Zayed Education Foundation signs 14 agreements with UAE universities on future skills

What happened

The Zayed Education Foundation has signed 14 agreements with universities and other organisations. The foundation says the agreements are part of its plans to create opportunities for 100,000 young leaders by 2035.

The agreements were announced at the foundation’s “Partnerships for the Future” event at Zayed National Museum. They aim to expand access to scholarships, leadership training and research opportunities for young people in the UAE. The partnerships bring together the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, 12 universities across the UAE and the Great Arab Minds initiative.

Under the agreements, the 12 universities will work with the foundation on its scholarship and leadership programmes, including Ruwwad Zayed. Named participants include Khalifa University, UAE University, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi University, NYU Abu Dhabi, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and the University of Sharjah, among others.

Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said universities must keep adapting to changes in the job market. He said artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities and changing the skills employers need. He added that closer cooperation between universities and economic sectors would help students develop skills for future jobs.

The National’s headline reports that UAE university leaders and students say higher education must change to prepare students for the AI age. This report draws on that headline only.

Who is affected

• Young people in the UAE: Ruwwad Zayed provides full funding for master’s degrees at UAE universities for high-achieving Emiratis and Arab residents living in the country. Participants also receive leadership training and other support to prepare for future careers.
• Students at the 12 participating universities: the sources name the universities involved, including Khalifa University, UAE University and Zayed University.