Originated as an open call from Abu Dhabi to the world to unleash AIs full potential, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the worlds first graduate-level, research-based artificial intelligence (AI) university, will greet a worldwide inaugural group of students when the first semester begins on 10 January 2021.

MBZUAI increased admission offers to 101 students from 31 countries for the first educational year starting in January 2021. Original plans were to take 50 students in the first year, however, due to the extraordinary number of applications sent, the choice was made to increase entries offers. Of these students, 82 have been offered admissions in the Universitys MSc programs in Computer Vision and Machine Learning, while 19 have been selected for MBZUAIs PhD programs in the same fields.

Scholars in the first group come from across the world; 21 per cent of admitted students come from the UAE, 34 per cent from the Middle East, 38 per cent from Asia, 21 per cent from Africa, five per cent from the Americas and two per cent from Europe.

There will also be a powerful female representation in MBZUAIs first educational year with women constituting 30 per cent of accepted students. Over 23 per cent of female students who have gotten offers from the University are Emirati, while 13 per cent come from India and 10 per cent from Syria.

Accepted students have acquired education at some of the worlds leading universities, including prestigious institutions such as the National University of Singapore, University of Melbourne, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Purdue University, University of York, University of Minnesota, Queens University of Belfast, Arizona State University, and Khalifa University in the UAE.

Professor Sir Michael Brady, Interim President, MBZUAI, said: The University accepted applications from some exceptionally capable graduate students from nearly 100 countries, all of whom have compelling and different stories. This incredibly distinct first cohort will bring the world to MBZUAI, creating a multicultural school that honours diversity and global collaboration. Our hope from the very start was for MBZUAI to inspire the growth of AI on a global scale. With students from around the world, all of whom come from different backgrounds and industries, this is a solid start to realizing the full potential of AI for positive progress around the world.

Kevin Michael Toner, from Ireland, will join the Universitys MSc Computer Vision program. Today artificial intelligence is redefining the future of all industries and remarkably changing human lives. As demand for specialized AI education increases globally, joining a world-class university like MBZUAI will help open my horizons and unite me to an international network of AI industry experts. I am looking forward to both practical experiences and research opportunities, hopefully contributing to real-life applications of this fascinating technology.

Before the start of the academic year, chosen students have been able to renew their learning through a set of online courses, taught by MBZUAI faculty members, that cover the fundamentals of mathematics and programming. These courses are designed to prepare admitted MBZUAI students for the challenging coursework that they will get at the university and to support them to deliver innovative world-class research.

Among the first access cycle completed, the University has newly begun receiving applications for the Fall 2021 cohort. Applications are being presented for a Fall 2021 start in MBZUAIs MSc and PhD programs in Computer Vision and Machine Learning. Qualified students will have graduated with a Bachelors degree in a relevant field to be considered for MBZUAIs MSc programs and must hold a relevant Masters degree to be considered for the Universitys PhD programs.

Graduate students applied to MBZUAI via the Universitys website before April 15, 2021. Early admission by January 15,