The United Arab Emirates, with its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI) 2031 and a dedicated Minister of State for AI, aims to become a global leader in Artificial Intelligence by investing in the people and industries which are critical to the country's success. From autonomous vehicles to advanced smart systems, AI promises to revolutionize key sectors, creating new job opportunities while automating traditional roles. To make this vision a reality, the UAE government has placed a significant emphasis on the development of AI talent, and higher education institutions are seen as pivotal to achieving these ambitious goals.
The UAE Centennial 2071 project is aimed at investing in future generations by imparting them with the knowledge and skills required to face the rapid changes, and to make the UAE the best country in the world. One of the four pillars of this strategy is a diversified knowledge economy aimed to develop a knowledge-based and competitive economy by integrating key pillars of innovation, research, science and technology. Another pillar of this strategy is excellent quality education, wherein educational institutes are also encouraged to be incubators of innovation and entrepreneurship.
With a high proportion of professionals engaged in operations, engineering and IT in the UAE, professional upskilling with courses on digital and computational concepts is important for professionals with digitals skills and also for workers with low digital skills, enabling them to be AI ready.
According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs 2025 report, the most anticipated workforce strategy for companies to implement is the upskilling and reskilling of the existing employees and enable them to efficiently work alongside AI. It is predicted that the labor-market change will be driven by technological changes and the top fastest growing jobs roles by 2030 are driven by technological developments in the field of AI and Robotics and increasing digital access. Upskilling and reskilling programs will enable organizations to better anticipate, plan and manage the talent requirements for the future.
Creative thinking remains one of the top core skills required by the workers. The top approaches for employers for skill assessment include evaluation of employee’s work experience, pre-employment skill assessment tests, and requirement of a university degree. With plans to accelerate automation, employers in the region project on-the-job skills to change, employees are required to upskill and re-skill in their current roles. Companies are also expected to hire new employees equipped with the technical skills to design and customize AI tools suitable for organization-specific requirements.
Higher Education institutions are at the heart of this transformation, by adapting their models to prepare graduates and current professionals for AI‑ and creativity‑driven careers. This is in addition to the various initiatives like Dubai’s AI for Everyone, One Million Arab Coders, and other upskilling programs which cater to both technical and non-technical professionals, and students.
The United Arab Emirates has earned a global reputation for excellence in several fields including aviation, business, tourism, international exhibitions, tolerance and education. A rapid rise in national and expatriate population has led the country to develop a robust higher education system. A wide range of public and private universities, many accredited to or linked with renowned international universities, offer world-class educational opportunities to nationals and expatriates, along with growing emphasis to attract international students.
Universities in the UAE offer graduate and postgraduate programs in STEM fields, equipping students and professionals with a strong foundation in computer science, statistical analysis, business analytics, and programming skills. These programs prepare students and professionals to quickly adapt and be upskilled for AI and Creativity driven roles, by combining business operations and technical skills to use smart systems, deliver operational excellence, and optimize operations/logistics in real time.
Higher Education Institutes in the UAE play a pivotal role to prepare a future-ready workforce capable of thriving in an AI centered and innovation led future. By aligning with the National Strategy for AI 2031 and UAE Centennial 2071, these institutions promote continuous learning with a strong focus on upskilling and reskilling of the current workforce.
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