The Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) celebrated its 10th anniversary yesterday during a graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The ceremony, attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Health and Chancellor of MBRU, honored 184 graduates from 40 academic programs. The cohort represents the College of Medicine, the Hind Bint Maktoum College of Nursing and Midwifery, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine, and the Deanship of Graduate Medical Education.

Aisha Miran, Director General of Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), delivered the commencement address. She noted that members of the graduating class began their medical studies in 2020 during the global COVID-19 pandemic, which required immediate adaptation to clinical protocols and public health responsibilities.

Established a decade ago as the educational core of the state-run Dubai Health academic system, MBRU has graduated more than 500 alumni to date. According to institutional data, university graduates have gone on to secure residency positions at international medical centers, including the Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, UMass Chan Medical School, and the University of Toronto.

Since its inception in 2016, the university has integrated medical training with regional clinical milestones. Faculty and affiliated medical teams launched Dubai's first organ transplant program, performed the city’s first pediatric kidney transplant at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital in 2018, and completed the first whole genome sequencing in the United Arab Emirates.

The institution has also expanded its research footprint, generating 2,362 peer-reviewed publications and establishing 10 specialized research hubs. To support its curriculum, MBRU maintains international academic and clinical partnerships with organizations such as Queen’s University Belfast and the healthcare group Mediclinic.

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office

Andrew Shelepnytsky

Andrew Shelepnytsky is an Editor of Dubai Voice.