Engineering consultants Atkins endow Chair and scholarships at British University in Dubai

BUiD is the Middle East's first postgraduate, research-based university.

During the presentation ceremony at the University campus, Ed Wallis, the Chairman of Atkins, formally presented the 'Atkins Professorship' to HE Mirza Al Sayegh, Deputy Chairman of the BUiD University Council and Director of the Office of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Industry.

This endowment is supported by Atkins' funding of six postgraduate scholarships for well-qualified UAE nationals and citizens of the region - who will take up places on the University's Masters programmes in Project Management and Information Technology. The scholars were personally congratulated during the ceremony by Mr. Al Sayegh, after Mr Wallis had presented them with their awards.

For WS Atkins, Ed Wallis said: "Atkins has been in the Gulf since 1967 and we now have extensive operations throughout the UAE and the region. The study and improvement of the 'Built Environment' are central to the quality of life for citizens and expatriates alike. We hope that our support for the BUiD will create the next generation of business and technical leaders to serve this region in the engineering and construction sectors."

Mr Wallis added: "Atkins is one of the largest consulting engineering and architecture groups in the world. These endowments show Atkins' commitment to developing Dubai into a true Middle East centre for academic excellence."

Mr Wallis was accompanied by Atkins CEO Keith Clarke, Board Director Admiral Lord Boyce and Regional Managing Director Tim Askew.

BUiD's Registrar and Acting CEO, David Lock, commented: "The new Atkins Professor will be the Head of the University's Institute of the Built Environment. His role will be to take this important discipline to new intellectual and technical levels, for the benefit of the UAE and the GCC.

"We are very grateful to Atkins for providing the BUiD with its first endowed Chair, and for the company's major initiative in funding these six scholarships."

Lock added that the scholarships were worth 50 percent of tuition fees. "They were awarded to well-qualified students who might not otherwise have been able to undertake a Masters programme."