University of South Wales

The University of South Wales (USW) Dubai campus was established in 2018 as the institution’s first international branch, located in Dubai South near Al Maktoum International Airport.

USW itself was formed in 2013 through the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport, both institutions with rich educational histories dating back to the 19th century.

The Dubai campus was launched to extend USW’s academic offerings to the Middle East, providing British-style education with programs including undergraduate degrees in aviation maintenance engineering and postgraduate courses such as MSc International Logistics and Supply Chain Management. The campus was developed to meet regional demand for specialized technical education with an emphasis on career-relevant skills.

The establishment of the Dubai campus aligned with USW’s ambitions to deliver quality higher education globally, particularly in fields with strong connections to Dubai’s economic and industrial sectors like aviation and logistics.

The campus offers facilities and learning environments that reflect the standards maintained by the university’s main campuses in Wales. However, by September 2020, the university announced that the Dubai campus would no longer accept new applications and planned to close it, marking a relatively brief operational period in the UAE.

The Dubai campus represents USW’s effort to internationalize its educational presence before the strategic decision to refocus on its primary campuses in South Wales. Throughout its operation, the Dubai hub contributed to the university’s portfolio of global outreach by catering to a diverse student body interested in British qualifications within the UAE.