Abu dhabi: The National Experts ProgramME (NEP) has announced the names of the 32 outstanding Emirati experts who have recently joined its newly launched AI Track, marking a significant milestone in the program’s mission to prepare national AI experts to support the UAE’s AI Strategy 2031. The cohort represents the largest and most diverse group since the programme’s inception in 2019. The selected experts were chosen from a highly competitive pool of more than 1,000 applicants through a rigorous assessment process based on scientific, professional, and strategic criteria designed to identify leadership potential, technical excellence, and innovation capabilities.
According to Emirates News Agency, the cohort has an average age of 33 and represents the public, state-owned, and private sectors of the UAE, with 50% of participants coming from public institutions, 28% from state-owned enterprises, and 22% from the private sector. Most participants hold advanced academic qualifications, with 22% holding PhDs and 66% holding Master’s degrees.
Over the next 7 months, participants will embark on an intensive learning and development journey designed to enhance their expertise, expand their leadership skills, and enable them to implement Capstone projects that address real challenges across different sectors. Through the integration of Emirati AI experts across 25 priority sectors, NEP-AI boosts sectoral competitiveness and builds the talent foundation needed to advance the UAE’s AI ambitions.
Throughout the programme, participants will be guided by experienced mentors as they develop and implement their Capstone projects. By applying advanced AI knowledge to sector-specific use cases, these projects will help accelerate innovation, enhance competitiveness, and support the UAE’s broader vision for AI-driven development.