Why Abu Dhabi? If you're really going for an "international" school, why wouldn't you pick somewhere a bit more stable? If neutrality is key, then I'd choose someplace like Geneva.
As starkfist mentioned, Abu Dhabi is picking up the tab. The other reason would be the level of freedom that NYU is being given in designing the curriculum. Places like Geneva have strict guidelines on curriculum. While I'm sure the Emirates have curriculum guidelines as well, I see them being much more open to trying something new.
It's a university administrator's dream.
Also, U of Waterloo now has an Engineering campus in Dubai. http://www.uae.uwaterloo.ca/ It caused quite the discussion when I was in school at the time.
It's strong economy is based on a limited resource that much of the world is shifting away from. And its social policies remain incompatible with many of the major countries of today.
Also, the surrounding area is torn apart by a never-ending war.
It's strong economy is based on a limited resource that much of the world is shifting away from.
Unlike most other gulf states, Abu Dhabi has actually been diversifying it's economy for years. According to Wikipeda, _non oil and gas GDP now constitutes 64% of the UAE’s total GDP_
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Dhabi#Economy
its social policies remain incompatible with many of the major countries of today
Perhaps, but it's certainly more liberal than most of it's neighbors. I would have thought an international university could act as a factor to improve that as well.
the surrounding area is torn apart by a never-ending war
It's about 600km from Iraq. That's very roughly the same distance Los Angles is from the Mexican drug wars - where more people are being killed than Iraq at the moment.
It's a university administrator's dream.
Also, U of Waterloo now has an Engineering campus in Dubai. http://www.uae.uwaterloo.ca/ It caused quite the discussion when I was in school at the time.