American University in the Emirates

What American University in the Emirates does

American University in the Emirates (AUE) is a private higher education institution founded in 2006 and headquartered in Dubai International Academic City, UAE. The university delivers undergraduate, graduate, and executive education through eight colleges — Business Administration, Engineering and Technology, Design, Education, Law, Media and Mass Communication, Security and Global Studies, and Health Sciences — encompassing 23 undergraduate programs and 16 graduate programs. AUE is accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR) and the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), and holds a QS 4 Stars Overall rating.

The university's core technology stack consists of standard higher education systems: an Akademia Learning Management System (LMS) portal, Microsoft Office-based webmail, and integration with ETS TOEFL ITP for English proficiency testing. AUE supplements teaching with an Innovation Lab supporting faculty and student research, and hosts recurring international academic conferences including the Artificial Intelligence Research Conference, Business Creativity Research Conference, and International Arab Gulf Security Conference. The institution reports 5,694+ alumni worldwide as of October 23, 2025 and a 1:19 faculty-to-student ratio.

AUE's revenue model is tuition-driven and subscription-recurring: students pay annual fees across multi-year degree programs, supplemented by executive education revenue through OSIGA and continuing education revenue through LLGA (Lifelong Learning Growth Advancement). The university invests AED 23.41 million in scholarships as a competitive enrollment lever. Students are recruited via a dedicated Student Recruitment Office and digital channels, with target segments including domestic UAE students and international students from across the GCC and beyond. The institution has no disclosed parent company, M&A activity, or external funding rounds, operating as a privately governed entity under a Board of Trustees structure.

Name

American University in the Emirates

Legal name

American University in the Emirates

Website

https://aue.ae

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

American University in the Emirates is a Dubai-based private university, founded 2006, offering 23 undergraduate and 16 graduate programs across eight colleges. It serves domestic and international students in the UAE and GCC region through accredited degree programs, executive education, and research initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHABAI

International & Global Research Universities (Multi-Campus/International Footprint)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Private Research Universities

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Executive education
• Academic research

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: AUE generates primary revenue through student tuition fees for undergraduate and graduate programs across its eight colleges.
2. Scholarship Investment: University awards 23.41 million AED in scholarships to students, representing a significant financial commitment to attract and retain students.
3. Executive Education: AUE offers Executive Education programs under OSIGA and Lifelong Learning Growth Advancement (LLGA), providing non-degree professional education services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

American University in the Emirates (AUE) is a private higher education institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across eight colleges covering business administration, engineering and technology, design, education, law, media and mass communication, security and global studies, and health sciences. The university also delivers executive education through OSIGA, lifelong learning through LLGA, and supports research via its Innovation Lab and international academic conferences. Revenue is driven primarily by tuition fees from degree-seeking students.

Product overview

American University in the Emirates is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs through eight distinct colleges: College of Business Administration (COBA), College of Engineering and Technology (CET), College of Design (CDES), College of Education (CEDU), College of Law (CLAW), College of Media and Mass Communication (CMMC), College of Security and Global Studies (CSGS), and College of Health Sciences (CHS). The university provides undergraduate and graduate programs across business, engineering, design, education, law, media, security studies, and health sciences disciplines. Beyond traditional degree offerings, the institution operates executive education through OSIGA and continuing education via LLGA (Lifelong Learning Growth Advancement). The university also supports research activities through its Innovation Lab and hosts international conferences including the Artificial Intelligence Research Conference, Business Creativity Research Conference, and International Arab Gulf Security Conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College of Business Administration (COBA) Business education college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business-related disciplines for students pursuing careers in business and management.
• College of Engineering and Technology (CET) Engineering and technology education college providing programs in various engineering and technology specializations for undergraduate and graduate students.
• College of Design (CDES) Design education college offering creative design programs for undergraduate and graduate students.
• College of Education (CEDU) Education college providing teacher training and educational leadership programs for students pursuing careers in education.
• College of Law (CLAW) Legal education college offering law degrees and legal studies programs for undergraduate and graduate students.
• College of Media and Mass Communication (CMMC) Media and communications college offering programs in journalism, digital media, and mass communication for undergraduate and graduate students.
• College of Security and Global Studies (CSGS) Security and international relations college offering programs in security studies, crisis management, and global affairs for undergraduate and graduate students.
• College of Health Sciences (CHS) Health sciences college offering programs in various health-related disciplines for undergraduate and graduate students.
• OSIGA Executive Education

Quantifiable outcome

• 5694+ alumni worldwide as of October 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dubai International Academic City (DIAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAUE's campus is located within DIAC, the premier hub for higher education in the region, providing access to academic infrastructure and a community of institutions.
• KSK HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent accommodation partner providing housing options for AUE students near campus.
• Yugo HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent accommodation partner providing housing options for AUE students near campus.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University of Sharjah: Large private multi-college university in the UAE offering a broad spectrum of undergraduate and graduate programs. Competes with AUE for the same GCC and international student pool and operates a similar tuition-driven model.
• Canadian University Dubai: Private Dubai-based university offering Canadian-curriculum undergraduate and graduate programs. Directly comparable in target market, tuition model, and English-language delivery within the city AUE operates in.
• Middlesex University Dubai: Branch campus of UK-based Middlesex University located in DIAC, Dubai, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Competes for similar international student audience and uses a UK-credentialed brand positioning similar to AUE's American branding.
• Amity University Dubai: Private international university located in Dubai offering undergraduate and graduate degrees across business, technology, and other disciplines. Direct competitor within DIAC and the broader Dubai private higher-education segment.
• American University of Sharjah: UAE-based private, non-profit English-medium university offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple colleges. Closest comparable peer given similar branding, mission, and student-recruitment model in the same UAE market.
• Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai (RIT Dubai): Dubai branch campus of US-based RIT offering STEM and business degrees. Comparable as a US-branded international branch campus operating in DIAC with similar tuition-based revenue model.
• University of Wollongong in Dubai: Dubai branch campus of Australia's University of Wollongong delivering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees on a tuition-driven model. Comparable international branch-campus operating model inside DIAC.
• BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus: Dubai branch campus of India's BITS Pilani offering science, engineering, and management degrees. Direct comparator as an international university operating a Dubai campus with tuition-based enrollment economics.

Broad incumbents

• NYU Abu Dhabi: Branch campus of NYU offering a liberal-arts-plus-research undergraduate curriculum with substantial scholarship support. Competes for top-tier international and GCC students in the UAE but operates at a higher brand-tier with different funding economics.
• Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi: French-branded branch campus in Abu Dhabi delivering undergraduate and graduate programs. Competes in the same UAE student market at a higher brand-tier, with research and credentialing analogous to AUE's positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AUE.ae/photos_albums
• Xx.com/aueae
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-university-in-the-emirates

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American University in the Emirates