Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) announced a strategic academic partnership to enhance collaboration in Artificial Intelligence (AI) research, education, and ethics. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday at the MBZUAI campus by Professor Eric Xing, MBZUAI President, and Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, SUAD Chancellor, in the presence of senior leaders from both universities.

The partnership aims to support MBZUAI’s vision of becoming a global center for AI innovation and research. It also aligns with SUAD’s Center for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), which operates from Abu Dhabi and Paris. Led by Professor Gérard Biau, SCAI contributes to advancing AI in Europe and the UAE and promotes interdisciplinary AI excellence.

The MoU includes joint research initiatives focused on applying Artificial Intelligence across sectors such as healthcare, energy, climate science, transportation, and digital humanities. Both universities will co-supervise Ph.D. and postdoctoral researchers to help develop advanced AI talent.

Faculty and researcher exchanges will promote interdisciplinary knowledge sharing and enhance education. The collaboration also plans to upskill professionals and youth through joint courses, workshops, and summer schools covering AI fundamentals, generative AI, and AI ethics.

Professor Eric Xing said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to the responsible development of AI technology. He highlighted the goal of combining MBZUAI’s research expertise with SUAD’s interdisciplinary strengths to foster AI knowledge exchange between France and the UAE, focusing on the cultural applications of AI.

Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz reported that this formal collaboration strengthens the UAE’s AI ecosystem. She noted the partnership links two key research centers with the objective of advancing AI innovation and supporting the nation’s economic and industrial growth.

The agreement also calls for engagement with public and private sector partners to apply AI solutions to real-world challenges. Furthermore, the universities will contribute to ethical AI frameworks and data governance guidelines. Plans include producing white papers, best practices, and policy research to shape responsible AI use regionally and globally.

Attending the signing from MBZUAI were Professor Sami Haddadin, Vice President for Research; Dekyi Liang, Vice President and Chief of Staff; and Joni Cholwich, Senior Advisor. From SUAD, attendees included Dr. Majed Al Khemeiri, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Financial Affairs; Dr. Clio Chaveneau, Head of SAFIR Research Institute; and Manon Al Hakim, Chief of Staff.

This MoU marks a significant step in uniting two of the UAE’s leading AI institutions to combine expertise, empower talent, and position the UAE as a global hub for Artificial Intelligence innovation and transformation.

• Partnership supports UAE’s national AI priorities in research and education
• Joint initiatives span healthcare, energy, climate, and transportation sectors
• Focus on ethical AI development, education, and cross-border collaboration

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