OK from AR, on emirates road, keep going straight (with AR on your right) you'll go past AR, Global Village, Falcon City and you'll come to exit 44, and thats the one you need to take. Take exit 44 heading to Ruwayah go up the hill (do not take the left most lane when you come off exit 44, take the middle one) follow the road, it merges with Dubai-Al Ain road, at the top of the hill there's exit 16, take that exit (it says academic city).
Now follow the road (its 80km with speed cameras) and keep going straight until you see a round about, take the slip road to your right (silicon oasis is to your left) keep going and take the second road right, its signed Zayed University, go down that road until you can do a U-Turn (most likely at the round about at the end) you have to come back and DESC is the last building on your right. Its sort of off the road, you have to park on sand, there may still be a British Council Sign up there, but there should be the sign DESC on the building too, its a two story sort of creamy orangey colored building...
went there the other day. i took the silicon oasis exit on emirates road. roughly, its behind the mens college and opposite the french school. its closer to the dubai by-pass road than emirtaes road. but you do need to see the map. its confusing.
There is a pretty good map on the website. From AR take the Emirates Rd down one junction and then turn onto the Al Ain Rd.
http://www.descdubai.com/location/location.html
Hi Advice Seeker
Yes, I do know how to get to Arabian Ranches. From there on Im lost. I know it's somewhere in Academic City. Iv'e never been out that way.
From Sh Zayed Rd keep in the right hand lane coming under the Trade Centre roundabout. After this tunnel merge to the right. Then stay right over in the right hand lane. Peel off to the right - should be signposted to Wafi. Then keep left, go under the next road then off to the right, up and around to join the road you have just gone under. Wafi and Healthcare City will be on your right. Just go straight. Through the lights and DESS is in the next block on your right. There is a slip road entry before the school, just by the church car park.