Executive Program for UAE government and business leaders launched in Abu Dhabi
Program will equip key decision makers with the practical skills, industry insights
Abu Dhabi: The Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has launched an Executive Program, designed to help the UAE’s government and business elite unlock the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to ensure smart management, increased efficiencies and enhanced productivity.
The Program will comprise six courses, each delivered by instructors from world-leading academic institutions, executives from global multinationals, and the university’s own faculty. It will also promote greater engagement on AI between government, business, and the scientific community to accelerate the development of future industries in the UAE while supporting the nation’s long-term strategy to become a global AI leader.
At the forefront
Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of the MBZUAI Board of Trustees, said: “Following the establishment of the Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in 2019, today’s unveiling of the MBZUAI Executive Program illustrates, once again, the determination of the United Arab Emirates to position itself at the forefront of the technologies and innovations shaping the global economy.”
“This depends not only on world-class scientific research but also on close collaboration between all stakeholders, be they government, business, investors, the scientific community, or the public. Tailored to the needs of some of the UAE’s most senior government and business executives, the MBZUAI Executive Program empowers decision makers in all industries to harness the benefits of AI in forging the future success of their respective organisation, in preparation for the nation’s ambitions for the next 50 years.”
Economic growth agenda
Artificial intelligence is central to the UAE’s national and economic growth agenda, with the potential to both unlock significant new growth from established industries and pave the way for entirely new business models and innovative technologies, H.E. Dr. Al Jaber added.
All industries and economic sectors would benefit from the new Executive Program, he said, which underscores the UAE’s commitment to foster economic growth locally and promote AI as a force for good globally.
Comprising discussion forums, interactive modules, industry networking and coursework, the Program will provide access to some of the AI industry’s most respected names. These include Professor Eric Xing (President of MBZUAI); Professor Sir Michael Brady (Professor Emeritus, University of Oxford); Professor Daniela Rus (Director, MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory); Professor Michael Jordan (Pehong Chen Distinguished Professor, University of California, Berkeley); Professor Tom Mitchell (University Professor, Carnegie Mellon University); Dr. Kai-fu Lee (Chairman & CEO, Sinovation Ventures) and more.
Competitive edge
MBZUAI President Professor Eric Xing said: “Decision makers who understand AI-powered technologies and processes will be at the vanguard of sectors as diverse as healthcare, agriculture, energy, urbanisation, transport, defence and more. To ensure that the UAE plays a leading role in shaping the industries of the future, it is imperative that our government and business decision makers actively engage with AI learning. I strongly believe that the MBZUAI Executive Program will give these leaders that competitive edge.”
The programme
The Program is designed to support senior leaders across public and private sectors, undersecretaries and assistant undersecretaries, C-suite executives, leaders in IT, technology and across multiple functions and industries seeking to understand the possibilities of AI.
Its first cohort, of around 40 senior executives, will undergo 12 weeks of online practical courses, as well as seminars on the business, ethical and policymaking dimensions of the AI industry. The deadline for registration is October 7, 2021; while the first day of classes begins on October 23, 2021.
The Program’s six courses include: An Introduction to AI; AI, Machine Learning and the Economy; Visual Cognition and Intelligence; Lingual Cognition and Intelligence; The Future of Robotics and AI Ethics and Policymaking.