More Students Are Choosing to Study Business in Dubai – Here’s Why

Behind Dubai’s glittering skyscrapers and luxury malls, business students will find an environment ripe for studying. An increasing number of universities and business schools in the United Arab Emirates are receiving accreditation from bodies such as AACSB; at the same time, more and more top-ranked American and European business schools are opening campuses in the city so students can study business in Dubai.

One of those business schools is SKEMA Business School. Earlier this year, the prestigious business school (with a top 30 globally-ranked Master’s in Management programme) opened its new Dubai campus, based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) area of the city. For international students looking for a study experience that combines career success with an enriching student life, this new campus represents a fantastic opportunity.

Here are the top reasons to study business in Dubai at SKEMA’s brand-new campus.

Top 3 Reasons to study Business in Dubai at SKEMA Business School

SKEMA Business School’s Dubai campus is the latest international campus of this top-ranked French business school. Here, you can choose from several business programmes, including:

• Global BBA
• Two-Year MSc
• MSc Global Luxury and Management
• MSc International Business
• MSc Global Supply Chain Management & Procurement

Each of these programmes can be studied on SKEMA’s French campuses, but there are clear benefits to choosing Dubai for your business school experience.

Career acceleration

Sitting between Europe and Asia, Dubai is a gateway to a global business career, and SKEMA’s new Dubai campus is ideally placed for students to explore opportunities. The school is housed in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), an area rich in networking and job opportunities. Established 20 years ago, the DIFC is now home to 6,920 companies – a number that grows each year – and multiple academic institutions besides SKEMA.

But it’s not just financial institutions situated in the Centre. The recently opened Dubai AI Campus is a hub for cutting-edge technology companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and students at SKEMA can seek out job opportunities in these in-demand industries while they study.

The programmes offered at SKEMA’s Dubai campus include location-specific modules to prepare students for a career in this vibrant region.

For example, on the MSc in International Business at SKEMA’s Dubai campus, students join a specialist pathway called ‘Doing Business in MENA’. Specialised modules on this pathway include AI in International Business and Managing Multicultural Teams, giving students the current skills needed to succeed in a career in this thriving region.

Other programmes offered on the Dubai campus take advantage of SKEMA’s prime location. On the MSc in Global Luxury and Management in Dubai, students follow a specialisation in retail excellence and client relationship management, which includes professional workshops and case studies centred on the thriving luxury retail sector in high-potential markets like the Middle East and Africa.

Global networking

The Harvard Business Review has named Dubai one of seven ‘global talent hubs’ where professionals from diverse countries mingle. No matter which programme you choose at SKEMA’s Dubai campus, you’ll have the chance to meet companies and professionals in the region and develop your international network.

People from more than 200 nationalities work in the UAE, and around 90% of all those working in Dubai are expatriates. The number of international people in Dubai rises each year, with an almost 10% increase between 2022 and 2024 alone.

You’ll also meet people from around the world in your classes. SKEMA’s overall student network comprises 130 nationalities, and the Dubai campus will eventually be home to 2,000 SKEMA students.

If you want to enrich your MSc experience, you might opt for SKEMA’s Two-Year MSc. During this degree, you’ll rotate to a second campus after your first year in Dubai, choosing from locations in China, Brazil, South Africa and Europe.

Lively City experience

Not only does studying business in Dubai give you access to incredible career opportunities, but you’ll also experience a rich student life.

Within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), you’ll get to experience many professional and cultural conferences and events. For example, you can wander through the lively ‘Art Nights’ in the Gate Village, where you can see live music and art exhibitions from international artists.

Elsewhere in Dubai, you’ll also find plenty of sights to occupy your free time. Of particular interest to business students might be the Museum of the Future, which explores humanity’s future potential through scientific and technological advances.

Students wishing to learn more about the city’s oldest history can visit the Dubai Museum in the Al Fahidi Fort, which was built in 1787.

Conclusion

Studying in Dubai will give you access to internships and job opportunities that you can’t get anywhere else. From getting face-to-face with FinTech and AI entrepreneurs to meeting professionals from hundreds of different nationalities, studying in Dubai can provide a strong platform for your future business career.

By choosing SKEMA Business School, you’ll also benefit from career guidance and networking opportunities at a top-ranked global French business school.

Want to go behind the scenes of studying business in Dubai? Read what other students say about studying in the United Arab Emirates on our blog.

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