Partnership falls in line with the strategic vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Dubai - Monday, March 25th, 2013: Meydan and Mir Hashem Khoory LLC (MHK), have announced today an agreement to amplify Meydan's facilities by introducing strategic education projects, including a new Kent College Canterbury campus. The partnership comes as Meydan and MHK work in tandem to fulfil a strategic directive by H.H. Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, to offer UAE citizens and residents with the highest standards of education.
Kent College Canterbury in the UK is an exceptional educational institution. The school's facilities in Meydan will be designated as an official Kent College campus and not a franchise, and will be managed and operated directly by Kent College. The project has an estimated total budget AED 150 million, will be built on 400,000 sq. ft. of land, with construction expected to start in the third quarter of 2013, and finish by June 2015. The college is expected to start enrolling students in February 2015 for the 2015 - 2016 academic year.
The announcement, made at a press conference at the Meydan Ballroom in the Meydan Hotel, comes as Meydan looks to round off its hospitality and horse-racing offerings with healthcare and education facilities to become an integrated community offering multi-purpose amenities. MHK has partnered with Meydan to develop a number of strategic projects that round off the development's offerings in various key sectors.
"Meydan is master planned to deliver an integrated cityscape offering upscale residential communities mixed with amenities, business spaces and commercial opportunities that complement its world class thoroughbred racing and its five-star hospitality. By partnering with MHK, Meydan is delivering on its promise to create a variety of excellent offerings in education and other sectors. We aim to extend Meydan's rigorous standards to a number of premium offerings across a number of sectors," said Mohammad A.Nasser Al Khayat, Head of Commercial and Freezone at Meydan.
"MHK has been in operation in Dubai since 1963, and has contributed to the UAE's development through a diversified portfolio of investments in different sectors such as: real estate, education, hospitality, consultancy, manufacturing, logistics, and others are considered key to the country's economic growth and sustainable development," said Mr. Shoaib Mir Hashem Khoory, Managing Director, MHK. "We are very proud to have partnered with Meydan to create exciting new projects in education that will serve a new generation and help turn Meydan into an integrated community."
The Kent College Canterbury's Meydan campus will offer classes from KG 1 to 12th Grade, with pupils in grade 6 and above benefitting from finishing classes and a very strong emphasis on equestrian training due to the close proximity to Meydan. Other facilities will include football and rugby fields, tennis courts, cricket grounds, and infrastructure for track and race events. The school will offer a high quality British education to over 2,000 students from the UAE, GCC and all over the world.
"Kent College has always enjoyed a reputation as a friendly and welcoming school, and also has recently been awarded the distinction of being recognised as one of the top ten schools in the UK. The school is very anxious to maintain and strengthen this commitment to excellence through a clearly articulated Mission Statement and a widely circulated set of aims and values," said Dr David Lamper, Headmaster, Kent College.
"We believe in creating responsible, well-rounded and capable individuals, and pay particular attention to balancing a very high quality British syllabus with co-curricular and extra-curricular elements such as manners, ethics and sports. Kent College in Dubai will maintain a very close relationship with the one in the UK. Any Dubai student, at any point in time, may request a transfer to Kent College in the UK, provided that seats are available there," he added.
Meydan, situated 14 kilometres from Dubai's main business district, has been recognized as the world's most luxurious integrated racing, business and lifestyle hub. Meydan is now following through with plans to create an interconnected cityscape offering a plethora of offerings in various areas of expertise such as education and healthcare. Meydan and MHK have recently announced the joint development of a new healthcare institution - the Korean Hospital, a Meydan based facility estimated at AED 600 Million.
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About MHK
Mir Hashem Khoory LLC (MHK) is a company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; established in 1963 under the law of Emirate of Dubai. It was founded by The late Mr. Mir Hashem Khoory, a businessman and a highly respected community and corporate figure. He started business in 1963 in Real Estate and gold trading.
The MHK Group has since expanded and diversified its portfolio of investments and business activities in sectors important to the UAE's growth and diversity. These include real estate, education, healthcare, consultancy, manufacturing, landscaping, oil and gas, transportation and logistics, trading, tourism and investments.
© Press Release 2013
