MBZUAI home to 133 students from 40 countries

Original article published in Al Khaleej newspaper on April 11, 2022

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence has confirmed that the number of nationalities of its 133 students has increased to 40. The students who were accepted this year come from 37 countries, 11 of which are new countries with 115 enrolled in a Master’s program and 18 in a Ph.D. program.

Professor Fakhri Karray, Provost of MBZUAI, said in an exclusive statement to Al Khaleej: “Our students come from 37 countries across North America, Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as well as East and South Asia. Emiratis constitute 13% of the total number while expatriates make up the remaining 87%. In addition, 31% of all students are female. We have a high student-faculty ratio of 1:4, with 133 students and 31 faculty.”

Fakhri explained that the university offers six graduate programs, including three master’s programs and three Ph.D. programs in Computer Vision, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing, with research programs across all three areas. The research themes leverage all research activities and projects and help the country’s advancement both at present and in the future. The university has assigned four distinct themes for this: Services and Quality of Life, Industrial and Manufacturing Technologies, Future Game Changers, and Sustainability of Vital Resources and Environment.

Commenting on artificial intelligence in the UAE, Fakhri said, “It is estimated that artificial intelligence could contribute $320 billion to the Middle East economy by 2030, with the UAE achieving the largest gains. This will position the country’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 in a key role in the global artificial intelligence industry while also contributing to enhancing productivity and economic growth. The UAE acts as a laboratory for AI innovation, hosting the world’s first artificial intelligence summit: AI Everything and home to the world’s first graduate university, specializing in AI research.”

Professor Fakhri pointed out that MBZUAI also provides services to support clients to address their needs and challenges by leveraging the unique expertise of its faculty. These include feasibility studies, benchmarks, and assessments as well as business process enhancement, providing specific expert guidance and mentoring for AI startups. Training services include basic and bespoke training courses to provide targeted audiences with AI orientation and knowledge, its impact on business, and its potential to contribute to the advancement and enhancement of business operations.