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One of the top UK Government officials in Dubai has welcomed Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ Leicester’s plans to open a new campus in the country later this year.

Simon Penney, Her Majesty’s Consul General for Dubai and the Northern Emirates said he was pleased Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ would offer “academic excellence” from Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ Dubai, the university’s new branch campus, set to open in Dubai Academic International City in September.

As Consul General, Mr Penney leads the government’s work promoting UK economic, commercial, political and consular interests in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

Along with recognizing the new campus, Mr Penney also acknowledged Æß²ÊÖ±²¥’s upcoming role at the international event Expo 2020, being held over six months in Dubai from this October.

The UK pavilion at Expo 2020 is being operated by the Government’s Department of International Trade (DIT) and Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ is working closely with the team as one of the pavilion’s only official founding partners.

Over the many weeks of the festival, Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ will exhibit much of its leading research in areas like sustainable fashion, smart reuse of waste plastics and creative applications for artificial intelligence.

Mr Penney said: “The international reputation of UK education is second to none, so I am delighted to hear that Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ in Leicester is offering its academic excellence from a new campus in Dubai.

“This also coincides with Æß²ÊÖ±²¥’s participation in Expo 2020 in Dubai, where it will share its research and creativity on a global stage, showcasing the innovation of UK universities and underlining the importance of education in creating a sustainable future”.

The new Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ Dubai branch will offer students a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses including  Cyber Security, Architecture, Psychology and Accounting and Finance

The campus itself is purpose-built, with multiple classrooms, a 700-seater auditorium, library, IT, robotics, mechanical and electrical labs, along with architecture, fashion and design studios.

It is the university’s first major international campus branch for many years and the opening of the campus, in September, will come only a month before Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ begins an intense programme of work at Expo 2020

Simon Bradbury, Pro Vice-Chancellor International and Dean of Arts, Design and Humanities at Æß²ÊÖ±²¥, said the new campus and Æß²ÊÖ±²¥’s role at Expo would allow Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ to establish a reputation in the UAE and bring its teaching and research to a new audience.

He said: “We have students from all over the world on our Leicester campus and that diversity is one of our key strengths.

“This new campus in Dubai is an extension of that global dimension and a way for us to bring the teaching and values we are proud of to a new audience. It allows us to establish a presence in one of the world’s key economic centres, opening up a lot of opportunities for our students.

“We have been working closely with the Department for International Trade (DIT) in the UK and Dubai as well as the Great Campaign to deliver our ambitious plans for the UAE.

“Our role at Expo will give us an opportunity to engage with a global audience, to share our research and expertise and connect to organisations who share our values. It is a real chance to build on our international profile and successfully establish the new Dubai campus.”