Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi, celebrated its inaugural commencement on January 30 with 52 students from 24 countries, receiving post-graduate degrees in the key AI fields of computer vision and machine learning.
The event was attended by His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Zayed Al Nahyan; H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, President-Designate of COP28 UAE and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of MBZUAI; H.E. Bruno Le Maire, French Minister for Economy and Finance and other dignitaries.
Following the ceremony, MBZUAI held the AI and Sustainability Symposium which saw AI experts discuss next generation solutions to drive sustainability. Professor Eric Xing, President and University Professor of MBZUAI joined Professor Daniela Rus, Director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT and a member of MBZUAI’s Board of Trustees as well as Phil Blunsom, Chief Scientist at Cohere.AI, and Professor at Oxford. The panel was moderated by Professor Timothy Baldwin, MBZUAI Acting Provost.
“When MBZUAI was founded by our leadership in 2019, its mission was clear: and that is to harness the power of artificial intelligence to advance global progress” Al Jaber said. “MBZUAI was specifically designed as a catalyst for research across multiple sectors, including business, IT, energy, transportation, education and healthcare and sustainability – and you, the inaugural graduating class of MBZUAI will be the pioneers that help turn that research into reality.”
At the time of commencement, 63% of the inaugural class have confirmed employment, Ph.D. placements, paid internships or startups; and 91% will remain in the UAE. Female students represent about 35% of the total class.
H.E. Bruno Le Maire, French Minister for Economy and Finance, said: “France and the UAE have a long and well-established diplomatic relationship, one built on strong strategic, cultural, business, and economic ties, that will become even closer over the coming decades as our two nations continue to find ways to leverage technology for the betterment of our countries. AI is a key technology on which France and the UAE will collaborate in the coming decade.”
“As a bedrock for technological competitiveness in artificial intelligence, MBZUAI is committed to performing transformative research, developing cutting-edge technology, and training creative and hardworking talent,” said Professor Xing. “We aspire for our graduates to further advance the boundaries of knowledge and technology and be empowered by the knowledge they gained from the University to serve society.”
