Program elevates UAE’s executive AI community and drives transformation with AI in public and private sector organizations
Abu Dhabi: Gulf Tech News
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the world’s first university dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) research, has opened applications for the sixth edition of the MBZUAI Executive Program (MEP), a 16-week, in-person course that empowers senior leaders from business and government in the UAE to drive AI transformation in their organizations.
“MEP has become a key pillar of MBZUAI’s mission to deliver the skills needed to drive transformation in the UAE in line with the aims of the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence and the recently announced Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027, which seeks to position Abu Dhabi as a global leader in AI-powered governance,” said Sultan Al Hajji, Vice President of Public Affairs and Alumni Relations at MBZUAI.
With a strong focus on industry, MEP prepares leaders to apply and implement the latest AI principles, with tuition from MBZUAI’s world-class faculty. Participants come from a wide spread of sectors, including government, energy, finance, law, transport and logistics, health, sports, and education. The ideal candidate for MEP typically has more than 10 years of executive or leadership experience, a vision to drive AI transformation within their line of work, and a strong willingness to support a global network of executives committed to the responsible use of AI.
“We’re excited to open admissions for the 6th edition of MEP, and we look forward to selecting talented leaders to join the program. We have refined and enhanced the program in response to valuable feedback from previous editions and to reflect the latest advances in AI. We look forward to equipping the new cohort with the skills and knowledge they need to drive innovation, efficiency, and transformation in their sectors and solve societal challenges,” said Al Hajji.
MEP’s modules will focus on areas including AI and its current paradigm shift; AI fundamentals; AI-driven industry changes; and AI strategy, policymaking and ethics – providing leaders with well-rounded AI knowledge and skills. The program culminates with capstone projects in which students form teams and apply their AI skills to develop tangible solutions to real world challenges.
Launched in 2021, MEP has more than 200 distinguished alumni, including government ministers, undersecretaries, ambassadors, CEOs, and directors general who have become champions of AI innovation in the UAE and beyond. The 6th edition will build on the success of the 202’s MEP, which saw 37 senior leaders from UAE organizations graduate, representing organizations including the UAE Prime Minister’s Office, the UAE Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Department of Government Enablement, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, M42, Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Etihad Airways, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, Emirates Post and others.
Nearly half of the participants last year were women, a level of diversity that brought new perspectives and innovation to capstone projects, which included an AI-powered system to improve traffic management in Abu Dhabi; an app to address chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity; and an AI-driven platform to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Leaders interested in this year’s MEP can submit applications online by Sunday, 16 March, 2025. Early applications are strongly encouraged. As in previous years, two free seats will be on offer to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and startups.
