Al-Awar calls on universities to align their outputs with the needs of the labor market

The Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Awar, confirmed that the current stage, in light of the rapid transformations and qualitative leaps witnessed by the economy and the labor market, imposes a faster pace of development, and calls for reinventing methods of thinking and departing from traditional frameworks, stressing that universities and technical and vocational training institutions are required to play a pivotal role in anticipating successive changes, and aligning their outputs with the needs of the market with high effectiveness and efficiency.

This came during the first dialogue session organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, as part of the Customer Councils initiative that it launched under the title Dialogues on the Future of Higher Education, in order to discuss the recently issued federal decree law on higher education and scientific research, and to shed light on its practical implications for the higher education system in the Emirates.

Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Awar said that the new higher education law constitutes a practical time mechanism to modernize the educational system, and gives universities legislative flexibility to develop their academic programs, in line with the rapid transformations in the global economy, especially in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and future skills, adding that the law enhances integration between the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and local regulatory bodies, ensuring policy harmony and integration of roles.

Al-Awar stressed that the new legislation establishes an integrated and transparent data system that links academic programs to vital fields such as health, artificial intelligence, engineering, and business, and displays data on graduates and employment opportunities by region.

He added that the law supports the shift from theoretical education to actual partnerships with economic sectors, allowing students to practice the required skills in practice and engage in real work environments, which enhances their professional readiness and raises the quality of higher education outcomes.

He stressed the importance of the presence of higher education institutions in free zones, as they represent a major tributary to enriching the higher education system in the country and attracting talent and international educational institutions, noting that the UAE has become a successful platform for graduating competencies, supported by a large and growing labor market.

He explained that licensing will remain within the jurisdiction of local authorities, while data integration will contribute to facilitating procedures and supporting more efficient licensing models. He explained that the dialogues accompanying the law, which began in Dubai and extend across multiple channels, reflect a high degree of consensus and satisfaction between the various partners.

He stated that the government continues to empower investors and facilitate their journey, by giving them flexibility to choose the most appropriate investment sites in various regions, and providing a legislative environment supportive of the success of educational investments, which reflects positively on higher education, the labor market, and national development.

Al Awar pointed to the growth indicators witnessed in 2025, explaining that some national indicators recorded rates reaching 12.5%, in addition to unprecedented global growth that ranged between 11% and 24%, in addition to the growth of skilled labor by 9%, which reflects the high demand for advanced skills, and requires the higher education system to keep pace with this acceleration.

For his part, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Regulatory and Governance of Higher Education and Scientific Research Sector, Ibrahim Fikri, confirmed that the new higher education law ends what he described as “gray areas” in the system, and supports the competitiveness of universities, through a unified and clearer legislative framework that responds to the rapid transformations in the higher education sector.

The dialogue session, which was attended by 200 representatives of higher education institutions and technical and vocational training institutions, focused on the most prominent features of the new law, which constitutes a developmental legislative umbrella that regulates the higher education sector and unifies its references at the state level.