History

Our university was established in May 2006 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and Sorbonne University, as part of the Emirate’s vision for academic and cultural growth.

This historic agreement represented a shared vision between the UAE Government and Sorbonne University in Paris to bring world-class standards of French education to the Middle East. Sorbonne University and Université Paris Cité were all signatories to the agreement to establish the Abu Dhabi campus and to provide specialised undergraduate and postgraduate academic programmes and lifelong learning programmes.

In December 2009, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi moved into its purpose-built, permanent campus on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi including over 93,000m2 of teaching, recreational and accommodation facilities. This included a library, a 700-seat auditorium, a sports centre and a cafeteria.

The university is always committed to Abu Dhabi’s vision of creating a cultural and scientific hub and expanding its outreach to students locally and across the world.