By: Mohamed Elkholy
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has successfully facilitated the placement of more than 90 master’s and PhD students in leading public, private, and multinational organisations in the UAE and worldwide, as part of its career services and internship programme.
As the world’s first graduate artificial intelligence (AI) university dedicated to research, MBZUAI aims to place high importance on practical experience with compulsory internships for students studying AI disciplines, including computer science, computer vision (CV), machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), and robotics. The university aims to prepare students following an AI career path with hands-on experience to help fulfil global demand from companies looking to tap into the next generation of AI expertise in an expanding tech-driven job market.
With the support of the MBZUAI career services and internships team, MBZUAI students are undertaking international summer placements in Canada, China, Russia, and Pakistan. Students are also undertaking summer placements at high-profile academic institutions including the Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan, Johns Hopkins University in the US, Microsoft Research Lab – Asia in China, and the University of Luxembourg. MBZUAI is recognised by CSRankings as one of the world’s top 100 computer science universities and is ranked in the top 20 for its specialisations in AI, CV, ML, NLP, and robotics.
Prof Timothy Baldwin, Provost at MBZUAI, said: “The jump in interest in AI as a tool to drive productivity and innovation has created unprecedented dialogue and collaboration between business and academia, and intense competition for talent.
“These are exciting times to be a leading academic player in the AI sector. MBZUAI continues to grow its programme offerings and student, alumni, and faculty populations. Supported by our strong links to industry, the practical experience our graduates gain, and the time spent working on industry-specific research means they will hit the ground running and have a measurable impact on the development of AI-driven solutions. They leave us equipped to shoulder the responsibility that comes with the stewardship of something as powerful and transformative as AI.”
Reflecting the UAE’s position as a global hub for AI, a total of 31 national companies and government entities are taking part in the internship programme in 2024. Key UAE employers include ADNOC, Etihad Airways, Core42, e&, Dubai Police, and Dubai Airports. MBZUAI students are also working at leading data companies and startups in the UAE, such as LibrAI, Invertible AI, LABIB AI, Exafy, VisionLabs, and Mindware. The AI ecosystem has seen a high percentage of the university’s 212 alumni elect to stay and work in the UAE to impose the most significant impact and tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
MBZUAI’s career services and internships team has developed a highly personalised service that aims to to connect students with opportunities, helping them to develop, evaluate, and implement career plans. The team provides support to ensure that students are coached, prepared, and ready for interviews. There are various ways industry partners can connect with students and alumni, including at events, information sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities.
