RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE – Royal Roads University (RRU), a leading Canadian public university, celebrated the official inauguration of its first international branch campus in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, on 28 April 2025. The historic ceremony marked a significant milestone—RRU became the first Canadian university to establish a campus in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), expanding access to world-class Canadian post-secondary education throughout the region.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by esteemed dignitaries, including His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Sharjah Consultative Council and Former UAE Minister, and Mr. Tracy Reynolds, Consul General of Canada to the UAE, alongside Dr. Philip Steenkamp, President and Vice-Chancellor of Royal Roads University, Dr. William Holmes, Professor of the School of Leadership and Management at RRU, Mr. Vinit Rughani, Director of BIG Education Group, Mr. Nirmal Shah, Director of BIG Education Group,  Dr. Alastair Summerlee Chair & CEO The Ottawa Education Group and Mr. Harry Sharma, President and COO, The Ottawa Education Group.