Established in 2005, it was one of the first campus of an overseas university to open in Dubai International Academic City. After 180 years' provision of world-renowned education in the UK, Heriot-Watt was invited to Dubai to provide specialised programmes in the fields of management, engineering, built environment, food science and fashion.
The modern campus enhances further the student experience with a digitally enabled learning environment supporting the delivery of the University’s portfolio of programmes including data science, computing and AI, business, accounting and finance, psychology, architecture and design, construction and engineering. It includes a dedicated student hub, a central student services centre, enhanced library and social learning spaces, as well as a wide range of digitally enhanced classrooms, seminar rooms, studios, and laboratories.
The Centre for Excellence in Smart and Sustainable Construction is undertaking internationally recognised research and industry engagement from our Dubai Campus, providing a creative environment for collaboration between multidisciplinary research teams, industry and UAE government to solve challenges facing the construction sector.
The Careers and Graduate Futures Service at Heriot-Watt University Dubai aims to assist students and graduates in making informed career choices by providing a professional, high-quality career guidance and information service.
They work closely with a wide range of organisations across different business sectors to ensure that students from all our academic Schools can access a wealth of relevant work experience, internships and graduate opportunities to support their readiness for life once they have completed their studies.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By TopUniversities
Dropped 38 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 256 | 287 | 325 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | 401 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 801 | - | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By U.S. News & World Report
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | 1090 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Student Service Centre offers services to all students (enrolled and graduates). Students can contact the centre for academic, finance, visa or accommodation queries.
Dubai is one of the most vibrant, forward-looking cities in the world, and our accommodation offerings will allow you to experience life here to its fullest.
Its accommodation options cater to every individual. Whether it’s a stylish hotel, a self-contained community or a more classic student residence, students will be able to live and study in both safety and comfort.
Depending on your choice, amenities include fully-equipped kitchens, restaurants and cafes, WiFi and a housekeeping service, as well as numerous facilities to enjoy such as fitness centres, swimming pools and recreational rooms.
Students enjoy dedicated classroom, ICT, computer, library, and counselling facilities. A range of cafes and restaurants are available on site and there are many amenities in close proximity to campus.
Library staff are always on hand to help students with on and offline queries and to offer guidance.
It has a dedicated IT Helpdesk at the Dubai Campus. The IT Helpdesk provides support to students for all the major IT packages and staff can assist you with a wide range of queries, from accessing the virtual learning environment (VISION) and email, to assisting with printing or resolving software problems.
The Student Wellbeing Service is specifically for the provision of support for students who are experiencing personal challenges. This service is free.
Please be aware that the Student Wellbeing Service is not an emergency service. If you are experiencing a crisis or emergency, please go to the nearest emergency section in any hospital.
Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus is a satellite campus of Heriot-Watt University based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Established in 2005, it was the first campus of an overseas university to open in Dubai International Academic City. After 180 years' provision of world-renowned education in the UK, Heriot-Watt was invited to Dubai to provide specialised programmes in the fields of management, engineering, built environment, food science and fashion.
The Student Council is the primary representative body of the students at the Dubai Campus.
The Student President (a full-time role), who is the chair of the Student Council, is elected by the students every year. The Student President also sits on most of the high-level committees of the campus. This to ensure that the opinions of the students are considered within the current University matters. There are additional roles within the Student Council such as Vice-Presidents or Executives.
Some degrees are also accredited and approved by Royal Charter in the UK.
Based on 48 reviews
The University in Dubai offers numerous majors and programmes for students who want to pursue different backgrounds. The majority of students at the Dubai campus are from an Indian Ethnic Background, despite the teaching staff having a diverse background from other countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The programme I had chosen was a BSc in Psychology with Management. The modules offered ranged from Introduction to Psychology, Research Methods and Analysis, and Social Psychology (basically different sectors within the psychology world). The programme also provided management modules, including innovation management, HR, business management, discovering business, and project management, among others. Overall, the learning experience is excellent, the professors provide as much support as needed to the students, and the modules are fantastic and relevant. The campus itself is okay, but small.
Heriot-Watt offers highly regarded academic programs, including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in business, engineering, science, and more. The university excels in research, innovation, and industry collaboration. With a diverse student body and modern campus facilities, Heriot-Watt provides a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
The university is pretty good overall. The faculty for Engineering and Computer Science is very helpful and understanding. The campus is big and has all the facilities available. There are many clubs to join in the university.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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