John Sexton was a man with a plan to internationalize New York University. Recognizing NYU and New York City as a miniaturization of the world, he sought to bring the global university to people around the world. As he talked to a wide range of people – from heads of state and UN dignitaries, to people who did business in the Gulf – there was a consensus that Abu Dhabi was a special place. What started as a concept for another NYU study away site, quickly became a dream for a fully-fledged liberal arts university in and of Abu Dhabi – the likes the world had not seen – nurtured by the unique joint vision of Sexton alongside His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Sexton found in Sheikh Mohamed and his team, not only a deep commitment to expanding quality education within the UAE, but also a trusted partner to build one of the world’s great research universities – a premier global institution dedicated to educating future generations of world leaders. Today, NYU Abu Dhabi offers an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education to students from the United Arab Emirates, the United States and around the world. Since opening in 2010, NYUAD boasts 17 Rhodes Scholars – more per student than any university in the world. Hear from Sexton on the origin story of the Abu Dhabi campus.
