Zayed University, the UAE’s flagship higher education institution, today announced the appointment of Dr Michael Allen as its new Provost and Chief Academic Officer. Dr Allen will oversee the accelerated delivery of Zayed University’s new strategy which is currently being rolled out, as the University continues to transfer its academic offering, in line with the UAE’s national agenda.

Undergraduate students enrolling in Zayed University now choose from new interdisciplinary degree programs which are taught using pioneering active learning techniques. All students also participate Zayed University’s unique partner challenge program which provide students with an opportunity to work alongside local and international companies giving them the valuable real-world experience needed to thrive in their career.

The new degree programs are in line with the UAE’s Centennial 2071 plan and Projects of the 50 which are focused on improving the education system as part of the Government’s plans to build a stronger and more innovative nation. Concurrently, Zayed University is implementing its new world class research offering, which will complement the new undergraduate programs. The new research institute will focus on applied research in distinct niches, aligned with national and global objectives.

About Dr Michael Allen

Dr. Michael Allen is Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Zayed University. Prior to his recent appointment he was the Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs and Research, having previously served for five years as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He has also held positions at the University of Auckland (New Zealand), the University of California at Berkeley, Brigham Young University, and the University of Victoria (British Columbia, Canada). He has extensive experience in international education, and has traveled widely both for his own research and to build programs and partnerships between universities.

Trained as a historian, Dr. Allen received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Washington and his Master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He holds undergraduate degrees in both History and Asian Studies from Brigham Young University. Dr. Allen is a specialist on East Asian history in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and has traveled numerous times to China, Japan, and Korea (both North and South). Most of his research has focused on Korea in the 19th and 20th centuries. He also has a deep interest in world history, and his publications include books and articles on nationalism in East Asia, intellectual history, historiography, and the history of the world since 1500.