“Higher Education” promotes prototype research for artificial intelligence agents in cooperation with Microsoft

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced its cooperation with Microsoft to harness the capabilities of the Microsoft Azure platform and cloud artificial intelligence. To advance research on developing prototypes for artificial intelligence agents, which aims to strengthen the higher education system in the UAE, in line with national priorities.

In this regard, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said: “The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is committed to strengthening the UAE’s position as a leading global center for innovation and advanced research, in order to consolidate the foundations of sustainability in the country and enhance its ability to adapt to rapid transformations, making it prepared for the future.

Dr. Al-Awar added: “This cooperation reflects our commitment to strengthening the efforts made within the higher education and scientific research system, and also ensures that research and innovation outcomes are closely aligned with national priorities.”

For his part, Amr Kamel, General Manager of Microsoft UAE, said: “Agent-based artificial intelligence presents a valuable opportunity for the government sector, especially in the field of education, due to the dynamic and personalized learning experiences it provides, and due to its ability to enhance operational efficiency. In the UAE, adopting this type of artificial intelligence in higher education will not only contribute to enabling students and faculty to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world, but will also enhance the country’s position as a global center for innovation, and is considered Tomorrow’s generations for leadership and success within the knowledge-based economy.”

4 models of artificial intelligence agents

This cooperation focuses on developing four prototypes for artificial intelligence agents, including: (a lifelong learning agent for skills development, which supports the guidance of career paths and skill refinement by linking learners with the skills most in demand in the labor market and appropriate learning paths, an agent that enables faculty members to design courses and academic qualifications and update curricula, in partnership with leaders in priority sectors, in addition to a learning agent dedicated to students, which provides specialized educational support, helping students to continuously advance, and an agent for aligning tasks. Research, which links scientific research outputs to national priorities and realistic challenges, thus contributing to enhancing the societal impact of research and innovation).

Within the framework of this cooperation, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Microsoft will work to identify additional opportunities to benefit from Microsoft Azure and cloud artificial intelligence capabilities, and adopt a participatory design approach with relevant stakeholders, including faculty members, students, and components of the sector as a whole, in addition to exploring prospects for technical cooperation in data analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

The Ministry’s cooperation with Microsoft reflects its commitment to concluding partnerships with the private sector, which are beneficial for promoting innovation and constructive ideas, with the aim of building an interconnected system that enables students to acquire the necessary skills to contribute to the knowledge-based economy and meet the requirements of the future labor market.