The Myriad Dubai, an urban styled student housing community located in the heart of Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) is now 90 percent complete and set to welcome students in time for the new academic year starting in September. This will be welcomed news for the increasing number of students who are now focused on staying in the UAE for university, amid the global pandemic that has resulted in country-wide lock downs and travel restrictions.
Located within walking distance from the majority of universities in DIAC, the 1,720 fully furnished rooms which can accommodate up to 2,200 students, include en-suite bathrooms, WiFi and access to kitchens. A designated study lounge area will facilitate a productive learning environment for students while sports facilities including an indoor and outdoor gym, swimming pools, basketball and outdoor jogging track will also be on offer. Additionally, restaurants, cafes, gaming rooms, an outdoor amphitheatre with cinema and convenience shopping options along with dedicated parking will form integral parts of the development and offer students a holistic, communal living experience.
The Myriad Dubai, originally expected to open its doors to students from both the GCC region and beyond, is now set to welcome an influx of those who are naturally reconsidering the location for their higher education, opting to stay closer to home as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Unsurprisingly, local universities have reported an increase in applications from UAE-based students with the expectation that this demand will only continue. Some have responded to offer support in different ways, like the University of Wollongong recently announcing it is offering scholarships and discounted rates for those opting to pursue their studies at its Dubai campus.
Chris Taylor, Head of Recruitment and Marketing at the University of Birmingham Dubai said: “Our applications have increased over the last few weeks, certainly more than last year. We have also just received the Ministry of Education licensure for the institution, which naturally makes quite a difference along with our top world 100 ranking. It has always been our priority to ensure students in the Middle East know that they have a quality option here in Dubai, and they don’t need to travel abroad to get the same standard of education. We too are offering a supportive scholarship to support applicants in this period.”
However, with a higher number of students expected to remain in the country, so do their aspirations and expectations of experiencing all the trappings of student life, including moving out of home and living independently. Student housing like The Myriad Dubai will provide an opportunity for young people who might otherwise be travelling from other Emirates but who want to fully immerse themselves into student life by residing in Dubai.
Indeed, The Myriad Dubai has managed to achieve this through creating a contemporary urban styled residential community of around 68,000sqm with a spectrum of lifestyle features and services as well as accommodation options that include larger rooms at 18sqm and standard rooms at 14sqm.
Dr. James Trotter, Dean of Murdoch University, added: “We too have seen an increase in student applications in recent weeks and whilst we are certainly in unchartered waters at the moment in terms of online learning, I expect that as we slowly transition out of isolation when the time is right, we will all crave more of the face to face experience than we have in the past. Both learning and socializing together with our peers is a huge part of a university student’s journey and living in student housing is a fundamental element of that character-building experience.”
The Myriad Dubai is designed to emulate a student communal lifestyle feel of some of the largest universities in America whilst providing affordable living rates and ensuring comfort, safety, and a fun community experience. It has been developed by specialist housing turnkey firm, Strategic Housing Group, who will operate the housing community post-completion.
Vikram Rao, CEO, Strategic Housing Group, commented: “We are proud to announce 90 per cent completion on this project that we believe will meet the clear shortage of purpose-built student housing in a consistently expanding higher education market in Dubai, especially during these exceptional times where it is more favorable for students to study within the UAE. We are confident that The Myriad Dubai will provide a home from home for local talent who choose to continue their higher education right here in Dubai and we are extremely excited to see our doors open very soon.”
