UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a decision creating the National Programme for Advanced Sciences and Technologies as an integrated initiative that aligns national education and research efforts with the demands of strategic and advanced industries. The programme focuses on building an education and research system that ties scientific inquiry directly to priority sectors while investing in Emirati talent to prepare citizens for future specialisations in science and technology. It further seeks to bolster industrial capabilities increase the global competitiveness of national products and reinforce sovereignty in vital fields a step that builds on the country’s established push toward knowledge-based growth. WAM reported that the decision underscores ongoing national priorities in innovation and human capital development.
The programme encompasses four primary tracks that include technical education national talent development initiatives to attract skilled individuals and efforts in technical research and innovation across advanced scientific domains. A dedicated Higher Committee will supervise implementation of these tracks with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Vice President Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court serving as its chairman. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs will act as deputy chairman of the committee according to the official announcement distributed by WAM.
This latest decision aligns with a series of measures the UAE government has taken to advance its position in global science and technology landscapes. A national policy for science technology and innovation adopted by the Cabinet identifies six priority areas ranging from energy transformation and human health to food and water security digital technologies and advanced materials Mubasher reported. Those priorities guide research projects in solar energy hydrogen production sustainable desalination and cancer sciences among others.
The new programme also complements separate initiatives in artificial intelligence and space technology that have expanded in recent years. The federal authority for AI and data established earlier in 2026 functions as the unified national body overseeing data management artificial intelligence and digital government services with Omar Sultan Al Olama appointed to lead it under the Cabinet X posts by officials confirmed. Such structures support broader goals of harnessing technology for efficient governance and long-term economic diversification.
Talent development forms a central pillar of the programme in line with other scholarship and training efforts across government entities. The Mohammed bin Rashid Government Scholarships initiative launched in 2025 provides opportunities for national competencies to pursue advanced studies in economic strategies international policies and applied artificial intelligence at leading institutions including the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence Oxford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology according to the UAE Barq news portal. These programmes target hundreds of candidates to strengthen expertise in areas critical to national development.
By formalising connections between academic research and industrial application the programme aims to accelerate progress toward sustainable development targets outlined in national strategies. The UAE Space Agency has similarly worked to cultivate local capabilities in space science and Earth observation through specialised training academies and international partnerships its published framework shows. Officials continue to stress the role of qualified national talent as the foundation for maintaining momentum in these high-technology domains.
