Canadian university campuses in the Middle East caught in a war zone

Teachers and students at Canadian university campuses in the Middle East found themselves caught in a war zone this week after the United States and Israel bombed Iran — which then retaliated against several neighbouring countries allied to the U.S.  

The United Arab Emirates has borne the brunt of the Iranian attacks. CBC reports that 189 ballistic missiles and 941 drones have been launched at the country, with three people killed and dozens injured. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the war could continue for several weeks.  

Royal Roads University, based in Victoria, operates a campus in the UAE with almost 700 students, president and vice-chancellor Philip Steenkamp told University Affairs.  

“Our campus is in the northern part of the UAE, quite far from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where the action has been,” he said in an interview. “But of course we have students who live in Dubai and other parts of the Emirates as well.”  

Royal Roads classes were on a break when the war broke out last Saturday, although some students were on site. “We decided to close the campus out of an abundance of caution,” Dr. Steenkamp said.  

Instruction is scheduled to resume on Monday, but Royal Roads is considering whether to push that date out a week or more. “We have also applied to the authorities in the UAE to offer courses online if necessary,” he said.  

“It’s a day-to-day thing as you might expect,” Dr. Steenkamp said. Royal Roads employs 22 faculty at its UAE campus from a wide range of countries, including Canada.  

The Canadian government has issued a red travel alert for the UAE — the highest warning. It urges people to avoid the country. Those already there are advised to shelter in place and leave the UAE as soon as it is safe to do so.  

Several Canadian universities operate in the Middle East. The Canadian University Dubai acts as a feeder school to 28 post-secondary institutions across Canada, including British Columbia Institute of Technology and Toronto Metropolitan University. Licensed by the UAE’s ministry of higher education and scientific research, it offers courses based on Canadian university curricula, and gives students the opportunity to transfer their credits to partner institutions so they can complete their studies and graduate in Canada. Canadian University Dubai did not respond to a request for comment.  

The University of Prince Edward Island has a site in Cairo, Egypt. So far, Egypt has not been a target for Iranian missiles but the country borders war-torn Gaza and Israel. The Canadian government has posted a yellow travel alert for Egypt, advising people visiting there to “exercise a high degree of caution.”  

Like their American counterparts, Canadian post-secondary institutions have expanded to the Gulf States in a bid to grow their footprint and build revenues. However, in the wake of the war the future is in question. Comments Chronicle of Higher Education writer Karen Fischer in her international education newsletter: “The flaring of attacks across the Middle East are a blow to a region that has positioned itself as an education haven, attracting institutions from around the globe to set up outposts there.”  

“Clearly, the current conflict shows the risks facing universities in the region,” David Robinson, executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, told University Affairs. “There was always the danger of conflict that many institutions ignored. The illusion that the Gulf States were safe havens for Canadian and other foreign educational ventures has been shattered.”  

Royal Roads staff have reached out to all its students in the UAE to ensure they are safe and to provide accurate information about the war.  

“It’s not something you want to wake up to on a Saturday morning,” Dr. Steenkamp said. “But our team on the ground has done a fantastic job in getting out information and supporting students.”