BITS Pilani acquires its Dubai campus

BITS Pilani has acquired the infrastructure of its Dubai campus from its long term partner ETA LLC Group, ending a 12-year collaboration. Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani made the announcement in Dubai, adding that all the statutory requirements for acquisition had been met. BITS had set up its only international branch in Dubai in 2000 in collaboration with ETA LLC Group. Under the agreement, the latter provided infrastructural facilities and administrative support while the former managed the academics. Talking about the move, Syed M Salahuddin, Managing Director of ETA remarked that the campus had grown a lot in past 12 years. "Now we pass on the responsibility to BITS Pilani to take it to further heights of excellence in Engineering and Technology education in the Middle East region," he said. Professor Bijendra N Jain, Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani in India, said: "Now that BITS Pilani has taken full responsibility as an infrastructure-provider for its Dubai Campus, it will aggressively work to expand opportunities for education and applied research at its Dubai Campus." "BITS Pilani brand is looking forward to strengthening its Dubai campus by expanding programme offerings, student enrolment, faculty strength, research and community outreach activities, with a view to attracting best of talents," added Professor Ravi Kant Mittal, Director of Dubai campus. Currently, the Dubai campus offers seven undergraduate programs in Engineering besides several postgraduate and doctoral programmes, with student strength of over 1500.