Ministry of Higher Education launches new AI-powered scholarship platform

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has launched its new scholarship platform as part of EduHub, the unified Higher Education digital portal, which serves as a gateway to and central reference point for a range of Ministry services. These include registration and admission services for higher education institutions, scholarship services, enquiries about institutions and academic programmes outside the UAE, as well as submitting and tracking exemption requests. 

Powered by artificial intelligence, the new scholarship platform represents a comprehensive transformation in the way services are delivered to customers through the Ministry’s website. It provides a simpler and faster process that supports the Ministry’s digital transformation efforts, its drive to eliminate bureaucracy, and its investment in AI solutions to enhance service efficiency and streamline the customer journey. 

Rashed Karam Al Kaabi, Director of the International Education Support and Scholarships Department at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said, "The new scholarship platform is built on digital integration and direct connectivity with several government entities, including the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, the National Service and Reserve Authority and the Ministry of Education.

This integration has reduced the number of documents required from customers to just two, while eliminating the need for applicants to provide personal information or high school transcripts for students following the government curriculum, as this information is retrieved automatically through the system.” 

Al Kaabi explained that the number of steps required to submit an application has been reduced from five to three, while the number of fields applicants need to complete has fallen from 22 to just four. As a result, the time required to submit an application has been reduced to a minimum of five minutes. 

He noted that these changes represent a significant improvement in the customer experience, while also simplifying administrative procedures and reducing the time required from scholarship students. This gives students more time to focus on preparing for their educational journey with confidence, without having to deal with routine administrative procedures. 

The platform uses AI tools to read and verify documents, while automating procedures that previously required direct intervention from customers. For example, scholarship agreements can now be signed entirely electronically through the system, while documents can be received after a scholarship has been awarded without the need for traditional communication or visits to Ministry offices. 

The platform also provides instant notifications and continuous updates on application status, in addition to a direct messaging feature that enables applicants to communicate with the relevant department. This makes it easier to track applications, prevents duplicate submissions and facilitates staff follow-up, while reducing manual errors through electronic integration with government entities. 

The new platform is also designed to address some of the key challenges previously faced by customers, including difficulties in tracking applications via email, the need to visit the Ministry in the event of a technical issue, and lengthy document-signing procedures. Today, all stages of the service are fully digital, enhancing processing speed and the reliability of procedures. 

During the next phase, the Ministry will measure the effectiveness of the new platform and its impact on customers by monitoring service completion times, the number of steps, the percentage of digitally processed transactions and customer satisfaction. These measures will help evaluate the experience and support its continuous improvement, with the aim of achieving the best possible outcomes. 

WAM