BITS Pilani Dubai Campus, the UAE's leading engineering university and BITS Pilani's international arm, has announced the opening of its much-anticipated Center for Higher Education. This initiative is intended to empower students by providing essential guidance and support for their higher education aspirations, in response to a recent survey indicating that approximately 50% of its graduating students wish to pursue master's programs. This dual celebration, inaugurated by professor V Ramgopal Rao, group vice chancellor of BITS Pilani, who flew in especially for the 20th convocation ceremony and the opening of this prestigious centre, represents BITS Pilani Dubai Campus's unwavering support for its students' academic pursuits and their goal to mark their presence on a global scale.
The newly established higher education center is poised to become a critical resource, providing critical guidance and knowledge. It will serve as a central hub for a variety of activities, such as Higher Education counseling, graduate admissions counseling, and on-campus GRE and GMAT preparation sessions. These services are made possible through a strategic partnership with ScorePlus Education, the official partner of Princeton Review, which is well-known for its expertise in test preparation and admissions counseling for students of all academic levels. 294 students from various academic backgrounds received their degrees during the convocation ceremony. The event also honored accomplished alumnus Rakesh Kapoor, former CEO of Reckitt, with the prestigious BITS Ratna award. This award recognizes his outstanding contributions to the corporate world, BITS Pilani, and society, particularly through philanthropic endeavors. Dr. Arshi Ayub Mohamed, CEO of Trust With Trade Group and senior advisor to Royal Family Offices in the UAE, and Dr. Naji Al Mahdi, CEO of National Institute for Vocational Education (NIVE), joined professor Rao in celebrating this momentous occasion. Directors from BITS Pilani's Indian campuses in Pilani and Goa, as well as the director of BITS Pilani's Dubai Campus, professor Srinivasan Madapusi, were also present, as were faculty and staff, graduating students and their families, industry partners, and alumni.
In her inspiring convocation address, Dr Arshi Ayub Mohamed said: "I congratulate BITS Pilani Dubai Campus for pioneering the engineering and technology education and amplifying the vision of the UAE towards creating a competitive knowledge-based economy." Notably, the best academic performers received prestigious chancellor's medals. Kiranbaskar Velmurugan and Anushka Sivakumar received joint first place gold medals, Meetansh Gupta received second place silver medals, and Kshitiz Bansal and Asmi Sriwastawa received joint bronze medals. Adhav Kumaravel and Tanushree Jain shared the directors' all-around achievement medal. Professor Rao commented on the occasion, emphasizing the importance of students remaining aware of global trends and discovering their roles in society. He praised BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, for laying a solid foundation for students to follow.
In his speech, Professor Madapusi stated, "I am extremely proud of our students' outstanding achievements and unwavering commitment to learning. Student excellence has consistently defined BITS, and I congratulate the Class of 2023 and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors." Dr. Al Mahdi's heartfelt valedictory speech emphasized the critical importance of students maintaining their resilience in the face of our ever-changing world. In addition, BITS Pilani Dubai Campus has seen an increase in interest from companies looking to hire its talented students. AstraZeneca, Schindler, Dubizzle, ESRI, Emerson, Dabur, SharafDG, Deriv, Weidmuller, Schneider Electric, Landmark, Al Shirawi, Loreal, Daikin, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Cafu, TUV, and many other companies have recruited from the campus this year, demonstrating the institution's commitment to providing excellent placement opportunities.
