How is MBZUAI Shaping the Future of AI with Top Global Internships?
So, let me tell you about Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, or MBZUAI for short. It's the world's first graduate university focused entirely on AI research. They have this impressive career services and internship program that has successfully placed over 90 master’s and PhD students in top organisations both in the UAE and around the world.
At MBZUAI, they place a huge emphasis on practical experience. All students in AI-related fields like computer science, computer vision, machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics are required to complete internships. This hands-on experience is crucial because it helps them meet the growing global demand for AI experts in the tech industry.
Students from MBZUAI are currently doing summer internships in places like Canada, China, Russia, and Pakistan. They're also working at prestigious institutions such as 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.
The university is highly regarded in the AI field. According to CSRankings, it’s among the top 100 computer science universities globally and ranks in the top 20 for its AI specialisations.
Prof Timothy Baldwin, the Provost at MBZUAI, highlights how the surge in AI's role in boosting productivity and innovation has intensified competition for talent and fostered collaboration between academia and industry. He emphasises that MBZUAI’s strong industry connections and focus on practical experience prepare graduates to make a significant impact in the AI field.
In 2024, 31 national companies and government entities in the UAE are participating in the internship program, including big names like ADNOC, Etihad Airways, Core42, e&, Dubai Police, and Dubai Airports. MBZUAI students are also interning at leading UAE data companies and startups such as LibrAI, Invertible AI, LABIB AI, Exafy, VisionLabs, and Mindware. A lot of the university’s alumni choose to stay and work in the UAE to make a substantial impact and address key global challenges.
