Dubai: IIM Ahmedabad to open first overseas campus in 2025–26

Dubai: The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad) will open its first international campus in Dubai in the 2025–26 academic year.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, July 2, by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which oversees private education in the emirate. The move is part of Dubai’s plan to attract top universities and grow its reputation as a global education hub.

This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IIM Ahmedabad and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government in April. At the time, India’s Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called it “a proud moment for India’s higher education,” highlighting it as a step forward in the globalisation of Indian institutions under the National Education Policy (NEP).

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“This collaboration will open new vistas for learning, innovation and empowering future leaders for global good,” he said in a post on X. “IIM Ahmedabad’s presence in Dubai will drive prosperity and economic development in the region and further strengthen India-UAE relations.”

Ranked 27th globally in Business and Management by the QS World University Rankings by Subject, IIM Ahmedabad is one of three new institutions joining the city’s higher education sector. The American University of Beirut and Saudi Arabia’s Fakeeh College for Medical Sciences will also launch campuses in the same academic year.

Three new international universities are set to open campuses in Dubai during the 2025-26 academic year, Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) said. The universities confirmed to begin operations include the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad from… pic.twitter.com/r7ipRHGqcI

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 2, 2025

“These expansions align with Dubai’s vision of becoming a global centre for quality education,” said Dr Wafi Dawood, CEO of KHDA’s Strategic Development Sector.

These additions additions support the emirate’s Education 33 Strategy and Economic Agenda D33, which aim to improve academic offerings, attract global talent, and increase student enrolment.

Currently, Dubai hosts 41 international higher education providers, 37 of which are branch campuses. In the 2024–25 academic year, the city witnessed a 29 percent growth in international student enrolments, reaching an all-time high of 42,026 students.

Top international universities in Dubai

Several Dubai-based branch campuses are ranked highly in the QS World University Rankings 2026, including:

• University of Manchester Dubai – ranked 35th globally
• University of Birmingham Dubai – ranked 76th
• Curtin University Dubai – ranked 183rd
• University of Wollongong in Dubai – ranked 184th

Other institutions ranked by subject include London Business School (7th in Business and Management), ESCP (54th), and Instituto Marangoni (51–100 in Art and Design).

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