EDUCATION-

MBZUAI rolls out its first undergraduate program: The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) introduced its first undergraduate program, the Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. The program offers two specialized tracks: AI business, which focuses on business integration and entrepreneurship, and AI engineering, which centers on AI model development and real-world applications.

The details: The curriculum covers core AI fields, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, deep learning, and generative AI. It also features specialized courses in AI for health, sustainable living, 3D vision, mixed reality, and AI for science. Students will also receive cross-disciplinary training in business, finance, and management as part of the program.

The perks: Students will gain hands-on experience with advanced AI models like JAIS, MBZUAI’s Arabic large language model, and K2, an open-source AI model. The program integrates industry placements, internships, and collaborations with global AI leaders.

TECH-

#1- Inception and Scale AI partner to drive AI adoption: G42 subsidiary Inception partnered up with American data firm Scale AI to drive AI adoption across the public and private sectors, according to a press release. Initially focused on the UAE, the partnership plans to expand into international markets.

The details: The companies will develop AI solutions for the government, investment, corporate, and healthcare sectors, supported by industry-specific evaluation datasets to assess AI application performance. Scale AI will provide post-training support, including Supervised Fine-Tuning and Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback, for Inception’s new large language models.

#2- Dubai-based consulting and IT outsourcing services provider TouchForce IT Solutions has partnered up with Lagos-based firm Outcess to identify avenues for business in Nigeria, as part of TouchForce’s expansion into the country, according to a press release.

STARTUPS-

#1- SC Ventures + Visa team up to back SMEs in MENA: Standard Chartered’s fintech and innovation arm SC Ventures inked an MoU with Visa at the Visa Innovation Center in Dubai to develop digital solutions for SMEs in the region, according to a press release. The partnership will focus on a proof of concept for SME-targeted digital tools, with ongoing workshops and sessions.

REMEMBER- The firm also collaborated with Dubai-based conglomerate 7X last December to support SMEs. The partnership aims to create SME-focused ventures and develop a minimum viable product to offer them scalable and tech-based solutions.

#2- Schneider Electric joins NextGenFDI as new partner: Schneider Electric has joined the UAE’s NextGenFDI initiative as a strategic partner, Wam reported on Monday. Through the partnership, the company will mentor and grow sustainability and climate technology startups and expand its own portfolio companies into the UAE. Other NextGen partners include Qualcomm, DoxAI, SolarSpace, Continuous Ventures, TG0, and Zelos Technology.

More about the program: The NextGen FDI program was launched in 2022 to help global tech-focused startups establish and expand their operations in the UAE by facilitating licensing procedures, bulk and golden visa issuances, and banking services. It also offers commercial and residential lease incentives.

TELECOMS-

e& becomes equity partner in API firm Aduna: Emirates Telecommunications Group (e&) joined as an equity partner in network application programming interfaces (API) ecosystem firm Aduna, according to a press release. The partnership will see e& add its operations over 20 countries to Aduna’s platform, while its own developers will gain access to Aduna’s API platform. The partnership will be finalized later this year and is subject to regulatory approval. The press release did not disclose the value of the partnership.

Aduna? Aduna was founded in September 2024 to simplify global access to network APIs, allowing for communication over different networks. It also counts Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, and Ericsson amongst its partners.

AVIATION-

#1- Emirates adds flights to Asia: Dubai’s flagship carrier Emirates is rolling out three new flight routes to China, Vietnam, and Cambodia, effective from mid-2025, according to a statement. The airline will offer daily non-stop flights from Dubai to Shenzhen, starting 1 July — making it the first carrier in the region to fly directly to the city. It will also add four weekly flights to Vietnam’s Da Nang from 2 June and three weekly services to Cambodia's Siem Reap from 3 June.

REMEMBER- Emirates has been planning to increase its air traffic to China by 40% on the back of rising demand. The carrier had previously been operating 35 weekly flights to China — two daily flights each to Shanghai and Beijing, and one to Guangzhou. The UAE and China have also been in talks to boost bilateral air connectivity beyond their 56 per week per country ceiling.

That’s not all: Emirates’ cargo arm Emirate’s SkyCargo is expected to move some 10 tonnes of cargo per flight between Dubai and Shenzhen to support high-tech and e-commerce exports, the statement adds. The airline currently transports some 2k tonnes of cargo each week from the Chinese mainland. The move looks to boost the UAE’s trade links with China — providing an additional link for Chinese businesses to enter the global market.

#2- Flydubai adds three new services to Iran: Dubai-based budget carrier Flydubai is launching three new services to Iran as part of its network expansion efforts, growing its destinations to 130, according to a statement. The airline will operate two weekly flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Bushehr Airport (BUZ) and Tabriz Airport (TBZ) starting 13 March as well as three weekly flights from DXB to Qeshm Airport (GSM) starting 14 March.

LOGISTICS-

#1- Dubai South inked an agreement with international freight forwarder UPS to open a new facility in its Logistics District, according to a statement. The facility — scheduled for operations by year’s end — is set to boost national freight forwarding capacity and is part of UPS’s strategic expansion plans into the region. The move looks to boost the UAE’s trade links through UPS's extensive global network — linking businesses in the region to over 200 countries globally. The investment ticket for the project was not disclosed.

Building on its UAE ties: Sharjah International Airport onboarded UPS Global, which operates four weekly cargo flights to various destinations worldwide back in October 2024.

Dubai South has been expanding: Dubai South welcomed 415 new companies in 2024, bringing the total number of companies operating in the aviation and logistics development district to 4k with a retention rate of 94% for existing companies

#2- China’s CULines sets up shop in Dubai: Chinese freight forwarding firm CULines West Asia Company launched its Dubai headquarters last week as part of its strategic expansion across the region, according to a statement. CULines is currently expediting the development of its route network in the region, which aims to “play a pivotal role in linking our trunk and feeder networks” to enhance operational efficiency and collaboration, chairman Raymond Chen said.

INFRASTRUCTURE-

L&T to develop grid station in Abu Dhabi: Indian multinational Larsen & Toubro ’s (L&T) Power Transmission & Distribution (PT&D) vertical received an order to establish a 220/33 KV grid station in Abu Dhabi, along with associated jobs, the company said in a press release (pdf). It also secured projects in Saudi Arabia and India, with the total orders valued between INR 25-50 bn (c. USD 286-573 mn).

This isn’t L&T’s first Emirati project, having been awarded contracts to develop two gas-insulated substations in Abu Dhabi last year, the sixth phase of the Al Maktoum solar park, EHV substations in Dubai, and a 24/7 solar and battery storage project also in Abu Dhabi.