Khalifa University (Arabic: جامعة خليفة) is a research, innovation and enterprise-intensive public university located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Khalifa University's current president, His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, was appointed in July 2024.[4][5]
As of 2023, faculty and staff come from over 70 countries, and its student body is internationally diverse and co-educational.[7][8]
Campuses
Khalifa University has two campuses in Abu Dhabi – the Main Campus and the Sas Al Nakhl Campus.[9]
The KU Main Campus is located on Abu Dhabi Island. At Main Campus, the central administration for the University is located and all general education courses are taught. It has 135,000 square meters and houses 105 laboratories, including aerospace and underwater robotics labs, 72 classrooms, sports center, retail and food outlets, and multi-story parking.[6]
A campus extension was completed in 2016[8] with a new building that won the award for best Cultural and Institutional Project at the 2015 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Interior Design and Architecture Awards.[10][11] It also has one library, a clinic, a student hub with a dining room, and numerous cafes and restaurants.
In July 2024, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Khalifa University awarded a project through its public-private partnership program to develop world-class student accommodation and facilities in the UAE capital. Awarded to a consortium named KUnnected Living, made up of Plenary Group, Besix and Mazrui International. It includes a 23-year concession to design, build, finance and maintain 3,260 student rooms and communal facilities located across Khalifa University's Main Campus and its Sas Al Nakhl (SAN) Campus.[12][13]
The Sas Al Nakhl Campus hosts the ADNOC Research and Innovation Center (ADRIC), a research facility comprising 39 labs covering reservoir rock characterization and reservoir fluid characterization.[14] It has student residences, exercise rooms, sports courts and fields, dining facility, cafeterias, two libraries, and an Independent Learning Center (ILC). The campus also has First Aid Clinics.
Students can participate in various clubs and academic organizations ranging from student government to the sports club.[16]
Scholarship
Khalifa University offers a range of competitive Scholarships to Undergraduate and Graduate UAE Nationals and international students.
● External sponsors
Khalifa University partners with external sponsors to provide scholarships that go beyond financial support, incorporating research, industry connections, and practical skills to enhance students' education and career opportunities.
Scholarships by external sponsors support both UAE National and international students pursuing their degrees at Khalifa University. They include:[17][18]
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA)
UAE Ministry of Education
UAE Ministry of Defence
UAE Ministry of Interior
Emirates Health Services
Organization – Academics
Khalifa University offers 16 undergraduate degrees through its College of Engineering and Physical Sciences:
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Systems And Management
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
Bachelor of Science in Physics
Bachelor of Science in Earth and Planetary Sciences
College of Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
Software Systems Concentration
B.Sc. In Robotics And Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Artificial Intelligence Concentration
Cybersecurity Concentration
Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics, Statistics, and Data Science
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology
Minors offered by Khalifa University
Minor in Artificial Intelligence
Minor in Biotechnology
Minor in Energy Transition
Minor in General Business
Minor In Mathematics
Minor in Nuclear Engineering
Minor in Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Postgraduate programs of study
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering
Space Systems and Technology
Guidance, Navigation, and Control Systems
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering
Food Process Engineering and Technology
Metallurgical Engineering
Master of Science in Civil and Infrastructural Engineering
Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Master of Science in Engineering Systems and Management
Technology Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Complex Systems Acquisition and Management
Master of Science in Health Systems Management
Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering
Space Systems and Technology
Metallurgical Engineering
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Space Systems and Technology
Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering
Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering
Master of Science in Water and Environmental Engineering
Master of Engineering in Health, Safety and Environmental Engineering
Master of Science in Applied Chemistry
Master of Science in Medical Physics
Master of Science in Petroleum Geosciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Engineering Systems and Management
Material Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Nuclear Engineering (offered to UAE and Saudi Nationals only)
Petroleum Engineering
Robotics
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry
Doctor of Philosophy in Earth Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Physics
College Of Computing And Mathematical Sciences
Master of Science in Computational Data Science
Computational Systems
Data Analytics
Master of Science in Computer Science
Artificial Intelligence
Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Master of Science in Applied Mathematics
Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering
Master of Science in Molecular Life Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Life Sciences
PhD in Biomedical Sciences
PhD in Public Health
International & Civil Security
Distinct in the Gulf,[19] Khalifa University's Institute for International and Civil Security (IICS) seeks to "produce research which will strengthen the security of the UAE in a way that is responsive to the needs of national and global security decision-makers ... enabling the programme to make major contributions that enhance regional, international and human security."[20][21] Dr. Athol Yates, is the Acting Program Chair.[22]
Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering
The following program offered by the College of Arts and Sciences is accredited by the Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission (ANSAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET):[26]
Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geosciences
Rankings
Khalifa University is ranked among the top 30 young universities worldwide. The university came 27th, up from 49th last year, according to the latest Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024.[28][29]
Khalifa University jumped five slots to be ranked top in the UAE and 40th in Asia in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2024, which has evaluated 739 universities from 31 countries/territories.[30]
Khalifa University jumped 28 slots to be ranked Top in the UAE for seven years in a row and 202nd globally in the QS World University Rankings 2025.[31]
Khalifa University’s Petroleum Engineering department is ranked 8th in the world by the 2023 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject – Engineering and Technology.[32]
Khalifa University surged ahead to be placed 2nd in the Times Higher Education (THE) Arab University Rankings 2023, moving higher from the 5th place in the previous year's ranking.[31]
Khalifa University Ranked 27th Worldwide and Top in MENA region in THE Young University Rankings 2024.[33]
In February 2024, the ELT Group and Khalifa University signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) to expand the knowledge of the management of the Electromagnetic Spectrum in the UAE.[35]
In 2023 within the framework of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed earlier to establish academic cooperation in developing aeronautical education and related research in the UAE, Khalifa University of Science and Technology and Dassault Aviation of France announced they are collaborating on a research project that focuses on developing two new material technologies for aerospace applications with potential for patenting and commercialization.[36]
Naval Group and Khalifa University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in innovative research fields for naval and maritime applications in the United Arab Emirates.[37][38]
Originally established in 1989 as the Etisalat College of Engineering (ECE), the school's main campus was built in Sharjah, and it aimed to supply the Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat – now e&) with qualified, trained and fully-equipped human capital.[40]
In 2007, the legacy institution Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KUSTAR), had been established by a decree issued by the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in an effort to support a knowledge-based economy.[41]
Academic partnership
In July 2024, Khalifa University launched a dual PhD program in the field of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, in partnership with KU Leuven of Belgium, providing students from both institutions the opportunity to gain international research experience.[42]
Earlier, Khalifa University established a number of international academic and research partnerships. They include associations with the Georgia Institute of Technology,[43]Texas A&M University Nuclear Security Science & Policy Institute,[43] and KAIST. In April 2011, Khalifa University signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Bristol to establish and create the Visual Signal Analysis and Processing (VSAP) research centre at the university's Abu Dhabi campus.
On December 8, 2019 Khalifa University, the University of Milan and the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa signed an agreement to set up a joint lab for embodied artificial intelligence ( AI) in Abu Dhabi.[44]
In 2022, Khalifa and Manchester Universities launched a partnership in the field of graphene innovation. [45][46][47]
Publications
Khalifa University interacts with professional media persons/journalists through publishing articles and news reports/press releases in the mainstream media such as newspapers, magazines and other research, industry and academic sector-related periodicals.
KUST Review – In March 2023, the ‘Khalifa University Science and Technology Review’ was launched to include local, regional and globally-relevant innovations, in Arabic and English, in both print and digital pdf versions. It includes interviews from industry leaders and panel discussions from experts.[48]
Explorer – A collaboration with Nature Research Custom Media, part of Springer Nature.[49]
KU Times – An internal on-campus magazine covering important announcements, strategic initiatives, events, conferences, collaborations, visits by local and international dignitaries and student activities.
Innovation Forward – A research-focused monthly newsletter that highlights the most innovative breakthroughs, cutting-edge research, collaborations, and thought-leadership
KU Radio Science – A podcast to explain the important research taking place at Khalifa University.
References
^This motto is displayed in the university Factbook which was published in 2014. [1]Archived 2016-03-21 at the Wayback Machine