Office of the President

As a founding president, Professor Xing is keen to create a framework that can facilitate research, education, and innovation to be better organized and more impactful. There is a considerable need for more AI literate talent.

MBZUAI has created a unique scientific research and education environment that is optimized for contemporary requirements to produce professionals capable of addressing the complexity that AI presents in its application in the real world. Furthermore, AI professionals must be well-rounded and able to work in various sectors, which is why the university recruits exceptional faculty across a range of disciplines.

Already, MBZUAI is home to some of the brightest minds in AI and an open invitation extends to leading faculty to further their research in Abu Dhabi, without the constraints experienced by many in academia.

Under Professor Xing’s leadership, MBZUAI is committed to:

Becoming an academic center, leading research, application, and innovation of artificial intelligence and providing knowledge and capabilities in this field and beyond such as in science, engineering, and the humanities.
Serving as a cradle of talent in science and technology, management, industry and commerce, and education.
Training future thought leaders while providing a cadre of talent who can make a difference in all aspects of society in the UAE and Middle East—MBZUAI graduates should not only be leaders and thinkers but also doers and workers.
Promoting economic development and productivity by incubating enterprises, technologies and products that solve pressing problems, while encouraging the continuous progress of culture and thought.

Message from the President

20 years ago I was introduced to the concept of artificial intelligence as a graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley, as I dove into the world of computer science under Professor Richard Karp and Professor Michael Jordan, the world’s foremost computer science professors. Like many of the students who arrive at the MBZUAI campus, I was eager, hopeful, and a little daunted.

In the 1990s I set off on a new phase in my academic journey, just as many of you students are doing now. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I also understood the powerful potential of AI to solve important challenges. At that time, funding for research was limited, and jobs in the field were scarce. But I was in no doubt that I had found my calling – artificial intelligence. I hope most of you will experience that same sense of purpose when you are here.

Professor Eric Xing

MBZUAI President

At MBZUAI you will experience a wholly new world than the one I entered in the 90s. As the president of the world’s first AI graduate research university, I am committed to ensuring all students receive cutting-edge training from some of the most respected faculty in the field. We are working to turn MBZUAI into the epicenter of AI innovation and prepare students for careers just as the discipline comes out of the lab and into real-life applications.

From the stunning, state-of-the-art campus at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, we aim to nurture the next generation of technologists and developers – future leaders who will usher in the next phase of AI-enabled innovation and help advance applications in everything from health science to technology. We will prepare you to be leaders in science, engineering, policy, and business, with the necessary understanding to unlock the potential of AI through academic research and industrial applications.

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…I am committed to ensuring all students receive cutting-edge training from some of the most respected faculty in the field.

Despite all the years of research and development AI is still in its infancy, promising to be a truly transformative technology – a force for positive progress in all walks of life; a driver of social and economic growth; a pillar of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The university offers a fertile ground for academic freedom, embracing meritocracy and mutual respect, and seeking to become an engine for economic prosperity in the region. We will work together as the United Arab Emirates advances to the forefront of a new era of innovation and productivity – an era heralding unimagined opportunities for both the developed and developing worlds.

We will break new boundaries and forge lasting partnerships with industry. Already our first cohort is reaping the benefits as they receive offers for internships and jobs. And we intend for all our graduates to be among the most employable people in the industry through outreach programs.

We take inspiration from our namesake, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and of the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, both of whom taught us that education and science are the pathway to a glorious future. As the President of MBZUAI, I am truly honored to welcome new students and applicants to take part in this journey, and to extend Abu Dhabi’s invitation to the world to unleash the power of artificial intelligence with us.

We look forward to you joining us for the journey.

Professor Eric Xing,
MBZUAI President

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Thinking Outside The Black Box

Thinking Outside The Black Box is a series dedicated to demystifying the “black box” of AI, innovation, scientific inquiry, and so much more. Join us as we explore the evolving world of AI with Professor Eric Xing.