UAEU Advances Artificial Intelligence Agenda with Expanded Research and Academic Programs

The United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) continues to enhance its leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI) through an inclusive institutional agenda that integrates AI technologies into education, research, and operational processes across the university. This initiative is part of a strategic framework aimed at supporting national innovation and achieving the goals of digital transformation.

H.E. Prof. Ahmed Ali Al Raeesi, Acting Vice Chancellor of UAEU, reaffirmed that the university places AI at the heart of its future vision. He emphasized the institution’s commitment to building a comprehensive system that includes education, research, and community service with the goal of preparing a generation of national cadres capable of leading the country’s digital future. He added that the agenda reflects UAEU’s institutional commitment to embedding AI across all aspects of the university community, most notably through the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer of AI who will oversee the implementation of high-impact initiatives in the field.

The “AI Agenda 2025–2031” outlines an ambitious roadmap to strengthen the university’s capabilities in research and teaching within this vital sector. It supports the development of multidisciplinary solutions to address societal challenges and aims to expand the university's academic impact both locally and internationally.

Over the past five years, UAEU scholars have published more than 1,000 peer-reviewed studies in AI-related fields listed in the Scopus database. These studies span disciplines such as health, engineering, environment, education, and social sciences. Current research projects include evaluating the performance of neural networks in monitoring concrete structures, developing predictive models for hospitalization durations of lung cancer patients, designing systems to track students’ attention levels in classrooms, classifying autism behaviors using interpretative AI, and creating smart tools for pediatric diabetes care, newborn weight prediction, and flood data analysis.

In the fields of environment and sustainability, UAEU leads advanced research projects such as rainfall forecasting using machine learning, hybrid models for predicting ozone concentration, and groundwater monitoring through a combination of statistical analysis and neural networks. These efforts reflect the university’s commitment to producing impactful research that enhances the sustainability and resilience of natural resources.

UAEU also strengthens its global research presence through active partnerships with leading international institutions in AI, including the University of Malaya, Western Sydney University, Texas A&M University, the University of Arizona, and Sunway University. These collaborations play a key role in advancing scientific research and improving the quality of outcomes.

From an academic perspective, UAEU has made AI a graduation requirement for all students starting from the Fall 2025/2026 academic semester. This step ensures that graduates are fully prepared to meet the demands of the digital economy. In line with this, the university has launched several new academic programs, including a Bachelor of Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, a Bachelor of Statistics and Data Analytics, and a Minor in Artificial Intelligence, alongside a new series of modern courses developed by university faculty.

Among these new courses is “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence,” which offers students across all disciplines a broad overview of AI history, applications, and its social impact. Another course, “Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals and Applications,” focuses on key AI technologies such as robotics, computer vision, and sound processing, with practical applications in smart cities, healthcare, and cybersecurity. For students interested in specialized fields, the university offers “AI in Engineering,” covering predictive maintenance and the optimization of industrial systems, and “AI in Medicine,” which explores diagnostics using smart technologies, drug development, personalized medicine, and ethical considerations related to the use of AI in clinical settings.

Through these strategic initiatives and academic programs, UAEU aims to graduate technologically competent and ethically grounded individuals capable of contributing meaningfully to national development. The university’s continued investment in AI reflects its dedication to strengthening its position as a leading academic and research institution in AI and digital innovation.