UAEU Convocation 2024

Chancellor Zaki Nusseibeh Speech to UAEU Convocation 2024

?Al Ain, 9th September 2024

Vice Chancellor, our distinguished guests Professor Bo AN, UAEU senior leadership, professors, colleagues, students, and friends, a very good morning to you, and welcome.

?As Chancellor, it is my honor to open this assembly celebrating the start of a new academic year. It is a great pleasure to see you all, and I trust that your summer has been both productive and restorative. Today, we welcome forty-four new faculty members and instructors from seventeen countries across four continents, as well as five-hundred and fifty-seven graduate students and five-thousand six-hundred and thirty-six undergraduate students from across the UAE and internationally. We are glad to call you members of our community.

?I hope you have settled into our beautiful campus in Al Ain, meeting new colleagues and friends. I look forward to getting to know you all and learning about the unique perspectives and talents you bring to our university.

?Dear faculty, staff, and students

?Our gathering today holds immense value as we mark the beginning of a new academic year. This event confirms the collective life of a university, recognizing the vital roles we all play in its success. Our faculty and staff offer expertise, mentorship, and support to foster a safe, efficient, and productive learning environment. Our students demonstrate the dedication, creativity, and passion that make UAEU a dynamic and inspiring place. Alumni and partners in community, government, and industry guide our scholarship and operations, helping us grow our reputation nationally and internationally.

VALUES AND IDENTITY

?Today, we are reminded of the core values that define our community—academic rigor, a spirit of inquiry, and inclusive well-being. These values reflect the spirit of the United Arab Emirates, a nation we proudly call home.

We also recall UAEU’s identity as the “University of the Future,” with ambitions focused on advancing knowledge and human capability. We face today’s challenges with strength and courage, adhering to the wise guidance of our nation’s leadership. Our shared dedication is directed toward the UAE’s vision to become a transformative global force, leading progress across all fields to ensure global well-being.

SUCCESS

?This year, we prepare to build on our achievements. Our academic programs operate at the highest standards, and our research productivity continues to grow. In 2023, UAEU faculty and students published over two thousand seven hundred peer-reviewed journal articles, with 65% of these published in highly ranked journals. Our international standing is improving, and we now rank sixth in the Arab world and first in the UAE. Our assembly today is a celebration of these accomplishments.

?UAEU AND THE FUTURE OF THE UAE

?Ladies and gentlemen,

?The UAEU is fortunate to be part of the UAE, a nation that symbolizes human empowerment, innovation, sustainability, and peaceful coexistence. As members of UAEU, it falls to us to contribute to this future, just as our founding leaders turned their dreams into reality. Today, we face unprecedented challenges: a shifting world order, environmental peril, and threats to human sustainability such as disease, poverty, and violence. Alongside these challenges, a new power has emerged—Artificial Intelligence (AI).

?Why are we fearful of AI? Why do we speak of it as a destabilizing force? The answer is that we have been ignorant of its potential. The UAE has decisively addressed these fears by positioning itself at the heart of this revolutionizing power, ensuring AI serves the greater good. Recognizing the critical role of humans and universities in AI’s development, the UAE established the world’s first university dedicated to AI. Moreover, the nation’s AI strategy is rooted in human values, posing the question: “How can we ensure AI is used for good?”

UAE AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

?In 2017, the UAE appointed the world’s first Minister for AI, tasking him with developing the UAE’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. This strategy integrates AI into all sectors of society and aims to stimulate economic well-being and transform citizens’ lives. It also commits to open-source technologies, promoting global cooperation and reducing barriers like poverty. Through collaboration, the UAE has positioned itself as a bridge between East and West, North and South. AI will become central to government operations, making governance more effective in meeting the needs of its citizens.

Our honored speaker today, Professor Bo AN, will discuss how AI can contribute to social well-being and effective governance. I will leave it to him to elaborate on his vision for global leadership in AI and the necessary steps to achieve this. My goal, however, is to focus on the role of humans and universities in this new AI-driven world.?

HOW WILL THE UAE ENSURE AI IS USED FOR GOOD?

?Ladies and gentlemen,

The UAE’s journey with AI is not just a story of technological progress; it is a testament to visionary leadership, strategic planning, and commitment to innovation. Central to the UAE’s National AI Strategy is the question: “How will the UAE ensure AI is used for good?” This question challenges us to acknowledge the role of humans in shaping the future, emphasizing the importance of governance and ethical leadership in technology.

?Human intelligence, with its unique dimensions, remains irreplaceable by AI. Universities, as communities of human beings, have initially reacted defensively to AI, concerned about academic integrity and the future of education. These are valid concerns. Yet, universities must also move towards acceptance and practical adoption of AI, as it holds numerous advantages for our operations, teaching, and research.?

UNIVERSITIES AND AI

?AI can streamline administrative functions, reducing costs and improving efficiency. For students, it offers personalized learning experiences, while for faculty, AI supports the development of course materials and grading. In research, AI accelerates processes like literature reviews and data analysis, allowing us to focus on higher-order thinking and problem-solving.?

HUMAN INTELLIGENCE?

Let us now explore human intelligence more deeply.?

Human intelligence has many dimensions that give life its color and depth. I will list eight key dimensions, which AI cannot easily replicate:

???????? 1.????? Emotional intelligence: The ability to understand and respond to emotions, build relationships, and cultivate empathy.

???????? 2.????? Creative intelligence: The capacity for novelty and thinking beyond established patterns.

???????? 3.????? Courageous intelligence: The ability to adapt, take risks, and build resilience.

???????? 4.????? Intuition: The ability to handle complexity, think holistically, and rely on foresight or gut instinct.

???????? 5.????? Moral intelligence: The capacity for ethical reasoning and judgment, rooted in values and cultural norms.

???????? 6.????? Conscious awareness: The unique human capacity for introspection, ambition, and desire.

???????? 7.????? Physical intelligence: The use of our bodies and sensory capacities to make sense of the physical world.

???????? 8.????? Social intelligence: The ability to observe, learn, care, trust, and nurture communities.

These dimensions of human intelligence enable wisdom. A wise person is someone who has developed all these dimensions and applies them in practice. This is our purpose as a university—to nurture practical wisdom in our students and to apply our wisdom in scholarship that contributes to the greater good.

Let us consider wise ways forward.?

AI AND THE FUTURE UNIVERSITY?

First, we must accept AI and use it effectively, saving time in teaching and research. Second, we must teach students about the full breadth of human intelligence and the importance of applying wisdom. Third, we should raise the bar for students by focusing less on factual recall and more on practical tasks that engage their human intelligence. Faculty will become coaches, guiding students as they tackle real-world challenges that require emotional, creative, and social intelligence.

Finally, researchers must address what AI cannot do—define purpose, set goals, and ensure that AI systems are ethical, unbiased, and beneficial to society. It is up to us to make wise decisions and ensure AI serves the human good.

?Ladies and gentlemen,?

With the advent of AI, the role of the university is more important than ever. It is up to us to nurture students who are fully developed in wisdom and human intelligence. At UAEU, this is our mission. By guiding the development and governance of AI, we will help advance the UAE’s leadership and contribute to global well-being.

?In conclusion, we embark on a new academic year filled with hope, ambition, and excitement. Let us work together as a diverse and unified community, building productive relationships and promoting mutual coexistence. Above all, this will be a year dedicated to nurturing human intelligence and practical wisdom. The future is upon us, and our work as a university remains essential.

I wish you all a productive and fruitful year. You have my full support and enthusiasm for your work and studies in the months ahead.

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Thank you.

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