The American University of Ras Al Khaimah was established in 2005 as a branch campus of George Mason University, Virginia. Since 2009 it has been a public institution accredited by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
The university is based in Ras al Khaimah, 45 minutes from Dubai. The campus is located between the Red Sea and the Hajar Mountains
It was accredited in 2022 by the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
It offers degree courses in biotechnology, mass communication, architecture, interior design, artificial intelligence, computer science, seven branches of business and nine engineering courses. The university also offers seven graduate programmes including an MBA and a masters in engineering project management . All courses are taught in English. English courses are offered at four different levels including a four-month preparatory course.
It counts 46 different nationalities among a small student body. Students are sign up to an honour code and are housed in four residences, two male and two female, with studio apartments. Facilities include an information technology laboratory and the entrepreneurship centre, which will incubate up to 16 start-up companies.