United Arab Emirates- Abu Dhabi – Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) proudly celebrated the graduation of its 16th cohort in a ceremony held at Emirates Palace’s Auditorium in Abu Dhabi on November 12th under the patronage of Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chair of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s Board of Trustees.

The Class of 2025 honoured 223 master’s and bachelor’s graduates, marking a milestone of academic excellence and multicultural harmony and achievement. Degrees were awarded across various disciplines, including 170 bachelor’s degrees and 53 master’s degrees.

This year’s graduating class exemplifies Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s diversity, with 176 female (78.9%) and 47 male graduates representing 34 nationalities. Emirati graduates represent 63.2% of the Class of 2025, reflecting the university’s strong commitment to nurturing Emirati talent. Whilst international students hailed from France, Egypt, Canada, Senegal, China, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Lebanon, Morocco and other countries highlighting SUAD’s role as a global academic institution.

The ceremony included addresses from His Excellence Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE and Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University; Professor Guillaume Fiquet, Vice President for International Relations, Sorbonne Université and Member of the Executive Committee of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, Speaking on behalf of Professor Nathalie Drach-Temam, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and President of Sorbonne Université; His Excellence Nicolas Niemtchinow, Ambassador of France to the UAE; Professor Antoine Kouchner, Vice President International Relations, Université Paris Cité, Speaking on behalf of Professor Edouard Kaminski, President of Université Paris-Cité, and Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. Graduates Sarah Al Raeesi, Master in Environmental Sustainability: Law and Policies, and Alyaa Mohamed Ali Alghuwais Alsuwaidi, Bachelor in Law, took the stage to share reflections and insights from their journey at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, followed by the formal conferral of degrees.

The Class of 2025 included graduates from Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s three schools: 116 graduates from the School of Law, Economics & Business, 50 graduates from the School of Arts and Humanities and 57 graduates from the School of Data, Science and Engineering. The diverse range of  programmes offered including the Bachelor in Geography and Planning, Bachelor in Mathematics with a specialisation in Data Science for Artificial Intelligence, and Bachelor in Economics and Management reflect SUAD’s forward-thinking multidisciplinary vision, empowering graduates with the knowledge and agility to lead and innovate across an ever-evolving global landscape.

Emirati graduate Sara Al Raeesi earned her second master’s degree in Environmental Sustainability: Law and Policies adding to her previous master’s from Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in Applied Sociological Research. Currently Senior Specialist for Business Partnerships and Communications at ADNOC, she brings her research-driven approach to advancing national sustainability and communication strategies, building on her experience at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi and with the COP28 Presidency Communications Team. In her speech she reflected on her journey and said: “At Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, we have learned how to be firmly grounded in knowledge and yet be prepared to apply it globally.”

Another accomplished graduate from this year, Ahmed Alameeri, Bachelor in Applied Foreign Languages, is redefining the modern Emirati creative. A published author of seven books, his fourth work, The Real Imagination, was shortlisted for the Dr. Abdulaziz Almansoor Literary Award in Kuwait, highlighting his growing influence in the region’s literary scene.

An inspiring graduate from this year, Maryam Alzaabi, earned a Bachelor in Applied Foreign Languages and exemplifies determination and perseverance. Fluent in Arabic, English, French (DALF C1), and German (B1), she translated a collection of French short stories into Arabic. As a Person of Determination, Maryam actively advocates for accessibility and inclusion and represented SUAD at the Inclusive Workplaces Summit in November last year, contributing innovative ideas to support persons of determination in education and employment.

In his commencement address, HE Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE, congratulated the graduates and urged them to become catalysts for innovation. He said: “You are the generation we depend on to offer solutions and to invent new ways of confronting today’s challenges. You are the ones who will lead the transformation necessary for a world that is more sustainable, humane, and cooperative.

He added: “Your degrees grant entry to a professional career; you must use them also as passports for influence”.

In his address, His Excellence Nicolas Niemtchinow, Ambassador of France to the UAE said: “Investing in innovation and youth is always a winning bet — it is through them that nations prepare to face the future, and through them that France and the United Arab Emirates will continue shaping that future together.”

Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, reflected on the graduates’ resilience and the university’s enduring humanistic mission: “You now possess these peaceful but essential weapons … reason, knowledge, and critical thinking, the only ones that can resist the fractures of the world.”

She added: “The world that awaits you is full of tension: ecological, diplomatic, technological yet also rich in opportunities and innovations. Artificial intelligence is transforming the ways we create, think, and decide. On the eve of our twentieth anniversary, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi approaches this turning point with the conviction that humanism has never been more necessary.”

This year’s graduation also marks a moment of institutional recognition. The French Ministry of Higher Education and Research recently issued commended Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi for its remarkable achievement and reaffirming the trust and shared vision of the French and Emirati authorities in the university’s continued growth. This endorsement highlights SUAD’s role as a model of Franco-Emirati cooperation and its growing impact across areas such as sustainability, innovation, and heritage preservation.

The 2025 graduation ceremony celebrated the achievements of students and faculty, highlighting Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s commitment to world-class education. The Class of 2025, reflecting the university’s global perspective, is now part of SUAD’s alumni network, ready to contribute to their fields and communities worldwide.

Notes: 

Several graduates were distinguished with "Top of Class" honourees for their exceptional academic performance, representing diverse backgrounds and fields of study. The honorees included:

  1. Sara Sahel Almilhem, Jordan - Bachelor in Economics and Management
  2. Sabrina Elagab, Russia - Bachelor in History of Art and Archaeology
  3. Maryam Ebraheim Alsuwaidi, United Arab Emirates - Bachelor in Records Management and Archival Science
  4. Mathilde Moly, France - Bachelor in Law
  5. Aseel Tayseer Ismail, Jordan - Bachelor in Applied Foreign Languages
  6. Hend Hasan Alhosani, United Arab Emirates - Bachelor in History
  7. Sarah Felicitas Steuber, Germany - Bachelor in Geography and Planning
  8. Chiara Alessia Quistelli, Italy - Double Bachelor in Philosophy and Sociology
  9. Donia Ahmed Besher, Egypt - Bachelor in Mathematics, Specialisation in Data Science for Artificial Intelligence
  10. Shouq Anwar Yahya Aldhahab Aljneibi, United Arab Emirates - Bachelor in French Literature
  11. Amna Navaid Yusuf, Pakistan - Bachelor in Physics
  12. Kaltham Abdulateef Alabdouli, United Arab Emirates - Master in Urban Planning and Development
  13. Mohammed Almansoori, United Arab Emirates - Master in International Business Law
  14. Fatma Mohammad Hokal, United Arab Emirates - Master in Applied Foreign Languages: Specialty Management and International Business
  15. Alina Suleymanova, Armenia - Master in History of Art and Museum Studies
  16. Maryam Salem Alteneiji, United Arab Emirates - Master in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
  17. Mennat Allah Abo El Wafa, France - Master in Teaching French as a Foreign Language
  18. Moayyad Massad, Canada - Master in Banking and Finance
  19. Ahmed Abdulmuttaleb Baharoon, United Arab Emirates - Master in Environmental Sustainability: Law and Policies
  20. Wael Osman, Lebanon - Master in Health Economics
  21. Jessica Castelyn, South Africa - Master in Applied Sociological Research
  22. Joumala Chaouki, Morocco - Master in International Law, International Relations and Diplomacy: Speciality Defence and International Security

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About Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD)

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, established in May 2006 as the first French university in the UAE and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is a branch campus of the Sorbonne University in Paris, licensed by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK). SUAD brings 768 years of academic excellence from the prestigious Sorbonne University and Université Paris-Cité in Paris to a 93,000 sqm state-of-the-art campus on Al Reem Island. The multidisciplinary research university offers over 20 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across three specialised schools: Arts and Humanities; Law, Economics, Business; and Data, Science and Engineering as well as on-demand PhD programmes from the doctoral schools in France  All degrees are awarded by Sorbonne Université and Université Paris Cité and are evaluated by France’s Higher Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES) and accredited by the Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur, de la Recherche et de l’Innovation (MESR), as well as the UAE’s Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA).

SUAD’s programmes blend academic rigour, critical thinking, with practical experience through industry partnerships. Home to the Gulf’s largest French language academic library, the university advances research, innovation, and cross-cultural dialogue between French and Emirati communities. Its motto “Choose Excellence, choose SUAD” reveals its commitment to Excellence, one of its 5 strategic pillars – Research, Education, Excellence, Visibility and Sustainability.  SAFIR, its multidisciplinary research institute powers the wider knowledge production with 7 centers working on critical domains (such as AI, Humanities and Marine Science), access to 17,000 researchers in France and UAE and strong industry research partnerships. Since 2022, SUAD welcomes the community to its cultural center offering a year-round program of exhibitions, theater plays, concerts, cinema and cultural talks. SUAD is engaged in advancing the UN SDGs through its sustainability pillar. With over 3,000 graduates from more than 90 nationalities, SUAD contributes significantly to Abu Dhabi’s multicultural academic ecosystem. Sorbonne Université is ranked 43rd globally in 2024 and 11th in mathematics in the Shanghai Ranking, and it is also ranked 8th in the Young University Rankings by Times Higher Education. Université Paris Cité is ranked 60th globally in the 2024 Shanghai Ranking of World Universities.  SUAD’s School of Arts and Humanities was named the 1st Humanities Education University by the Forbes Middle East Higher Education Awards in 2019. In 2025, SUAD ranked second in the UAE for Responsible Consumption and Production in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

For more information about Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi: https://www.sorbonne.ae/