Dubai launches Real Estate Diploma as property transactions top $250bn in 2025

Dubai has launched a new professional Real Estate Diploma aimed at developing national talent for one of the emirate’s fastest-growing sectors, as property transactions reached a record AED917bn ($249.6bn) in 2025.

The initiative comes as Dubai’s real estate market continues to demonstrate strong growth, resilience and long-term sustainability, aligned with the emirate’s wider economic and social development strategies.

The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has launched the Real Estate Diploma in strategic partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).

The programme is designed to prepare qualified national talent equipped with the knowledge and practical skills required to work in the real estate sector and contribute to its sustainability and growth.

It combines DLD’s practical industry expertise with HCT’s academic excellence to deliver an accredited professional qualification aligned with the evolving needs of the UAE real estate market.

Dubai real estate diploma

The diploma will qualify 40 participants per cohort through a two-year programme comprising 90 accredited hours.

The curriculum covers property management, real estate valuation and appraisal, real estate brokerage, dealings with property owners and tenants, and real estate services promotion, enhancing graduates’ readiness to enter the labour market with confidence and competence.

On the sidelines of the launch ceremony, DLD signed cooperation agreements with leading developers including:

• Emaar Properties
• Sobha Realty
• Aldar Properties
• Omniyat Developments
• Azizi Developments
• Danube Properties
• Ellington Properties

These agreements aim to provide practical training opportunities, facilitate the transfer of professional expertise, and align educational outcomes with labour-market needs.

Omar Hamad Bu Shehab, Director-General of the Dubai Land Department, said: “True investment begins with people,” noting that Dubai’s real estate success is driven by workforce competence and clear career pathways.

“This approach comes at a time when Dubai’s real estate sector is witnessing an unprecedented achievement, with the value of real estate transactions in 2025 surpassing AED917bn ($249.6bn), a performance that reflects the market’s resilience, clarity of vision, and full alignment with the objectives of the Dubai Real Estate Sector Strategy 2033,” he said.

He added that since the launch of the Real Estate Empowerment programme in 2024, DLD has contributed to the employment of 1,800 Emiratis in the real estate sector.

The brokerage ecosystem now includes 2,028 Emirati brokers, including 426 women, reinforcing DLD’s commitment to inclusivity and long-term sector competitiveness.

Market alignment

For his part, Faisal Al Ayyan, President and CEO of HCT, said the partnership reflects the Colleges’ strategic focus on aligning education with labour-market needs through applied learning.

He noted that the Real Estate Diploma supports HCT’s comprehensive approach by offering a professional diploma track alongside academic pathways, responding to market demand for applied and technological skills.

He highlighted the real estate sector’s role as a key driver of economic growth and encouraged young Emiratis with an interest in property to seize the opportunity to advance both academically and professionally.

The programme also provides graduates with pathways to continue academic studies or apply for professional licences in line with approved requirements.

The launch forms part of DLD’s broader efforts to develop human capital in line with the Dubai Real Estate Sector Strategy 2033 and the Dubai Social Agenda 33, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global real estate hub powered by skilled national talent.