A founding member of staff at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has described how a long-held vision to bring an academic centre of excellence to the capital became a reality.
At an event to mark the university's 10th anniversary, professor of economics Yaw Nyarko recalled heady ambitions of students 'wanting to change the world', and moving to a new campus on Saadiyat Island.
NYUAD began a two-day celebration on Tuesday in honour of the milestone.
The virtual programme included a series of discussions covering a wide range of subjects, including talks by global leaders such as former French president Francois Hollande and primatologist Jane Goodall.
No other university in history has become a great university as fast as NYU Abu Dhabi
Mariet Westermann
Prof Nyarko spoke of discussions held 15 years ago about setting up a campus in the Emirates.
“At that time it was just really just an idea. We thought we were going to create an institution, an academic beacon to the world, academic excellence. And then 10 years ago, our university did open,” he said.
He reflected on the university's formative years operating from Sama Tower in Downtown Abu Dhabi until its purpose-built campus was ready in 2014.
“We brought those very eager students. I still remember the first cohort,” he said.
“They came in and wanted to change the world. Then we moved to Saadiyat Island.
“I remember going on a helicopter ride. We went over Saadiyat Island, and I kid you not, the place was full of sand.
“And I remember seeing gazelles, just jumping up and down. That was then. Today of course, we have a wonderful campus, many students, faculty from all different fields. We have a number of labs all over the campus.”
Success came ahead of schedule
Speaking in a media roundtable about the institution’s achievements, NYUAD vice chancellor, Mariet Westermann, said the university knew it could “create something very good” in the UAE.
She said it had always planned to become a leading institution in the world.
But it did not anticipate how fast it would achieve its goal.
“No other university in history has become a great university as fast as NYU Abu Dhabi; 10 years is a blink of an eye after all in the scope of human history,” she said, adding that its partnership with Abu Dhabi was critical.
Emirati poet and artist Shamma Al Bastaki, of the class of 2018, described her time at the university as “nothing short of magic”.
She said NYUAD is often characterised as an experiment that “observes the reverberations of an American liberal arts education” in the Arabian peninsula.
“I find the word experiment does not do NYUAD enough justice,” she said.
“In fact, I find it a little reductive. Experience to me is a better word, one that captures the expansive nature of what NYUAD has and continues to achieve.
“For those of us who have been part of the community, NYUAD is an experience in the fullest, most vibrant sense of the word.”
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
