The Heriot-Watt University, Dubai campus is an extension of the main campus in Edinburgh and offers the same quality of education in a different environment leading to the same prestigious degree.
The education system in the UK and the way you are taught here may be completely different from the way it is in your home country. Most of our taught programmes are delivered through a combination of lectures and tutorials, and in some cases, labs. You will also be expected to undertake a large amount of independent study. You will be given a timetable during induction that will contain information about the lectures, tutorials or labs that you must attend.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is the educational quality assurance and regulatory authority of the government of Dubai. The KHDA awarded Heriot-Watt five stars for its standard of education for the second year running in 2020.
Lectures
A lecture is a talk given by an academic member of staff. The class can be quite big and you will be expected to listen and take notes. There may be an opportunity at the end of the lecture to raise any questions. Lectures can run for anywhere from one hour to three hours and you won't normally be expected to participate in discussion unless invited to do so by the lecturer. Lectures follow a different format per school as different schools offer different methods of delivery of their lectures.
Tutorials
A tutorial (or seminar as they are sometimes known) gives students the opportunity to discuss topics that were taught during a lecture, and to look into these in more detail. In these sessions you will be expected to participate in discussions and will normally be asked to prepare some work beforehand.
Labs
This is normally a small class that takes place in a laboratory and gives you the opportunity to do hands-on experiments, dealing with the practical applications of what you have been taught in your lectures and tutorials. A lab can be run by an academic or may in some cases be run by PhD students.
Support once you arrive
Our Effective Learning Advisor (Dr Allyson Noble) and library offer a comprehensive set of workshops that cover a range of necessary skills for success in your courses. You can access workshops to learn how to apply referencing to your research, critically evaluate journal papers, access information for your courses and much more.
Students are also able to speak with the Student Wellbeing Advisors for support with Mental Wellbeing and support for People Of Determination (Disability), as well as join social clubs or sports clubs through the Student Council.