ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 09th Sep, 2020) The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, MBZUAI, the world’s first graduate-level, research-based artificial intelligence, AI, university, will welcome an international inaugural cohort of students when the first semester begins on 10th January, 2021.
MBZUAI extended admission offers to 101 students from 31 countries for the first academic year commencing in January 2021. Initial plans were to accept 50 students in the first year, however due to the impressive number of applications received, the decision was made to extend admissions offers. Of these students, 82 have been offered admissions in the University’s MSc programmes in Computer Vision and in Machine Learning, while 19 have been selected for MBZUAI’s PhD programmes in the same fields.
Students in the first cohort come from across the world; 21 percent of admitted students come from the UAE, 34 percent from the middle East, 38 percent from Asia, 21 percent from Africa, five percent from the Americas and two percent from Europe.
There will also be a strong female representation in MBZUAI’s first academic year with women comprising 30 percent of admitted students. Over 23 percent of female students who have received offers from the University are Emirati, while 13 percent come from India and 10 percent from Syria.
Admitted students have received education at some of the world’s leading universities, including prestigious institutions such as the National University of Singapore, University of Melbourne, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Purdue University, University of York, University of Minnesota, Queen’s University of Belfast, Arizona State University, and Khalifa University in the UAE.
Professor Sir Michael Brady, Interim President, MBZUAI, said: "The University received applications from some exceptionally talented graduate students from nearly 100 countries, all of whom have compelling and unique stories. This incredibly diverse first cohort will truly bring the world to MBZUAI, creating a multicultural campus that celebrates diversity and international collaboration. Our hope from the very beginning was for MBZUAI to inspire the development of AI on a global scale. With students from around the world, all of whom come from different backgrounds and industries, this is a solid start to realizing the full potential of AI for positive progress around the world."
Salem Almarri, a UAE national, will join the University’s PhD Computer Vision programmes in January. "As an Emirati, it is very important for me to develop world-class solutions for the UAE, to make my mark on the AI sector," he said. "AI will give humanity a chance to develop a new world based on better solutions. MBZUAI will contribute towards this by bridging the gap between research, government, and the private sector, empowering graduates to become expert consultants who can provide the UAE with the means to gain more growth in the future development of AI and machine learning. I cannot describe how grateful I feel for the opportunity to be part of this."
Kevin Michael Toner, from Ireland, will join the University’s MSc Computer Vision programmes. "Today artificial intelligence is redefining the future of every industry and impacting human lives in an unprecedented way. As demand for specialised AI education increases globally, joining a world-class university like MBZUAI will help expand my horizons and connect me to an international network of AI industry experts. I am looking forward to both practical experiences and research opportunities, hopefully contributing to real-life applications of this fascinating technology."
Prior to the commencement of the academic year, accepted students have been able to refresh their knowledge through a set of online courses, taught by MBZUAI faculty members, that cover the fundamentals of mathematics and programming. These courses are intended to prepare admitted MBZUAI students for the challenging coursework that they will receive at the University, and to help them perform innovative world-class research.
With the first admissions cycle successfully completed, the University has recently started accepting applications for the Fall 2021 cohort. Applications are being submitted for a Fall 2021 start in MBZUAI’s MSc and PhD programmes in Computer Vision and Machine Learning. Eligible students will have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field in order to be considered for MBZUAI’s MSc programmes, and must hold a relevant Master’s degree in order to be considered for the University’s PhD programmes. Full admissions requirements can be found on MBZUAI’s website, mbzuai.ac.ae.
Graduate students can now apply to MBZUAI via the University’s website before 15th April 2021. Early admission by 15th January 2021 is recommended for international students.
Located in Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, the MBZUAI campus is purpose-built, high-tech, and eco-friendly. It features futuristic classrooms and research laboratories, an AI-specialised knowledge centre, and recreational facilities. MBZUAI is the first university in the UAE that is implementing Software Defined Architecture towards an agile IT infrastructure, with the deployment of consistent services.
