MBZUAI and IBM have announced a strategic collaboration to advance AI research by establishing a new AI Center of Excellence at MBZUAI's Masdar City campus. The center will leverage IBM researchers in collaboration with MBZUAI faculty and students, focusing on advancing both fundamental and applied AI research. The collaboration aims to develop and incubate AI technologies addressing civic, social, and business challenges. Why it matters: This partnership enhances the UAE's AI capabilities, fostering innovation and talent development in critical sectors such as healthcare and finance.
Juveiriah Ashraf from the Advanced Materials Research Center (AMRC) graduated from Masdar's Women in Sustainability, Environment, and Renewable Energy (WiSER) program. The program focuses on positioning women as drivers of change across the sustainability debate, covering topics like green hydrogen and food security. Ashraf emphasized the need for a holistic approach involving government, corporate leaders, and financial boards to accelerate sustainability impact through incentives and circular economy adoption. Why it matters: This highlights the UAE's focus on empowering women in STEM and sustainability, aligning with national goals for a sustainable future.
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan chaired the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) board meeting in Masdar City. He reviewed ATRC’s first-year progress in R&D and endorsed plans to expand funding for R&D projects in Abu Dhabi. He also toured the Technology Innovation Institute (TII)’s labs and met with students of the NexTech programme. Why it matters: The UAE continues to invest heavily in building out its domestic R&D capabilities and STEM talent pipeline.
Mayadah AlHashem (M.S. '16), a KAUST alumna in mechanical engineering, credits her KAUST experience for her success as a flow assurance engineer at Saudi Aramco. After completing her bachelor's at UC Santa Barbara and interning at Masdar Institute, she pursued her master's at KAUST. AlHashem emphasizes KAUST's role in networking, advanced research, and professional development, including communication and resume building. Why it matters: The success of KAUST alumni in key Saudi industries reinforces the university's role in developing talent aligned with Saudi Arabia's economic goals.
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) emphasizes campus life to support its growing international student population. The Masdar City campus provides living quarters, communal spaces, and services for student wellbeing. MBZUAI offers advanced AI labs with nearly 1,000 Nvidia GPU servers and high-performance computing resources, along with technology-enhanced classrooms and a well-stocked library. Why it matters: This focus on comprehensive campus resources signals MBZUAI's commitment to attracting and supporting top AI talent in the UAE.
MBZUAI and RIKEN-AIP (Japan) co-hosted a joint workshop at MBZUAI's Masdar City campus. The workshop facilitated the sharing of research and perspectives across machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing. Researchers from both institutions explored interdisciplinary cooperation to enhance AI's capacity to address real-world problems. Why it matters: This collaboration strengthens MBZUAI's position as a hub for cross-disciplinary AI research and fosters international partnerships in the field.
Two student teams from MBZUAI won top prizes at the inaugural Agritech Hackathon (“Agrithon”) organized by ADAFSA. The “Masdar Boys” team developed a dashboard integrating ML models for plant disease diagnosis, optimal animal clinic placement, and disease outbreak zone classification. The “Green AI” team built a machine learning framework for plant disease classification, winning second prize. Why it matters: This highlights the growing role of AI in addressing food security challenges in the UAE and the region, with potential for real-world applications through ADAFSA's interest in further developing the students' work.
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has rescheduled the start of its first academic year to January 2021 due to COVID-19 disruptions. The decision was made by the Board of Trustees during a video conference chaired by H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. The board also discussed campus progress, student onboarding, faculty appointments, and industry partnerships. Why it matters: The delay, while pragmatic, underscores the ongoing challenges faced by new academic institutions in establishing themselves amid global health crises, potentially impacting the growth of the AI ecosystem in the UAE.