Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak: Zayed Military University is a national model for enhancing the readiness of young men and women in the Emirates for the future

ABU DHABI, 4th May / WAM / Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Emirates”, President of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, confirmed that the experience of Zayed Military University represents an advanced national model that combines military discipline and advanced academic education, to enhance the ability of young men and women in the Emirates to face the challenges of the future with confidence and competence.

Her Highness said that the university works to hone the skills of national leaders, by providing an integrated educational and disciplinary environment that combines military field training with deep academic knowledge, to produce generations of male and female officers capable of making decisions and assuming responsibility.

Her Highness indicated, in an interview with the Zayed Military University newspaper, that the declaration of 2026 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” as the “Year of the Family” represents an opportunity to strengthen integration between the home and educational and military institutions, especially Zayed Military University, in a way that contributes to building a generation of male and female citizens who possess national values, responsibility, and belonging, and makes serving the nation a shared honor and duty.

Below is the text of the dialogue:

Q: How do you read, Your Highness, the declaration of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” that 2026 is the “Year of the Family,” and what are the implications of this for national educational and military institutions, most notably Zayed Military University?

A: Designating the year 2026 as the “Year of the Family” carries a message that is profound in its meaning and far-reaching in its connotations, affirming that building nations begins from the home, and that the family is the first school of values, the authentic incubator of identity, and the truest source of trust and belonging.

This comes in light of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” who places the human being and the family at the heart of national development priorities, as an extension of the established approach established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, “may God rest his soul,” when he made the human being the focus of construction and development, and the family the basis of stability, and from them the nation’s journey began.

A cohesive family creates a person who is balanced in thought, morals, and psychology, capable of giving and bearing responsibility. This person is the true wealth of every successful institution, whether educational or military. The strength of institutions is not measured by buildings or capabilities, as much as it is measured by the quality of the person who belongs to it and carries its message sincerely. Hence, the “Year of the Family” comes to enhance the integration of roles between the home, the school, the university, and the military institution, in one system that creates a generation that believes that serving the nation is an honor, and that giving to it begins with values. Which he was raised in by his family, and with which his sense of belonging and responsibility grows.

Q: How do you evaluate the experience of Zayed Military University as a model that combines military qualification with advanced academic education?

A: I see the experience of Zayed Military University as an advanced national model that embodies the vision of our leadership in investing in people first, by training highly prepared military cadres in the field, in parallel with building conscious and educated minds who possess knowledge and have a high ability to analyze and make decisions.

This integration between military discipline and academic depth creates a balanced leadership personality that combines solidity of will and maturity of thought, commitment to national values ​​and the ability to keep pace with accelerating changes. With this solid approach, conscious leaders are formed, who work with sincerity, belonging and professionalism, carry in their hearts love for the Emirates, and contribute confidently and responsibly to serving the nation and preserving its gains.

Q: What are the implications of having Emirati female candidates receiving military education alongside male candidates at the university?

A: The presence of Emirati daughters in this field is the result of a long process of trust and empowerment, and it is a clear message that the Emirati daughter is at the heart of the development process.

When women are given the opportunity, they prove their ability well, and today, as we see female candidates training, learning, and sharing the same responsibility with their colleagues, we feel proud. Because we are witnessing a new generation of women who carry the nation’s flag with determination and sincerity, and affirm that serving the Emirates is a common national duty.

Q: To what extent does this experience reflect the leadership’s confidence in the capabilities of Emirati women and their willingness to assume military responsibilities?

A: This experience embodies the belief of our wise leadership that women are an integral partner in the process of construction and sustainable development, and an active element in preserving the nation’s achievements, consolidating its stability, and enhancing its prosperity. Emirati women have demonstrated, over the decades, their confident presence in various fields. From education and health, to space and diplomacy, all the way to the military field, stressing that her ability to give is not limited by scope, and that her loyalty to the homeland is constant in every position, and the trust that leadership has placed in women is an entitlement that is established by competence, achievement and hard work, and what we are witnessing today is the result of a long process of diligence and determination, and a continuous path of dedication that has made the daughter of the Emirates a role model of responsibility, commitment and patriotism.

Q: How do you see the impact of the educational and disciplinary environment at the university on building the candidate’s military and leadership personality?

A: The military environment teaches a person, above all else, the meaning of responsibility, discipline, respect for time, and teamwork. These values ​​not only create a successful officer, but also create a mature person capable of facing life’s challenges with steadfastness and turning them into opportunities. When a candidate lives this experience, it builds within her inner strength, self-confidence, the ability to make decisions, and a spirit of initiative, which are leadership traits that will remain with her for life.

Q: What role does the university play in preparing future women leaders capable of serving the nation efficiently and competently?

A: The university contributes to creating generations of conscious women leaders who combine knowledge, discipline, and national values. True leadership is based on morals before skills, and on belonging before positions, and when the candidate graduates with this awareness, she becomes an honorable model for the daughter of the Emirates in every position in which she serves her country.

Q: How do you evaluate the experience of integrating male and female candidates in terms of discipline, team spirit, and joint work?

A: Integration enhances the culture of integration, and confirms that success is achieved in the spirit of one team. When young men and women work together, they learn to respect differences, appreciate each other’s abilities, and cooperate to achieve the common goal. This spirit is firmly established in our national institutions, all together, one hand and one heart, to serve our dear homeland.

Q: In light of technical development and artificial intelligence, how do you see the readiness of university graduates, especially female candidates, for the requirements of the military future?

A: The future is changing very quickly, and the challenges have become more complex, which requires an educated mind familiar with modern technology.

I am confident that investing in advanced education, technical skills, and artificial intelligence will give our sons and daughters the ability to deal with future variables with high efficiency, as power today is in knowledge, innovation, and the ability to think strategically.

Q: What message do you send to the female candidates at Zayed Military University, who embody an honorable role model for Emirati military women?

A: I say to my daughters: “You are an extension of a victorious journey of giving and sacrifices. Carry the name of the Emirates in your hearts before your shoulders, and make sincerity, discipline, and knowledge your permanent path. The nation trusts you and relies on you, so always live up to this trust, and be a role model in morals, work, and commitment.”

Q: How do you view the role of the Emirati family in supporting their daughters to enroll at Zayed Military University, in line with the goals of the “Year of the Family”?

A: The family is the primary incubator of the dream, and when the family believes in its daughter, her self-confidence grows, and she becomes able to go through any experience with steadfastness.

The family’s support for its daughters to attend Zayed Military University is an expression of advanced societal awareness that serving the nation is an honor for everyone.

In the “Year of the Family,” we emphasize that empowering a girl begins at home, with a word of encouragement, and with confidence planted in her heart from childhood, so that she grows up believing that she is capable of being a partner in protecting and building the nation.

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