{
  "id": 14248058,
  "title": "UAE universities must change to equip students in AI age, say leaders and students",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/uae-universities-must-change-to-equip-students-in-ai-age-say-leaders",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-13T16:34:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/10/13/uae-universities-must-change-to-equip-students-in-ai-age-say-leaders-and-students/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "UAE universities must transform their curricula and teaching techniques to stay competitive in the AI era, according to education leaders and students. Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, emphasized the necessity of closer ties between universities and industry during the Zayed Education Foundation’s Partnerships for the Future event in Abu Dhabi. He urged universities to rethink curricula and the skills of both faculty and students to meet the evolving demands of the job market. Dr Al Awar highlighted the rapid pace at which economies and job markets are changing, particularly with the emergence of technologies like artificial intelligence. The ministry's Outcome-Based Evaluation Framework is pushing universities to become more competitive and future-ready. An updated guidebook for the framework, released earlier this year, was the result of consultations with 735 representatives from higher education institutions across the country. Students are also calling for change, with Ruwwad Zayed Scholars Noor Odeh and Jassem Alkhoori expressing their hopes for a more hands-on approach and practical skills in higher education. Odeh, studying computational data science at Khalifa University, believes the future of higher education should prioritize skills over grades and metrics. Alkhoori, studying digital transformation at Zayed University, agrees that the education system needs to be agile and adapt to rapid technological developments. The push for a competitive higher education sector has gained momentum in recent years, with the UAE government aiming to create opportunities for 100,000 students by 2035. The Zayed Education Foundation announced the first cohort of 50 Ruwwad Zayed Scholars, exceptional Emirati and Arab students who will pursue master's degrees at UAE universities. Saeed Al Nazari, secretary general of the Great Arab Minds initiative, emphasized the importance of nurturing regional talent in the face of global changes, such as conflicts, news, social media, and AI.",
  "summary": "UAE universities must overhaul their courses and teaching methods to keep pace with artificial intelligence and the rapidly changing demands of the jobs market, the acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research has said. Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar called for closer collaboration between universities and industry. He warned that emerging technologies were transforming the skills…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "UAE universities must change to equip students in AI age, say leaders and students",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/uae-universities-must-change-to-equip-students-in-ai-age-say-leaders-14248662",
        "published": "2026-10-13T16:34:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}