MBZUAI global hub for AI knowledge: Provost

Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) sits at the heart of the UAE’s ambition to become a global leader in AI, said Timothy Baldwin, Provost and Professor of Natural Language Processing at MBZUAI.

As the world’s first university dedicated entirely to AI, the university was established to build national capabilities in talent, research, and innovation, supporting the UAE’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031.

In statements to WAM, Baldwin stated that the university’s vision is grounded in three pillars: attracting and developing world-class AI talent, advancing research in national priority sectors, and fostering innovation through partnerships and entrepreneurship.

Ranked among the world’s top 10 AI universities, MBZUAI hosts over 700 students, with a 5 per cent acceptance rate and more than 8,000 applications received in 2025. This year, it welcomed its first undergraduate cohort, with over 110 students, of which 25 percent are Emiratis.

In addition to its new Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence, the university will launch three new graduate programmes this year: a Master of Applied Artificial Intelligence, a Master of Science in Statistics and Data Science, and a PhD in Robotics.

These programmes will complement the existing offerings in computer science, computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing. Beyond education, MBZUAI contributes to the UAE’s economic diversification and innovation agenda through its Incubation and Entrepreneurship Centre (IEC), which supports local startups with mentorship and funding access.

The university also collaborates with global technology leaders and government entities to ensure its research addresses real-world challenges.

MBZUAI’s research focuses on priority areas where AI can drive measurable change, namely, foundation models, healthcare, energy and sustainability, and robotics.

A key initiative is AIDO (AI-Driven Digital Organism), the world’s first multiscale foundation model for biology. This project supports national initiatives like the Emirati Genome Programme and enables breakthroughs in disease prediction, drug discovery, and personalised medicine.

This research agenda is reinforced by the MBZUAI Academy, which scales AI adoption through tailored executive education. Its flagship MBZUAI Executive Programme equips UAE leaders with practical tools to integrate AI into their work.

In October 2025, the academy will also launch the Global AI Leadership Programme, convening international decision-makers to explore the UAE’s pioneering model for AI implementation.

WAM