United Arab Emirates: The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) has launched a series of Future Skills workshops to bolster the readiness of the higher education system for emerging labour market needs. The move also supports aligning academic programmes with priority economic sectors, boosts students’ preparedness and helps equip them with essential future skills, thereby providing the national economy with competitive talent.

The Ministry hosted the first interactive workshop at its headquarters in Dubai with 21 representatives from 11 UAE-based higher education institutions (HEIs). The session explored key future skills required and highlighted the need to redesign academic programmes to keep pace with rapid developments in advanced technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things, among others.

The Future Skills series targets key groups across the higher education sector. Upcoming sessions will include workshops for students to increase their awareness of future career paths and help them develop essential skills, as well as dedicated sessions for parents of high school students to guide them toward future-focused specialisations aligned with national development priorities.

This initiative supports MoHESR’s collaborative effort to develop a national future-skills roadmap. By engaging HEIs, government bodies and key economic and social sectors, it aims to build a more integrated, flexible system capable of preparing competitive national talent for future economic and technological shifts and demands.