Over the last years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has deployed considerable efforts to further enhance its educational infrastructure, capi- talising on the richness of the UAE’s population diversity, to offer prestigious and internationally recognised education both for the future regional leaders and for its expatriate population. Gulf Precast, a UAE leader in precast manufacturing, has participated in the construction or refurbishment of twenty three schools and universities since 2000. This article explores why Precast is the construction technology of choice when it comes to school and university developments, and through the case study of the construction of the prestigious Paris Sorbonne University and New York University in Abu Dhabi, analyses difficulties faced and overcome.