University of Bolton upgrades to bigger campus in RAK FTZ Academy Zone

The university is now located in the Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ) Academy Zone, in central Ras Al Khaimah next to the zone's Business Park. It occupies seven floors and spans over 90,000 sq. ft. - making it one of the largest foreign university campuses in the UAE.

The campus is currently undergoing a refurbishment. When completed in August 2009, it will have over 30 lecture halls, tutorial rooms, engineering and computer laboratories, a campus cafeteria serving hot and cold meals, and a social learning zone where students can socialise and engage in Student Union activities.

The campus will also house an extensive learning resource centre, complete with a state-of-the-art library and open-access computer network.

The project is on schedule to be completed before the start of the new academic year. Both staff and students are very pleased, as this will sustain the University of Bolton RAK campus growth strategy for the next four years. The demand has pushed the university to expand their facility with the number of student registrations reaching 230 in less than two years of operation.

The university has also leased 50,000 sq. ft. of land from RAK FTZ to build their campus in phases from next year. The area is strategically located near the RAK HCT Men's College.

Oussama El Omari, CEO of RAK FTZ, says:

"This move is an excellent marker of progress. The new location will enable the University of Bolton to accommodate the growing number of students."

"It really comes as no surprise - the university offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes equivalent to those being offered in Bolton, United Kingdom. And on top of that, students and their parents are impressed that such international-quality education is available here in the UAE at a very competitive rate, made possible because the school is located right here at the RAK FTZ Academy Zone. Providing high standards of education to develop skills and knowledge of nationals in the emirate are important aspects that we are encouraging as it will help them compete in the global market and contribute to the development of the emirate," adds El Omari.

The university currently offers programmes in Engineering, Business, Logistics, Computing and Supply Chain Management. There are plans to introduce several new subjects, such as Interior and Graphic Design, Education and other vocational fields.

The agreement between RAK FTZ and the University of Bolton is just one of the many successful partnerships within the free zone. RAK FTZ offers transparent rules and regulations, with cost-effective products and services, which it continuously updates to better suit the needs of its clients, such as those at RAK FTZ Academy Zone.