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HomeCOVID-19 Community UpdatesRecent Announcements

Recent Announcements

11 April 2023

The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) has further eased regulations on wearing face masks and COVID testing rules within the UAE. In line with this development, Curtin Dubai is now back to face-to-face classes at full capacity with guidelines for student safety and well-being. Furthermore, wearing masks is now optional in all open and closed facilities, including places of worship and mosques.

What to do if you are suspected of COVID infection:

If you are suspected to be COVID-infected or exposed to a COVID-infected person and are showing symptoms, then you are required to put on a face mask and exit campus and/or stay at home. If symptoms persist, you must undergo a PCR test.

a) If the result is positive, you must quarantine for five days and can return to campus only after receiving a clearance certificate from the hospital or DHA.
b) If the result is negative, you will be allowed to return to campus but only if you are free of symptoms.

COVID-19 symptoms include fever (≥37.5˚C), cough, body aches or fatigue, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, diarrhoea/nausea, headache, or loss of sense of smell or taste.

19 January 2022

With the daily new cases of Omicron remaining above 3,000 and the total active cases rising daily, it is not in the interests of the safety of the students or the Curtin Dubai team to return to face-to-face classes at this time. 

Given what has been seen in South Africa, it appears that it takes about 12 weeks from the start of the Omicron outbreak until the peak is reached, and then a yet undetermined amount of time until the COVID numbers return to their pre-outbreak levels.  Despite the fact that Omicron does appear to be much less severe in terms of the medical impacts on an individual, it is not by any means safe and does produce significant damage or even death in those with underlying conditions, the very young, the very old, those who are immunocompromised, and the unvaccinated.  Also due to the extreme ease of getting infected with Omicron, even though it causes a smaller percentage of those infected to require hospitalisation, the shear numbers of infected can still overwhelm the hospital systems.

For the safety of our students and team and to be good citizens we will remain in a fully online mode until the infection numbers have returned to a manageable level.  As such, classes for Trimester 1 2022 will continue to remain online until the 11th of February 2022.  We will provide at least 1 week notification prior to returning to face-to-face classes.

You may contact the various university departments via the below email addresses for any specific queries:

If you are required to visit the campus, please take prior approval from the Compliance team via email at compliance@curtindubai.ac.ae

For any other queries, please contact studentassist@curtindubai.ac.ae

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to our expanded campus with refreshed learning and technology-enhanced spaces as soon as it is safe to do so.

All the best!

3 January 2022

In light of the recent nearly exponential increase in COVID cases due to the Omicron variant, numerous concerns expressed by students and parents, and the guidance of the UAE Ministry of Education, the first two weeks of the January teaching period will be fully online.

In a survey sent out to students last week, a significant part of the student body was uncomfortable with returning to campus immediately, due to concerns such as students coming in from abroad, and students living with immunocompromised family members.

While some of you have expressed a need to return to campus life, we have currently been mandated by the KHDA to put all extracurricular and non-academic events on hold for the next two weeks.

We anticipate welcoming you all back to our newly remodelled campus for classes in week three of January 2022.  For those using university provided transportation, the transport fees will be prorated accordingly.  If you have any questions regarding this, please contact our Student Support team studentassist@curtindubai.ac.ae

November 2021

As we come to the end of the year, we want to thank all of you for the patience you have shown during the pandemic. We know it hasn’t been easy taking classes online for the past nearly two years, although in both the May / July and September / November trimesters, it seemed most students had a preference for continuing online despite the campus being open. This may have been due to the COVID safety restrictions.

Thankfully, due to the wise actions of the UAE Leaders and the responsible actions of the citizens and residents of the UAE, we now have one of the lowest rates of COVID infection in the world and are finally seeing some relaxation of the COVID safety restrictions. We expect to receive written guidance from KHDA in the next few weeks on whether some of the safety restrictions for universities will also be relaxed. However, at this point, masks will still be required, social distancing of 1 metre, and other campus safety guidelines will still be enforced. We will immediately notify you when these restrictions are relaxed or removed.

Given the low rates of COVID infection, the university from January 2022 for foundation and undergraduate students and from February 2022 for all post-graduate students, will be conducting all classes exclusively face-to-face on campus. KHDA has expressed that all students should return to campus unless they are outside of the country and unable to return due to travel restrictions or have received a medical exemption from the Dubai Health Authority (or equivalent in the Emirate of residence). We will, as always, record all classes for review by students, but we will not have online classes. From January we will also be providing transport to students who require it to get to campus, in accordance with our transport policies. All professional services departments (Registry, Finance, Visas, Careers, and the Student Success Centre) will have representatives on campus to support students and all faculty will hold office hours on campus. All student life activities will also be occurring on campus and at leased athletic fields.

We are open for all post-graduate classes to be face-to-face even this term and may have a few sessions that are required to be on campus. We encourage everyone to attend on campus this term if possible, for improved discussion in the classes.

We look forward to welcoming you all back on campus in our expanded facilities.

August 2021

Over the last year and a half, the Curtin community has come together to ensure that classes have not been disrupted under any circumstance. You have fearlessly continued your education online, and our staff and faculty have worked tirelessly to give you the best possible online campus experience.

Internship and placement opportunities have increased, there have been a number of industry related events such as talks and career fairs, and we are proud to have received an overall student satisfaction rate of over 90%thus far.

We had offered a blended mode of delivery last trimester, offering students the option to study either online or in person, and will be continuing the same this September.

While we are excited to have you back for face-to-face classes, we encourage as many students as possible to continue in the online classes for their own safety and the safety of their families. As you will have noted even being fully vaccinated does not make a person completely immune to the virus due to the variants that continue to develop, it only greatly reduces the chances of the infection resulting in serious medical issues. Similarly, being fully vaccinated does not completely eliminate the possibility of spreading the virus to others, especially with the Delta variant which appears to be significantly more infectious than prior variants.

In accordance with KHDA / DHA guidance, campus safety protocols will continue as before:

  • Students will be allowed on campus only for their classes and will not be able to eat or drink on campus.
  • Students must wear masks at all times and must remain 2 metres from each other and from Curtin Dubai team members.
  • Students and faculty members are also not permitted to pass paper or any other material to anyone else.
  • This is in line with KHDA’s guidelines, and anyone found not cooperating may be fined by KHDA or DHA.
  • The exact protocol for coming on campus has been sent to you separately.
  • Due to the very low number of students requesting for it, transport will not be provided in the September teaching period but will be reassessed for January 2022.
  • Curtin Dubai teams will continue to be primarily online but a representative from Student Services, IT, Finance, Admissions, and Careers will be available on campus by appointment, as well as virtually during normal office hours.
  • Faculty consults will continue to be hosted online, or right before/after class. Please remember that due to KHDA guidelines which are still in place, faculty must remain at least 2 metres from students even for one-to-one consultation and materials cannot be passed.

* Please also ensure that you check with your lecturer before coming in to classes on a weekly basis.

With the UAE pushing the vaccination drive as a top priority, we are proud to share that we will be welcoming you back in September to a 100% vaccinated campus when it comes to our faculty and professional staff. For your own safety and everyone else’s, we encourage all our students to book themselves in for one of the readily available COVID-19 vaccines if they haven’t already done so.

For any queries or clarifications, kindly email compliance@curtindubai.ac.ae

March 2021

Over the last year we have watched you fearlessly continue your education online, and our staff and faculty have worked tirelessly to give you the best possible online campus experience. We are proud to have received an overall student satisfaction rate of over 90% and the recent global Career Fair that was held on Unihub is testament to the University’s spirit on truly being ‘One Curtin’. 

The decision to stay online over the last year had been made in the interest of the safety and wellbeing of our community and in the best interest of learning. These safety measures have been in use since March 2020 and have resulted in zero outbreaks on campus.

With the vaccination drive in full force, we believe that we will be able to return to a 100% face-to-face delivery by September 2021 and will be commencing this transition in May.

As it stands, we should be back in the classroom the first week after Eid, which is Sunday, the 16th of May 2021. With the exception of a few units which will remain online due to high-risk individuals, all classes will be conducted face-to-face and online simultaneously.  We encourage as many students as possible to continue in the online classes for their own safety and the safety of their families. Please note the following:

  • Students will be allowed on campus only for their classes and will not be able to eat or drink on campus.  Students must wear masks at all times and must remain 2 metres from each other and from Curtin Dubai team members.  Students and faculty members are also not permitted to pass paper or any other material to anyone else. This is in line with KHDA’s guidelines, and anyone found not cooperating will be fined by KHDA or DHA.
  • Depending on the number of cases and social distancing requirements, transport will be offered from September 2021.
  • Curtin Dubai teams will continue to be primarily online but a representative from Student Services, IT, Finance, Admissions, and Careers will be available on campus as well as virtually during normal office hours.
  • Faculty consults will continue to be hosted online, or right before/after class. Please remember that due to KHDA guidelines which are still in place, faculty must remain at least 2 metres from students.

While we are attempting to have 100% of the Curtin Dubai team vaccinated prior to the start of the May term, it is in our best interest to be a 100% vaccinated campus to protect ourselves, as well as who are or may live with high-risk individuals. All students are requested to book yourself for one of the readily available COVID-19 vaccines if you haven’t already done so.

Please note that detailed guidelines will be shared closer to the time. For any queries or clarifications, kindly email compliance@curtindubai.ac.ae.

February 2021

In light of the recent rise in number of COVID19 cases in the UAE, Curtin University Dubai will continue in a fully interactive online learning mode for the first quarter of 2021. No students are permitted on campus until further notice, with the exception of engineering lab sessions that require the use of specialised equipment and prescheduled appointments for matters that cannot be handled online. If students are on campus, they must strictly observe all social distancing and safety measures as laid out by the Government of the UAE.

This decision has been made in the interest of the safety and wellbeing of its community and in the best interest of learning. These safety measures have been in use since March 2020 and have resulted in zero outbreaks on campus.

In the meantime, Curtin is encouraging all of its staff and faculty to get vaccinated so that the campus may be reopened safely. We request that all students also get vaccinated by Mid-April so that campus can be reopened for the summer teaching period. Our campus CEO, Mr Daniel Adkins, was among the first within the Curtin Community to receive the vaccine and is available to share the experience if needed.

Until classes resume on campus, faculty members will continue to post their availability for consultations with students and will spend at least one hour per week per class in online office hours for this purpose. Students can join their virtual meeting room during the allotted time to clarify doubts or receive additional assistance with their coursework. Classes will continue to be recorded for the students’ convenience. The Student Success Centre staff has been increased and the team is available to provide students academic support for research, paraphrasing / quoting, citations, academic integrity, study skills, and academic writing.

All other departments are available to the student body via virtual meetings, which may be requested via email. Student life and Careers Centre activities continue online.

In March 2020, Curtin Dubai was prepared to move online two weeks before Universities were mandated to do so and has had an overall student satisfaction rate of over 80% for online teaching. This is attributable to the technology-based learning that already existed in our curriculum.

The University is currently offering financial aid and support to those who have directly been impacted by COVID-19. You may read more about Curtin’s efforts here.

Any clarifications or concerns may be emailed to compliance@curtindubai.ac.ae

20 August 2020

From a standpoint of health and safety, Curtin Dubai knows that remaining in a fully interactive online learning mode for the September teaching period, with the exception of a few face-to-face labs for engineering where equipment is required, is the absolute safest way to conduct classes.

The leadership of Curtin Dubai does not want to needlessly risk the lives and health of its students, staff, or their families.  We also considered what on-campus classes would be like following both the spirit and letter of the government guidelines, and it would be near impossible to function.

During this term, every faculty member will post an office hours schedule where they will be available online for one hour per week per unit they are teaching.  During this one hour each week, students can simply join their virtual meeting room and have any conversation with them that is required.  In addition, students can still request feedback and clarify doubts through emails, which will be responded to in not more than 24 hours or request a one on one virtual meeting.  Also, all of the classes will be recorded so that students can refresh their memory of what occurred in the class at any time that is convenient.

No students are permitted on campus until further notice with the exception of engineering lab sessions which require the use of specialist equipment and prescheduled appointments for matters that cannot be handled in a video conference.  You are requested to take note of the Stay at Home Policy which would apply to attending the engineering sessions or any prescheduled appointments.

Any request for scheduling appointments must be sent to compliance@curtindubai.ac.ae

11 August 2020

As the Governments of the UAE and Dubai have announced the resumption of face-to-face classes this September, Curtin Dubai is fully prepared to resume on-campus lectures in compliance with Government regulations and with proper health precautions.

With nearly 50,000 square feet of space, Curtin Dubai is uniquely equipped to provide all classes with appropriate social distancing whilst simultaneously conducting fully interactive online sessions for those who prefer to study from home during the September trimester and the remainder of the pandemic.

Curtin Dubai will be welcoming students in September 2020 into our highly ranked programs offered in Business, Humanities, IT, and Engineering.

If you have any questions or concerns about how Curtin Dubai is addressing teaching and COVID19 safety, please contact us at info@curtindubai.ac.ae

26 May 2020

While the UAE government has lifted movement restrictions during the hours of 6am to 11pm and is allowing businesses to reopen with up to 30% of the staff on site, all schools and universities are still closed for face-to-face teaching until the end of the academic year (August 2020).  While Curtin Dubai could open the campus for staff, in the best interests of minimizing any risk of infections, the campus will remain closed with the staff working remotely.  All support services remain available for students and can be accessed by contacting the staff member directly or contacting compliance@curtindubai.ac.ae


30th April 2020

With regard to the recent directive from the Ministry of Education, we will be extending online classes until the end of August 2020.

With effect from Sunday, 3rd May 2020, classes will be conducted through Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. Please ensure you have completed your enrolment for Trimester 2, 2020 to be able to access classes effectively.

Please refer to the attached manual in your emails for more information. For additional support, kindly reach out to compliance@curtindubai.ac.ae or any of the student support services.

We are monitoring the situation and will keep you updated as further information becomes available.

29th April 2020

Curtin University is currently processing applications for a Financial Support Bursary to support students in hardship due to COVID-19. For more information on this Bursary, please check your emails or click here.

24th March 2020

A further announcement was made by the UAE Government yesterday, advising the public to stay at home except in the case of getting supplies such as groceries or medication, or carrying out essential jobs. You may read more about this here.  

Campus will be closed as of today, 24th March, 2020, as Academic and Administrative staff will work from home until further notice. You will continue to have access to all Student Service Departments via the University number, on email, and through zoom calls. Any in-person appointments must be made 24 hours in advance.

A deep cleaning  and sanitization of the campus has been conducted over the weekend, and regular end of day cleaning is taking place on a daily basis.

Curtin is here to help you every step of the way in achieving your goals and to make sure that you don’t lose any time in getting the education you desire. We look forward to welcoming you back to campus soon. 

5th March 2020

In accordance with the recent directive from the Ministry of Higher Education and KHDA,  Curtin University Dubai will not be conducting face to face classes from March 8 to April 4, 2020. Classes will be held via online interactive sessions to avoid any disruptions during this teaching period. Students will also have access to the Academic Services, Student Services, Library, Student Success Centre, Finance and IT Services.

For additional support, kindly reach out to compliance@curtindubai.ac.ae or any of the student support services.