Dubai Crown Prince, Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council and the High President of Hamdan Smart University Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum renamed the Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU)  as the "Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University" in a step that falls in line with the UAE’s move to be among the top five smart governments by 2021.
Sheikh Hamdan’s decision came in line with "Dubai Smart City" launched on 19 October 2013 by UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Hamdan launched, on February 1, 2009, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University, the first e-university in the Arab region.
At the launch ceremony, which was held at Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan underlined the importance of e-education, as the conventional education has witnessed several changes giving way to innovative methods.  He noted that the e-education represents the future of the educational reality.
Under the leadership of Sheikh Hamdan , the Hamdan Bin Mohammed e- University took upon itself the task of spreading the culture of quality, excellence and scientific research through e-learning throughout the Arab region.
This emerged clearly in the accredited academic specialisations in business administration, quality, education, health care and environment. Throughout this process, the university has gained international credibility and recognition with merit, especially in light of the distinguished academic and vocational programmes it offers that do not only meet the current needs of the labour market , but are also designed to meet the booming business community’s future needs in the UAE and the rest of the world Arab.