A research campus a short drive from the club
Khalifa University of Science and Technology describes itself as a research-intensive university in Abu Dhabi covering science, engineering and medicine. Its campus page places the Main Campus on Abu Dhabi Island and describes laboratories, classrooms and a sports centre there. Ask the university what that sports centre offers and who may use it, since it may cover part of your week.
RPM's single club sits on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, close to the Main Campus but not part of it, which makes it a practical second gym for whatever the campus does not cover for you. For the general checks, see how a gym this close fits an academic timetable.
Lecture days and lab days need different plans
With the drive settled, plan by the kind of day you are having. A timetable with fixed gaps behaves very differently from a day in the lab.
| Your day | Where a session fits | How long to make it |
|---|---|---|
| Lectures with a long fixed gap | In the gap, if it holds the drive both ways, changing and the session | Short and simple: one main lift and a finisher |
| A lab block or practical | Before it starts or after it ends, never wedged in the middle | Whatever the end of the day leaves, kept moderate |
| Research or thesis work on flexible hours | A fixed slot you defend, such as early morning | Your full session, because you chose the time |
| Assessment and exam weeks | After an exam rather than the night before one | Brief, to keep the habit going |
Experiments and practicals often run over. If your lab work cannot be left, do not build a session that depends on leaving it. Put training at the start of the day, when nothing can overrun into it.
For women students and staff: the Ladies section
Some women on campus would rather train away from men. At RPM the Ladies section is a separate area for women only, with its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio, where reformer classes run. Female coaches on the roster work there, among them Coach Maria, who coaches strength and conditioning, and Giana Suleiman Daqnoush, who coaches Pilates and aerobic sessions.
Because the club is so close to campus, the Ladies section can work as an everyday gym rather than an occasional trip. Read the Ladies section page, then take these questions on the tour:
- Which tier covers the Ladies section, and whether it includes classes in the Pilates studio.
- How reformer classes are booked, and which apparatus a given class uses.
- Which female coaches work at the hours your timetable leaves free.
- If the recovery suite appeals, whether your tier includes it, and a word with your doctor first if you are pregnant or have a heart condition.
Living at the Sas Al Nakhl Campus? Your trip starts elsewhere
The university's campus page also describes a second campus, Sas Al Nakhl, which houses student residences. The route box on this page is mapped from the Main Campus. If you live at Sas Al Nakhl, the trip that matters starts there, so time it yourself at the hour you would train.
From the Main Campus, the last stretch runs along Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street (Airport Road) into AD HUB. Parking there is free and on site, and the lift takes you up to Level 4.
Players on university teams can use RPM for strength and conditioning around their season. The campus life page describes men's and women's teams competing in an inter-university league. A coach through personal training can plan the gym work around your fixtures.
| Days | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday to Thursday | 06:00–23:00 |
| Friday | 09:00–22:00 |
Hours can change, for example during Ramadan. Confirm with the team before a late or early visit.
Before you join: prices, terms and a trial week
RPM does not publish prices, and no student or staff rate is published either, so ask the team what applies to you rather than assuming.
- Book the free guided tour between two classes, so you test the timing you would really use.
- Ask what happens to your membership over the summer break if you travel.
- Ask whether a weekly pass is available to try your timetable first. Pass terms change, so confirm what is on offer.
- If you plan to train in fixed lecture gaps, check them against the whole semester, not just the first week. The guide for university students shows how to plan a semester.
Sources
Questions, answered.
Is RPM on the Khalifa University campus?
No. RPM has a single club in Al Manhal, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex, close to the Main Campus but off it. The route box shows the mapped trip.
Can I really train between two lectures?
Only in a long gap. Add up the drive both ways, changing, the session and getting back to class. If the total is tight, train before your first lecture or after your last one.
Do students pay less?
RPM does not publish its prices or a student rate. Ask the team, and compare the answer with what the campus sports centre already gives you.
Can a female student book a female personal trainer?
Yes. Female coaches on the roster work in the Ladies section. Ask the team who coaches at the hours you are free.
Do the same figures apply from the Sas Al Nakhl Campus?
No. The figures on this page start from the Main Campus. From Sas Al Nakhl, time the trip yourself before you plan around it.