“Building Gulf Medical University from the No. 1 private medical university to the leading institute in the world.”
In just under three decades, Gulf Medical University has undergone a remarkable evolution. Established as the UAE’s first medical university with a teaching hospital, GMU has grown from a regional leader into a formidable presence on the global stage of medical education.
Over more than 28 years, the university has built, through academic rigor and clinical excellence, a global ecosystem of education and healthcare.
This evolution is deeply rooted in the vision of its founder president, Dr. Thumbay Moideen. His philosophy brought together universities, hospitals, research centers, and communities into a unified academic healthcare ecosystem, a vision that continues to define GMU today.
Over the years, the university has expanded into a comprehensive, multidisciplinary institution encompassing medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, biomedical sciences, health sciences, and AI in healthcare management. Each discipline has been developed with a clear purpose, reflecting the interconnected realities of modern healthcare. The university also has the largest clinical training network.
Through GMU’s expansive network, the Group has treated over 16 million patients from more than 175 nationalities. GMU graduates are making meaningful contributions in hospitals, universities, research institutions, and healthcare organizations worldwide.
GMU’s success in the Gulf has laid the foundation for a far more ambitious future with global engagement. It is strengthening international collaborations, expanding its research capabilities, and integrating emerging fields such as digital health and artificial intelligence into its academic framework.
One way in which GMU does this is by offering the Thumbay International Pathway Program. The program gives students the opportunity to study the first three years of their higher diploma in pre-clinical sciences at GMU, followed by three years of clinical studies at partner universities in Poland, Italy, Malaysia, the UK, the Americas, Uzbekistan, Romania, and Ghana. The program leads to a medical degree (MD or MBBS).
GMU offers a prestigious research grant worth AED 3 million to researchers who partner with it and are committed to cutting-edge research in the areas of precision oncology and personalized immunotherapy, liquid biopsy and circulating tumor DNA, and so many more.
GMU’s integrated ecosystem enables this transformation. Teaching hospitals, clinical networks, and research platforms at GMU ensure a continuous connection between learning and real-world application.
The Thumbay College of Management and AI in Healthcare focuses on management, economics, and emerging technologies, while the Thumbay College of Veterinary Medicine teaches animal handling through simulation-based training, among other things.
GMU’s Chancellor Prof. Manda Venkatramana highlights that the university’s mission is about nurturing leaders who will shape the future of healthcare.
GMU’s outward-looking and internationally engaged approach in a diverse, interconnected world drives this shift from regional excellence to global relevance. Since becoming a leader in the Gulf, it has emerged as an institution of global consequence.
On February 9, 2026, Dr. Thumbay Moideen launched Thumbay Medicity Dubai, an important turning point in this journey. Designed as a next-generation academic healthcare destination, it will bring together education, healthcare, and research at scale, with the capacity for 3,000 students, 1,000 employment opportunities, and a dynamic ecosystem serving thousands more.
What GMU is building today extends far beyond the region. It is actively shaping the future of global healthcare education.
GMU IN NUMBERS: 8 Colleges, 45 Programs, 5,000+ Students Graduated, 111+ Nationalities on Campus, 3,100 clinical training beds, including partner hospitals, Faculty from 56 countries, 100+ industry partners
1st Private Academic Health System
28 Years of Excellence in Education, Healthcare and Research
Network of 7 Academic Hospitals, owned by Thumbay Group
Collaboration with 75+ International Universities
Ranked 1st by Times Higher Education Impact Ranking 2025 in “Good Health & Well-Being” among all universities in the UAE.
Spreading wings far and wide
GMU trains 60% of the UAE’s healthcare professionals. The university has graduated over 15 batches of students, with over 5,000 GMU alumni working and contributing to improve healthcare all over the world.
Circle of Life
Thumbay University Hospital has facilitated the delivery of over 100,000 babies. Several of these babies returned to GMU to study medicine. The hospital employs many of these students as doctors, perpetuating the cycle of life.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen stands as one of the Middle East’s most respected and influential business leaders, a visionary who has redefined the intersection of healthcare, education, and research. From humble beginnings in Ajman to building a globally respected conglomerate, his journey reflects not just entrepreneurial success but also a sustained commitment to societal impact at scale.
Arriving in Ajman in 1997 with limited resources but a clear sense of purpose, Dr. Moideen set out to create institutions that would serve communities while generating meaningful employment. What began as a modest venture has evolved into the Thumbay Group, a multi-sector powerhouse spanning healthcare, medical education, research, diagnostics, retail, hospitality, and technology.
At the heart of his legacy lies the creation of one of the region’s most integrated academic healthcare ecosystems. In a rare full-circle impact, many students educated within his institutions now serve as healthcare leaders across the world, including within the very system he built.
Dr. Moideen’s leadership philosophy has consistently emphasized the importance of trust, innovation, and systems thinking, ensuring that every expansion strengthens the core mission. This approach has positioned his institutions among the most respected in the region, with growing global relevance.
Yet, his influence extends beyond boardrooms and rankings. His philanthropic initiatives, ranging from scholarships worth millions to large-scale community health programs, underscore a leadership style anchored in responsibility and inclusion.
Dr. Moideen continues to shape the future through AI-driven medical education and advanced healthcare projects like Thumbay Medicity, aligned with the UAE’s innovation goals. His expansion into mental health, veterinary care, and global academic partnerships reflects a forward-thinking leader who anticipates emerging needs.
“Success is not measured by wealth, but by the positive impact we create,” he says, a philosophy that defines both the man and the movement he has built. In an era where leadership is often measured in numbers, Dr. Thumbay Moideen stands apart as a builder of institutions, ecosystems, and enduring human value, firmly securing his place among the world’s most respected leaders.
Global Recognition
Recognized internationally, Dr. Moideen has received numerous accolades for his contributions to healthcare and education. These are a few of his accolades, which include five honorary doctorates from leading internationally renowned universities; being listed among the most influential business leaders in the Arab world; counting among the top 100 Muslim businessmen in the world, the most respected NRI billionaire in the Gulf, the richest and the No. 1 NRI from Karnataka in the Gulf, and the No. 1 businessman from the Beary community in the world.
The future beckons, including establishing 15 colleges in total by 2028; the proposed Thumbay Veterinary Hospital in Ajman for animal care; the upcoming Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital in Sharjah for specialized care; establishing over 1,000 clinical beds in the next 3 years; and establishing a global presence.
