MBZUAI and SUAD partner to advance AI research and responsible innovation

Abu Dhabi, UAE, June 18, 2025: Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday, to launch a strategic academic partnership that will accelerate collaboration in AI research, education, and ethics. The agreement was signed at the MBZUAI campus by Professor Eric Xing, MBZUAI President and University Professor, and Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, SUAD Chancellor and University Professor, in the presence of senior leaders from both institutions.

The partnership supports MBZUAI’s vision to serve as a global epicenter for AI innovation and research, expanding through its Institute of Foundation Models labs in France and Silicon Valley, and positioning Abu Dhabi as a leader in advancing ethical, inclusive, and high-impact technologies. It also aligns with the Abu Dhabi and Paris campus of SUAD’s Center for Artificial Intelligence’s (SCAI) vision to drive interdisciplinary AI excellence as a catalyst in Abu Dhabi’s transformative innovation ecosystem. Led by Professor Gérard Biau, SCAI is a key contributor to Europe and the UAE's AI advancement and reinforces SUAD’s commitment to global collaborative research and AI leadership.

The agreement, which contributes to the UAE’s national priorities in AI and education, outlines a series of joint research initiatives focused on AI and its applications across key sectors such as healthcare, energy, climate science, transportation, and digital humanities. The universities will co-supervise Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers to support the development of advanced academic talent.

Faculty and researcher exchanges will enhance the educational experience and promote interdisciplinary knowledge sharing. The collaboration also focuses on upskilling working professionals and youth through the joint design and delivery of courses, workshops, and summer schools covering AI fundamentals, generative AI, and AI ethics.

“This partnership with Sorbonne Abu Dhabi reflects our shared belief in the transformative power of AI and the responsibility we hold as academic institutions to ensure its development benefits society,” said Professor Eric Xing, MBZUAI President and University Professor. “By combining MBZUAI’s world-class research and technical expertise in AI with SUAD’s interdisciplinary strengths, we aim to further explore the knowledge and technology exchange between France and the UAE—with a special focus on how this technology can be used to preserve, enhance, and promote culture in meaningful and innovative ways.”

Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Chancellor of SUAD, said: “Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi has been working closely with MBZUAI over the past few years, and we are pleased to now formalize this collaboration. This partnership reinforces the UAE’s AI ecosystem by linking two leading research centers, with the shared goal of advancing innovation and generating tangible impact on the nation’s economy and industrial landscape.”

Both universities will engage with public and private sector partners to apply AI solutions to real-world challenges, while contributing to the development of ethical frameworks and data governance guidelines. The MoU includes plans to produce white papers, best practices, and policy research to help shape regional and global approaches to responsible AI use.

The signing was attended by MBZUAI’s Professor Sami Haddadin, Vice President for Research; Dekyi Liang, Vice President and Chief of Staff; and Joni Cholwich, Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff. From SUAD, attendees included Dr. Majed Al Khemeiri, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Financial Affairs; Dr. Clio Chaveneau, Head of the SAFIR Research Institute; and Manon Al Hakim, Chief of Staff.

The MoU marks a milestone in uniting two of the UAE’s leading AI institutions to combine expertise, empower talent, and position the UAE as a global hub for AI innovation and transformation.