Ahmed bin Saeed honours 394 RIT Dubai graduates at 15th cohort ceremony, marking a first for psychology
Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai (RIT Dubai) has marked one of its biggest milestones to date, celebrating the graduation of its 15th cohort at a ceremony attended by senior government, academic and diplomatic figures. A total of 394 students received their degrees across 16 undergraduate and master's programmes at the event, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ).
RIT Dubai is headquartered in Dubai Silicon Oasis, the special economic zone for knowledge and innovation that forms part of DIEZ. The ceremony drew a notable line-up of attendees, including His Excellency Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai and a member of RIT Dubai's board; His Excellency Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ and a board member; His Excellency Essa Kazim, Chairman of DP World, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre and a board member; Robert Raines, US Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates; and Dr Yousef Al Assaf, President of RIT Dubai, alongside academic leaders, public and private sector representatives, and the families of the graduates.
Education as a driver of the national vision
In remarks at the ceremony, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed described the graduation as an important milestone in developing talent capable of navigating future transformations and contributing to a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and advanced technologies. He linked the achievement to the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071, the We the UAE 2031 vision, and Dubai's ambition to strengthen its position as a global hub for opportunity and future-focused innovation. Advanced education, he said, is viewed at DIEZ as a key enabler of Dubai's competitiveness and future readiness, expressing confidence that the graduates would contribute to the emirate's journey towards a new era of global leadership.
Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni framed the partnership with RIT Dubai as part of a broader DIEZ strategy to build an integrated economic ecosystem that goes beyond attracting companies and investment to cultivating the skills that future-focused sectors need. The graduation, he said, reinforces the role of Dubai Silicon Oasis as a specialised hub for knowledge and innovation and an incubator for education, technology and entrepreneurship, equipping the business ecosystem with qualified talent capable of leading digital transformation and improving productivity across strategic sectors.
A first cohort of psychology graduates
One of the standout features of this year's ceremony was the graduation of RIT Dubai's first ever cohort of Psychology students. The university framed the addition of the discipline as part of an expansion into specialised fields that respond to the evolving needs of society and the labour market, with a particular focus on the human and behavioural factors linked to quality of life, productivity and institutional development.
Dr Yousef Al Assaf, President of RIT Dubai, said the institution was celebrating an exceptional cohort across 16 academic programmes, reflecting both the university's continued growth and its ability to develop offerings that respond to a rapidly changing labour market. He said the programmes are designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills and confidence to move from the classroom into productive careers, and pointed to the university's continued expansion into new programmes and research and development centres focused on areas including energy, sustainability, smart cities, advanced materials and manufacturing, futures foresight and complexity management.
The 16 programmes, at a glance
Graduates of the 15th cohort came from nine bachelor's degrees, spanning electrical, mechanical and industrial engineering, alongside marketing, global business management, finance, cybersecurity, computing and information technologies, and the newly added psychology. The cohort also included graduates from seven master's programmes: data analytics, smart cities, futures foresight and planning, mechanical engineering, engineering management, electrical engineering, and cybersecurity. The spread reflects the university's focus on disciplines aligned with priority future sectors rather than a purely traditional academic mix.
Steady growth since 2010
Since it was established in 2010, RIT Dubai has now graduated more than 2,490 students across its bachelor's, master's and diploma programmes, a figure the university points to as evidence of its expanding role in Dubai's higher education and talent-development landscape. The institution operates as a branch of the Rochester Institute of Technology in the United States, offering accredited American academic programmes within an environment closely tied to Dubai's economic and knowledge ecosystem.
New programmes and future pathways
The graduation came as RIT Dubai continues to broaden its academic offering. This year the university introduced two new undergraduate programmes, in Management Information Systems and in Advertising and Public Relations, aimed at developing talent that combines technical expertise with communication skills and an understanding of the digital economy. It also launched accredited micro-master's programmes in Health Informatics and Futures Foresight, allowing students who continue their studies to accumulate credits that can later count towards a full master's degree.
A new dual-degree engineering programme has also been launched, enabling students to complete both bachelor's and master's degrees within a shorter timeframe and at a lower cost. Looking ahead, the university has signalled plans to introduce a master's programme in Integrated Design, a bachelor's programme in Computer Engineering, and accredited micro-programmes in Accounting and Financial Analytics, along with a new media design programme dedicated to People of Determination.
Why it matters for Dubai
Beyond the individual achievement of 394 graduates, the ceremony is a useful snapshot of where Dubai is steering its higher education sector. The programmes on offer, from cybersecurity and data analytics to smart cities and futures foresight, map closely onto the sectors the emirate has identified as central to a diversified, innovation-driven economy. For families weighing university options in the UAE, RIT Dubai's mix of accredited American degrees, future-focused disciplines and flexible pathways such as dual degrees and micro-master's programmes is part of a widening set of choices available without leaving the country. The graduation of the first psychology cohort, in particular, signals how UAE universities are broadening beyond their traditional engineering and business cores into the human and social sciences.
Sources:
Government of Dubai Media Office, "Ahmed bin Saeed attends graduation ceremony of Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai's 15th cohort" (May 20, 2026). https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2026/may/20-05/ahmed-bin-saeed-attends-graduation-ceremony-of-rochester-institute-of-technology-dubai
Emirates 24|7, "Ahmed bin Saeed attends RIT Dubai graduation as 394 students join UAE's future workforce" (May 20, 2026). https://www.emirates247.com/uae/ahmed-bin-saeed-attends-rit-dubai-graduation-as-394-students-join-uaes-future-workforce/1812
