Heriot-Watt University Dubai Hosts WATTXPO

Manal AlBayat, Chief Engagement Officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, inaugurated the event

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L – R Claire Roper-Browning, regional director marketing, recruitment, admissions and communications, Professor Tadhg O’Donovan, deputy vice principal academic leadership, Vanessa Northway, deputy vice principal learning and teaching, Manal AlBayat, chief engagement officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, Professor Ammar Kaka, provost and vice principal at WATTXPO
L – R Claire Roper-Browning, regional director marketing, recruitment, admissions and communications, Professor Tadhg O’Donovan, deputy vice principal academic leadership, Vanessa Northway, deputy vice principal learning and teaching, Manal AlBayat, chief engagement officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, Professor Ammar Kaka, provost and vice principal at WATTXPO

Published: Sun 21 Nov 2021, 3:24 PM

Heriot-Watt University Dubai successfully concluded WATTXPO, the University’s tribute to Expo 2020 Dubai and the world’s greatest show. The unique event was inaugurated by Manal AlBayat, chief engagement officer, at Expo 2020 Dubai. The entire campus was transformed into multiple pavilions, each hosting exciting activities and offering opportunities for prospective students to meet with academics, admissions, and student service staff.

Speaking on the occasion, AlBayat said: “We are honoured by Heriot-Watt University’s tribute to Expo 2020 Dubai through WATTXPO. It is humbling to witness how our World Expo has inspired the creation of on-campus pavilions and activities that celebrate and showcase the university’s innovation, creativity and collaboration in order to engage the leaders and pioneers of tomorrow. The initiative echoes the collaborative spirit of Expo 2020 Dubai and its focus on youth, and is a beautiful example of the mega-event’s far-reaching impacts.”


Claire Roper-Browning, regional director for marketing, recruitment, admissions, and communications at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, said: “Through WATTXPO, we brought our expertise across technology, innovation, business, interior, and fashion design to prospective students who wanted to experience the various courses we offer here in a fun and unique setting. Our Pavilions were inspired by those at Expo 2020 Dubai and were extremely well received by our visitors. WATTXPO was indeed a unique event for us, and we were privileged to host Manal AlBayat and take her on a tour of our campus and are grateful to her for agreeing to inaugurate the event.”

The Sustainability Pavilion at WATTXPO
The Sustainability Pavilion at WATTXPO

WATTXPO comprised nine Pavilions as follows:


•Student Pavilion –hosted by Heriot-Watt’s Student Council, presented student experience points to give prospective students a taste of university life.

•Technology Pavilion - hosted activities such as a math quiz and Design Engineer for A Day where participants built small-scale cars and modified them.

•Sustainability Pavilion – hosted workshops that gave students a glimpse into what a career in Sustainability would be like

•Design Pavilion – hosted a T-shirt design workshop and a fashion and interior design exhibition

•Enterprise Pavilion – showcased business programmes offerings and offered a tour of the campus’ Bloomberg Trading Suite.

•Innovation Pavilion – hosted workshops and activities centers around the field of Engineering

•Humanity Pavilion – hosted Psychology-related workshops

•Development Pavilion – hosted workshops on advancing industry-led innovations in construction

•Support Pavilion – managed by the admissions and recruitment team to support students with course and programmes related queries.

WATTXPO is one of the several ways by which Heriot-Watt University is supporting Expo 2020 Dubai. In December Heriot-Watt will also be hosting the Future Skills Conference at the UK pavilion that will explore how the University’s world-leading research is shaping education, catalysing industries and framing jobs of tomorrow in response to the changing workplace - through Sustainability, mobility and opportunity. The Future Skills Conference will bring together thought leaders from across the industry sharing insights into the future of education.

The Design Pavilion at WATTXPO
The Design Pavilion at WATTXPO

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