New Vice Chancellor of University of Wollongong hails UAE-Australia ties

Speaking at an alumni gathering of the University of Wollongong in Dubai 'UOWD', Professor Wellings hailed the phenomenal growth in bilateral relations over the past few years, and said, "This was reflected in the presence of Australian companies and Australian nationals in the UAE."

Professor Wellings said, "An impressive testament to the booming bilateral relations between Australia and UAE was the evolution of the University of Wollongong in Dubai as one of the most prestigious universities in the region, having produced close to 6,000 graduates in 19 years of its existence in Dubai."

"As the first Australian university to set up operations in the UAE, the University of Wollongong has emerged as a strong player in the field of tertiary education, with strategic links with government bodies and the corporate world," he added.

The Vice Chancellor, who was in Dubai to attend the 22nd Graduation Ceremony of UOWD, also referred to the rising standing of the parent university in Australia which was recently placed 33rd in the Times Higher Education top 100 young universities' list.

He hailed the role played by UOWD in building skills of students and opening up research opportunities through the strong association with the parent university. The Australia Ambassador to the UAE, H. E. Pablo Kang, said, "Recent developments are pointing to an all-round expansion in bilateral ties, and singled out the proposed alliance between Emirates airline and Qantas as a prime example of more exciting things to come."

"He recalled that Emirates' opening up of new routes to Australian cities had acted as a catalyst for boosting bilateral ties. Emirates Airlines operates 70 flights a week to Australia," he said.

The Ambassador hailed the role played by University of Wollongong in Dubai in popularizing the Australian education model and said he was proud of its achievements over the last 19 years. Addressing the alumni, he said he was pleased that they continue to maintain contacts with their alma mater.

In his welcome address, the President of UOWD, Professor Ghassan Aouad, spoke about the university's rising reputation in the region, and stressed the need for the alumni community to engage in regular interaction. Ambassadors of Bangladesh, Palestine and Kazakhstan were among the guests present at the event which was also attended by UOWD alumni and key external stakeholders of the university.