program will occur through a two-step procedure reliant on the standardized GMAT/GRE score obtained in the past five years.

The course will last five terms and aims to deliver academic knowledge along with international experience. IIM Ahmedabad announced that the admission process will commence shortly. The initial group is set to commence in September 2025.

According to the press release, the IIMA campus in Dubai will be set up in two stages. During the initial phase, the UAE government will offer space at the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). During the second stage of campus development, IIMA will receive land designated for the establishment of a permanent campus, which will become operational in 2029.

Emphasizing the importance of this achievement, Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director of IIMA, stated, “Our goal is to deliver top-notch management education to future leaders in the Middle East and nearby areas." I believe this collaboration will establish new standards for academic and research partnerships in Asia and the Middle East. Dubai provides unmatched chances to interact with industry leaders, global companies, and fast-growing startups. Our establishment in Dubai will enhance our services in India, and collectively, these two campuses will propel us to leadership in management. For the past 20 years, we have successfully expanded our full-time One-year MBA program, and it will be the inaugural program offered at the Dubai Campus.