Historic: First MBA Students Welcomed At NYU Stern-Abu Dhabi

The grand opening of New York University Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on February 10, 2025 was attended by several school and government officials. First row (L to R): Ala’a Eraiqat, CEO of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank; HE Yousef Al Otaiba, Minister of State and UAE Ambassador to the US; HE Shamma bint Sohail Al Mazrui, UAE Minister of Community Empowerment; HE Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, NYU Trustee and Managing Director and Group CEO of Mubadala Investment Company; Linda G. Mills, President of New York University (NYU); Rima Al Mokarrab, NYU Trustee and Chair of Tamkeen; HE Ahmed Tamim Al Kuttab, Chairman of the Department of Government Enablement; HE Martina Strong, US Ambassador to the UAE; Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar. Second row (L to R): Fatima Abdalla, Senior Vice Provost for Strategy and Planning at NYUAD; Arlie Petters, Provost of NYUAD; Raghu Sundaram, Senior Vice Chancellor and Head of Global Strategy at NYU; Professor Fabio Piano, Interim Vice Chancellor of NYUAD; John Tate, CEO of Tamkeen; J.P. Eggers, Dean of NYU Stern; and Robert Salomon, Dean of Stern at NYUAD. Photo by Christopher Pike

New York University’s Middle East expansion is now officially underway, having added the most important final ingredient: students.

The Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi, a collaboration between the NYU Stern School of Business and NYU Abu Dhabi, announced its official inauguration February 10 with a formal ceremony attended by government and university officials, including J.P. Eggers, dean of NYU Stern, and Robert Salomon, dean of Stern at NYUAD.

With more than 50 students now undertaking their studies in Abu Dhabi, Stern is now the highest-ranking global B-school to offer a full-time MBA in the Middle East-North Africa region.

“The launch of the Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi is a testament to the dynamic and longstanding partnership between NYU and Abu Dhabi, underscoring a mutual commitment to cultivating innovators and leaders of tomorrow,” Rima Al Mokarrab, NYU Trustee and Chair of Tamkeen, a company that partners with leading local and international institutions to deliver projects that enrich the social, cultural, and educational landscape of the UAE, says. “This groundbreaking new school contributes to Abu Dhabi as a hub for business and innovation. Together, we are creating an environment where world-class talent, cutting-edge research, and industry collaboration converge.”

NYUAD’S MBAs: 54 STUDENTS FROM 25 COUNTRIES

Stern at NYUAD’s inaugural program offers a one-year, 54-credit full-time MBA. Its first cohort is comprised of 54 students with a competitive average GPA of 3.6. They hail from 25 countries, with the largest groups from the UAE and the United States, as well as India, China, and Pakistan. They average five years’ work experience, with the majority having worked in top-tier international companies and public sector organizations including Aldar, Bain & Company, Intel, KPMG, JP Morgan, and the Department of Culture and Tourism-Abu Dhabi.

Stern at NYUAD graduates will earn a fully accredited MBA degree, jointly conferred by NYU Stern and NYU Abu Dhabi, connecting them to a global alumni network spanning over 130 countries. The school’s faculty, including 11 prominent full-time faculty who will teach and conduct research in Abu Dhabi, includes PhDs from NYU, MIT, London Business School, HEC Paris, Harvard Business School, Wharton, and INSEAD.

Stern at NYUAD’s MBA program is designed for early-career professionals, with modules in Abu Dhabi and New York City that provide students with international exposure and draw on industry expertise from prominent UAE and global business leaders. A key feature of the program is hands-on experiential projects with top-tier corporate partners, including Microsoft, Hub 71, ADGM, and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“The inaugural cohort of MBA students at Stern at NYUAD embodies the future of global business leadership,” says Linda G. Mills, president of New York University. “This program reflects NYU’s commitment to delivering transformative global education and equipping exceptional students with the skills, networks, and experiences needed to drive progress and innovation in a rapidly evolving marketplace.”

“The opening of Stern at NYUAD is a pivotal milestone in NYU Abu Dhabi’s mission as a leader in global higher education contributing to the UAE’s growth,” says Fabio Piano, vice chancellor of NYUAD. “Over the past 15 years, NYUAD has redefined academic excellence, and the launch of this program signals our ambition for even greater achievements by broadening our academic offerings to include a world-class MBA. This program will help fuel the knowledge economy of the UAE by preparing graduates to lead with purpose, innovation, and a global mindset, reflecting NYUAD’s enduring impact in the region and beyond.”

“Collaborating with NYU Abu Dhabi to design and deliver a first-of-its-kind MBA in the MENA region that creates opportunities for both students and employers is exactly the kind of innovation we get truly excited about at Stern,” says J.P. Eggers, dean of the NYU Stern School of Business. “Built on our high standards of teaching and research excellence, this unique MBA offers students a dynamic, immersive, accelerated educational experience in two of the most exciting cities in the world.”

“Our vision for Stern at NYUAD is to cultivate a world-class talent pool that will drive the UAE and MENA economies forward, addressing the growing need for industry leadership in this dynamic region,” says Robert Salomon, dean of Stern at NYUAD and a faculty member at NYU Stern for nearly 20 years. “By blending NYU’s global network, Stern’s reputation for academic excellence, and Abu Dhabi’s strategic position as a global business hub, we have created a transformative MBA program that attracts diverse and exceptional professionals. The goal is to equip the next generation of leaders with the academic tools, skills, and perspectives necessary to harness innovation and shape the future of global business.”

For more information about Stern’s Abu Dhabi MBA program, visit stern.nyuad.edu/mba.

DON’T MISS THE CURTAIN IS ABOUT TO RISE ON NYU STERN’S BIG MIDEAST ADVENTURE: AN ACCELERATED MBA IN ABU DHABI