The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has commenced celebrations for its fifth anniversary, marking a significant milestone in its journey from 2020 to 2025. Under the theme “Pioneering Tomorrow: AI, Science and Humanity,” the world’s first AI-focused university reflects on its rapid evolution into a globally recognized institution for artificial intelligence education and research.
From Vision to Global AI Cornerstone
Since welcoming its first cohort in 2020, MBZUAI has become a central pillar in the UAE’s strategy to build a knowledge-driven economy powered by AI. This progress is a testament to the nation’s ambitious vision for the future of technology.
His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of MBZUAI’s Board of Trustees, commented on the journey: “Over the past five years, MBZUAI has evolved from an ambitious vision into a cornerstone of the UAE’s identity as a global AI leader. Our journey has been about more than academic excellence; it is about building the intellectual infrastructure required to power a knowledge-driven economy. By attracting and cultivating world-class talent and pioneering research that addresses real-world challenges, MBZUAI is ensuring that Abu Dhabi and the UAE are primary architects of an AI-enabled future.”
Cementing a Top-Tier Global Ranking
MBZUAI has quickly established itself among the world’s elite AI institutions. The university is currently ranked 10th globally in CSRankings for its core specializations, including artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing. Its reputation was further solidified when it was recognized among the top 50 organizations advancing AI at NeurIPS 2025.
This excellence is driven by a world-class community of 116 faculty members, with nearly half joining from the world’s top 100 AI institutions. The university’s diverse student body consists of 653 researchers representing 59 different nationalities.
Expanding to a Comprehensive Research University
A key development in MBZUAI’s five-year journey is its transition from a graduate-level institution to a comprehensive research university, which includes the launch of its first undergraduate program in 2025.
Professor Eric Xing, MBZUAI President and University Professor, explained the university’s growth strategy: “As we enter our next phase, we are scaling MBZUAI into a comprehensive research university across disciplines including life sciences, natural sciences, advanced computing, fundamental sciences, etc. In doing so, we aim to shape how AI advances science,strengthens economies, and generates positive impact on climate, energy, public health, education, industry, and society at large.”
To support this evolution, MBZUAI has expanded to eight academic departments. Alongside its founding departments in Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Natural Language Processing, it has added Robotics, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Statistics and Data Science, and Computational Biology.
Pioneering Research and Nurturing Startups
The university has significantly expanded its research footprint by establishing the Institute of Foundation Models (IFM), with laboratories spanning Abu Dhabi, Silicon Valley, and Paris. The IFM has been instrumental in developing world-leading systems like K2-Think, one of the fastest reasoning systems, and Jais 2, a premier open-weight Arabic large language model.
Bridging academic research with commercial application is the MBZUAI Incubation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC). The center provides founders with targeted workshops, mentorship, and funding access, strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global innovation hub. In 2025 alone, the IEC supported 88 undergraduate and 17 postgraduate students, resulting in 30 startup ideas being pitched after extensive mentorship.
About MBZUAI
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) is a graduate-level, research-based academic institution located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. As the world’s first university dedicated to AI, MBZUAI aims to empower students, businesses, and governments to advance artificial intelligence as a global force for positive progress. The university is ranked among the top global institutions for AI, computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing.
Source: mystartupworld
