The University of Waterloo got one step closer to a Dubai campus, when its Senate voted Monday to “endorse [the plan] in principle.” U of W will operate “2+2 programs”: students will study in Dubai for two years and finish off their degrees in Waterloo. The United Arab Emirates campus’ initial programs will be chemical and civil engineering, starting in 2009. In 2010, IT management and finance will be added.
The university community raised questions about legal and cultural differences between Canada and the United Arab Emirates, including the UAE’s law against homosexuality and differences in women’s rights.
If U of W meets its enrolment targets, the Dubai programs would generate $22 million a year. The money would fund new math and engineering faculty positions, as well as construction projects for the Waterloo campus.
