Abu Dhabi University (ADU) was selected by the Association of Arab Universities (AArU) to represent the UAE in the “10 + 10 Cooperation” initiative, which aims to enhance the Chinese-Arab education through collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Globally renowned for its highly ranked business and economics programs, ADU is set to represent the region in the field of economics, trade, and investment, together with the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), a leading representative of Chinese universities. ADU’s business school has been recognized as the number one business school in the UAE and the Arab region and 101-125 globally according to Times Higher Education Rankings by subject (THE), and the only one percent of business schools worldwide to have double accreditation from both the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) international accreditation.
Launched during the first international “Universities and Artificial Intelligence Technology” Conference in June 24 – 25 in Amman, Jordan, the initiative brought together ten Arabic and Chinese universities across ten programs in efforts to advance educational excellence and strengthen economic ties between China and the Arab Region. The programs are in key subject areas gaining global recognition as priority sectors including information technology, agricultural development, healthcare, medical innovation, green innovation, energy transition, inter-civilizational dialogue, youth talent development, public policy, space technology, economics, trade, and investment.
Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of ADU, said: “ADU continuously seeks to enhance its academic offerings through international collaborations in line with the UAE’s ongoing efforts to position the nation as a global knowledge hub. We are working with over 3,500 professors from across the globe as part of our Global Engagement Program to provide our students with a well-rounded educational environment and advance their knowledge and critical thinking skills.”
Prof. Ghassan added: “The UAE and China have had a long-standing relationship for the past four decades. This relationship has fostered collaboration in several areas, including investment in green development. ADU is proud to be part of an initiative that aligns with the nation’s strategic cross-border relationship goals and that recognizes its efforts in advancing the business field in the UAE’s higher education sector.”
The conference witnessed the participation of key stakeholders including, H.E. Chen Chuandong, the Chinese Ambassador to Jordan, Professor Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of the AArU, and Professor Yan Chunhua, Vice Chairman of the China-Arab Higher Education. ADU representatives included Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of ADU, and Professor Sherine Farouk, Associate Provost for Academic Projects and Internationalization of ADU.
Key topics highlighted during the conference included the role of federated learning as a bridge between machine learning and data protection, the importance of integrating digital economy into academic curricula and the growing role of AI technology in higher education. Through this initiative, universities will collaborate to host educational workshops that foster cross-cultural understanding between students, joint research projects that explore cutting-edge topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), economy and information technology, and collaborative teaching endeavors to enrich the educational experience and enhance curriculums.
As part of the UAE-China long-standing relation, both countries have recently inked 19 agreements to boost investments in several key sectors such as tourism, industry, technology, media, entrepreneurship, logistics, and the Belt and Road initiative, among others. The UAE and China’s exceptional economic partnership continues to flourish, reaching new heights of competitiveness. In 2023, the UAE’s non-oil trade with China reached a staggering AED296 billion (US$81 billion), reflecting a 4.2 percent increase from 2022. China remains the UAE’s top non-oil trade partner in 2023, accounting for 12 percent of UAE trade.
