MBZUAI launches Ruwwad AI Scholars Fellowship to build UAE’s homegrown AI research pipeline

ABU DHABI, 18th April, 2026 (WAM) — Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has launched the Ruwwad AI Scholars (RAIS) Fellowship, a national initiative to develop the next generation of Emirati researchers and future AI faculty at world-class institutions in the UAE and abroad.

The fully funded, two-year postdoctoral fellowship supports UAE Nationals who have recently completed their Ph.D. to undertake advanced research internationally, building long-term research capability in AI and related fields.

RAIS welcomes scholars from a wide range of disciplines – from machine learning and data science to engineering, biology, economics, and physics – with a focus on candidates whose research engages with AI, computational tools, or quantitative methods in any capacity.

Thamar Solorio, Vice Provost of Faculty Excellence and Advancement and Professor of Natural Language Processing at MBZUAI, said, “RAIS reflects our belief that the UAE’s research future must be built from within. By supporting our most promising Emirati scholars at world-class institutions, we are creating pathways for a homegrown AI faculty that is both globally competitive and deeply connected to the country’s long-term ambitions. We look forward to welcoming the first cohort and supporting them as the future research leaders of the UAE.”

The initiative supports the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, which aims to position the country as a global leader in AI through sustained investment in talent, research, and innovation. As the world’s first AI university, MBZUAI plays a central role in advancing these priorities, and RAIS is a direct expression of that commitment.

The fellowship is open to Emirati Ph.D. graduates across disciplines, with priority given to candidates demonstrating strong research potential, independence, and alignment with the UAE’s long-term research goals. Completion of the fellowship is intended to prepare fellows for tenure-track faculty roles at MBZUAI and peer institutions.

Applications are open and reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority consideration given to submissions received by mid-April, with rolling admissions through the following month. Selected candidates are expected to begin the program in Fall 2026.