Dubai student secures spot at ‘New Ivy’ Vanderbilt through sustainability, research, and resilience

At 6:02 AM on a warm Dubai morning, a call pierced the stillness of Ruhaan’s room. The words were simple: “You’re in.” But for the Dubai International Academy - Emirates Hills senior, they were nothing short of transformative.

The call wasn’t from a university. It was from COP28 - the world’s most important climate summit. After nearly a year of trying to gain entry as a youth participant, Ruhaan was finally invited as a guest to attend the UAE-hosted conference. The acceptance marked a powerful turning point in a journey defined by tenacity, purpose, and creativity.

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Now, just months later, another call would arrive: this time from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. With an acceptance rate under 5 per cent, the university is recognized as one of America’s most selective private research institutions. Known as a “New Ivy” for its blend of academic rigor, research funding, and undergraduate mentorship, Vanderbilt was a strategic, values-based choice for Ruhaan.

“I wanted to look beyond the name,” he says. “I was looking for a place where I could build a future that mattered.”

From Noida farms to Dubai initiatives

Ruhaan’s first lessons in sustainability came from his grandmother. Each summer, he returned to a community farm in Noida, India, where he learned homeopathic agricultural techniques, vermicomposting, and the importance of biodiversity.

That experience became the foundation for Artisacs, a social enterprise he founded to turn recycled materials into sustainable tote bags. Using eco-jute and recycled cotton sourced from boutiques in Delhi, Ruhaan hand-designed each piece and raised over Dh7,000 for the Udyam Trust and CORD India. News outlets featured his work, and ComicQuest UAE invited him to share his experience on youth entrepreneurship and design.

“Each bag was a story,” Ruhaan shares. “Not just of sustainability, but of craft and purpose.”

Ruhaan pursued environmental science not just as an interest, but as a means to innovate. Under Dr. Livleen Shukla at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, he co-authored a study on solar-powered vermicomposting bins. The research, published in Plant Archives, analyzed microbial systems for agricultural waste degradation.

In a second publication for the International Journal of Engineering and Science, Ruhaan tackled the future of biofuels, arguing that non-food biomass and agro-waste could be key to a global energy transition. The review explored not only technological advances but also policy gaps in scaling green fuel adoption.

His scientific exploration didn’t stop there. At Clemenceau Medical Center Dubai, he worked in microbiology labs analyzing bacterial samples and blood treatments. Later, at MED-EL, he researched the design and functionality of hearing aids for individuals with Down Syndrome, contributing to risk assessment and design alternatives for ADHEAR systems.

Leading with purpose

In parallel with his research, Ruhaan built tools to empower others. He founded DIAPAIR, an edtech platform connecting high school students with alumni across Dubai. With over 1,000 users, the platform became a mentorship hub, hosting university panels and alumni Q&As.

“When you create a space where people feel seen and heard, the outcomes go beyond what you expect,” he reflects.

Creativity also played a role in his leadership. Through Capture@DIA, Ruhaan led 16 student photographers in launching the UAE’s first student-led photo networking exhibition, in collaboration with the Al Serkal Arts Foundation. The workshop engaged over 30 aspiring creatives.

As part of the UNICEF-DIA partnership, he designed and led a mural project themed on internationalism, managing a team of over 20 students to translate shared global values into visual storytelling.

At Dubai International Academy, Ruhaan has been a cornerstone of student life. As Student Opportunity Leader in the Student Council, he launched the Primary Buddy Initiative, organized charity events, and co-led a fundraiser that raised $20,000 to build a school in Nepal in partnership with the GIVE Foundation.

Athletically, he has been a varsity basketball player since Grade 8, contributing to multiple inter-school and DASSA championships. He also played badminton, showing balance between academics and extracurriculars.

He served as Head of Public Relations for the Rotaract Interact Club, President of the Inspire Science Club, and Head of Events for the EcoClub. Through these roles, he helped organize community outreach and even spoke at COP28’s soil workshop and Innoventures’ foRWArd Ideas platform.

Ruhaan also placed third in the HSA Debate World Cup, adding public speaking and advocacy to an already multi-faceted resume.

The rise of the New Ivies

Choosing Vanderbilt was the result of thoughtful reflection and a future-oriented mindset. As college admissions become increasingly competitive and unpredictable, students like Ruhaan are redefining what prestige means by looking beyond traditional Ivy League boundaries. In this shifting landscape, the term “New Ivies” has emerged to describe universities like Vanderbilt, Duke, Northwestern, Emory, and Tufts. These institutions offer Ivy-level rigor, but with a modern approach to education that prioritizes research, innovation, interdisciplinary study, and real-world application.

For Ruhaan, Vanderbilt stood out as a university that values undergraduate initiative. With access to one of the largest on-campus research funding portfolios in the U.S., students are encouraged to dive into projects as early as their freshman year. The emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaboration also aligns perfectly with Ruhaan’s diverse interests, where science, sustainability, technology, and policy intersect.

The university’s residential college system promotes tight-knit intellectual communities, and its location in Nashville, an emerging tech and policy hub, offers endless opportunities for internships, start-ups, think tanks, and grassroots innovation. Whether it’s climate policy, medtech, or edtech entrepreneurship, Ruhaan sees Vanderbilt not just as a university, but as an incubator for ideas.

“I didn’t want to be in a place where everyone was trying to fit into one mold. I wanted to be somewhere that embraced innovation and gave students room to experiment,” he explains.

Choosing a New Ivy like Vanderbilt was, for Ruhaan, a decision rooted in longevity. It’s not just about the four years of university, it’s about the 40 years that follow. The school’s expansive alumni network, strong graduate placement rates, and global partnerships give its students a competitive edge in shaping meaningful careers.

“It felt like a place where you could take a personal passion and actually build something real from it — whether it’s a research paper, a company, or a movement,” Ruhaan says.

For students in the Gulf region, the rise of the New Ivies signals an important shift. They are pursuing institutions that recognize their voice, amplify their potential, and prepare them for a world that doesn’t just reward tradition, it rewards transformation.

Vanderbilt, Ruhaan believes, is precisely that kind of place.

As Ruhaan prepares to begin his studies in the US, he leaves behind a legacy not only of achievement but of impact. His message to students in the Gulf: “Start small. Stay curious. Don’t wait for permission to act.”

“Dubai taught me ambition. Noida taught me meaning. Vanderbilt will teach me how to scale that meaning into something even bigger.”

Ruhaan Malhotra is not simply a student heading to a top university. He is part of a new wave of changemakers: youth who are equal parts activist, innovator, and philosopher.  

The writer is Education Consultant at Hale Education Group.