More than 57,000 new students enrolled in UAE universities during the 2024-25 academic year, a 13 per cent rise on the previous year and the highest intake recorded in a decade, according to figures released Tuesday. The data was compiled from 66 higher education institutions across the country.
At the same time, universities face growing pressure to prepare students for a job market being reshaped by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 projects that 41 per cent of workers' core skills will change by 2030.
Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University, said "today's students are looking for much more than a degree," adding that they need to learn "not only how to use AI, but also when to question it, challenge it, and apply sound judgement to its outputs."
Abu Dhabi University illustrates the shift, having introduced programmes in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, renewable energy, financial technology, digital media, video game design and public health. The university has graduated more than 31,000 students to date and currently hosts over 25,800 expatriate students.
The figures point to a UAE higher-education sector actively redesigning its curricula to match the demands of a technology-driven economy.