Advertising alums show how human creativity remains key to audience engagement

Two graduates of Canadian University Dubai (CUD) are proving that human creativity remains a driving force in modern marketing, blending advanced technology with their talent for communication to rewrite the rules of audience engagement. Both alumni of the university’s BA Communications in Advertising program, Hala Nsour and Mahdi Shafiei, have emerged as pioneers in fields that barely existed when they graduated and are now transforming their respective domains: artificial intelligence and TikTok marketing.

Mahdi  Shafiei, a graduate of CUD’s Communications in Advertising program, is the founder and CEO of Trifid Media, an agency built around TikTok that has helped clients generate more than $100 million in sales

Hala’s journey began in the glamorous world of luxury fashion, working with names like Givenchy, before developing content strategies for projects associated with Dubai royalty. Always looking to be part of the next big thing, Hala joined nybl. This AI startup deploys science-based artificial intelligence solutions across sectors that underpin society, such as energy, healthcare and agriculture. Taking on the role of Marketing Manager at the age of 24, Hala was centre stage at a time when the technology was met with scepticism and uncertainty.

Hala Nsour, a graduate of CUD’s Communications in Advertising program, is now Chief Marketing Officer at nybl, an AI startup that deploys science-based artificial intelligence solutions across sectors

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New Canadian academic routes for CUD students in engineering, applied science and technology, and health sciences to complete their degrees in Canada

Canadian University Dubai (CUD) has announced a new expansion in its global academic network through the signing of two landmark agreements with the University of Ottawa (uOttawa), one of Canada’s top research-intensive institutions. The Memoranda of Understanding mark a significant milestone in CUD’s internationalisation strategy, offering students enhanced mobility, access to world-class academic environments, and transformative experiences that bridge Dubai and Canada.

Canadian University Dubai has signed two landmark agreements with the University of Ottawa (uOttawa), one of Canada’s top research-intensive institutions 

At the core of the partnership are two new academic routes that create seamless progression pathways to globally recognised Canadian qualifications, set in one of North America’s most dynamic, innovation-driven academic ecosystems. Through the 1+3 Collaborative Student Transfer Program, eligible students in the School of Engineering, Applied Science and Technology can complete the first year of their studies at CUD before transferring to uOttawa to complete the remaining three years of their chosen degree at uOttawa. Meanwhile, the 2+2 Dual-Degree Program in the School of Health Sciences & Psychology enables Public Health students to complete two years at CUD, followed by two years at uOttawa, and to graduate with a dual degree from both institutions.

Dr.Lucie Thibeault, Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences and Dr. Jacques Beauvais, Provost and Vice-President, Academic Affairs, University of Ottawa with Professor Karim Chelli, President and Vice Chancellor, Canadian University Dubai

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Collaboration with Dubai Holding Entertainment and ImInclusive to champion equality

November 19,2025 : Dubai, UAE: For the second consecutive year, Canadian University Dubai (CUD) has joined forces with Dubai Holding Entertainment (DHE) and ImInclusive to champion equality and accessibility through the power of design. The collaborative installation, known as the Dome of Inclusion, was officially presented at Dubai Design Week, where Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, visited the installation as part of the event’s opening ceremony.

Massimo Imparato, Dean of the School of Architecture and Interior Design at CUD

Developed as a space where creativity, design, and accessibility converge, the Dome of Inclusion is composed of interlocking hexagons and pentagons that symbolize unity through diversity. The hexagons represent six guiding principles of collaboration, creativity, inclusion, empowerment, innovation, and unity, reflecting the shared vision of the partners to embed these values into every aspect of the project. The pentagons signify the five key areas of disability considered in the design: physical, sensory, neurodiversity, intellectual, and psychosocial.

-CUD, along with Dubai Holding Entertainment (DHE) and ImInclusive, championed equality and accessibility through the collaborative installation: the Dome of Inclusion

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