“Humanity is on a journey. From the discovery of fire to the industrial revolution, we are on a constant voyage of discovery. Robotics and artificial intelligence are the next step.” —His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum HH Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, Vice President of the UAE The UAE not only embraces the emergence of artificial intelligence but works proactively to accelerate its progress. This commitment has positioned the UAE at the forefront of global AI development, taking an active role in shaping the next era of innovation. A key milestone in this journey was the establishment of the world’s first university dedicated to AI — the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in 2020. Since then, the UAE has made numerous investments aimed at solidifying Abu Dhabi as the AI capital of the world. To ensure smooth integration of AI into governmental and educational sectors, the government established the Council for Artificial Intelligence. The council is tasked with creating proposals that encourage research, foster cooperation between the public and private sectors, and support the implementation of the UAE’s national strategy for AI. Its efforts aim to secure the country’s position as a global leader in artificial intelligence by 2031. Additionally, the government launched the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council, which focuses on financing AI research and advancing technological development. This council prioritises investments that will transform Abu Dhabi into a global hub for technological expertise. The inaugural meeting of the AIATC, established on January 22 2024 To encourage positive and impactful progress, the government also introduced the AI and Robotics Award for Good. This initiative supports the National Innovation Strategy launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and recognizes applications of AI and robotics in health, education, and social services. The award highlights technological solutions that address real-world challenges while raising awareness of the beneficial use of emerging technologies. Winning initiatives may receive government support and funding to help turn these ideas into reality. Further reading: https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/digital-uae/digital-technology/artificial-intelligence/

When the amended UAE driving licence regulations were released late last year, headlines rushed to highlight a dramatic change. The driving age was to be lowered from 18 to 17, and people could now begin training earlier on than the earlier 17 years and six months limit. An example of a headline about this policy and the impact Since then, many children from ages 16 and a half to 17 have gone straight to driving schools to register, only to be turned away. Parents are frustrated, students are confused, and everyone is asking the same thing: If 17-year-olds can now supposedly get licences, why is every driving school refusing them? Here we will break down the issues in the law and how it is being reported. Official laws Before the new legislation, the rules for driving licenses for cars were as follows: You may open a file at a driving school and begin training for your license at 17 years and six months You may receive your license at 18 years old When new federal regulations were announced, the official change was that people could now receive their license at 17 years old. New update from the federal website With this update, people assumed that the same rules would apply where training could begin 6 months before the age a license could be received. However, this is not mentioned anywhere in the legislation, so people could still only begin their training at 17 years old. Driving schools decisions Although we see that the age to open a file is not as young as once thought, it is still younger than before. So why are 17 year olds getting turned down when asked for driving lessons? Driving schools have confirmed they have not received any federal directives to implement these new laws yet. So although technically, according to the law, they should be able to begin driving, schools must err on the side of caution and cannot offer these 17 year olds lessons until they turn 17 years six months. Excerpt from an interview with a driving institute 17 year olds can still open files, meaning they can access materials to study for the theoretical section of the driving test. However, they are not permitted to work with a driving instructor. The real impact There are, however, some people who this law effect. 17 year olds are able to drive motorcycles and vehicles for people of determination, as they have been for years now. However, before this legislation, they could only begin training at 17 years and six months, reducing the effectiveness of the lowered driving age. This made the previous system impractical and encouraged untrained riding, leading to high rates of motorcycle accidents (there are an average of about 50 deaths and 1000 injuries from motorcycle accidents yearly in the UAE.) This legislation is an attempt to help reduce these issues. If you are still unclear on what you or your child's situation is regarding these laws, you can contact the official transport authority for your emirate (RTA, ITC, etc.), or contact multiple driving schools to hear a variety of opinions. However, for most, it is unlikely they will be able to begin driving before 18. Further reading: https://www.gmdc.ae/can-17-year-olds-start-driving-lessons-in-uae/ https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/ar/legislations/2598

When the new Ministry of Education attendance policy was released earlier this year, media outlets were quick to zero in on a concerning new clause: " Students who have more than 15 unexcused absences during the academic year shall not be promoted. Fridays and the two days before or after official holidays are counted as two days.” An example of a headline about this 'new' policy Along with reporting this new clause, it was also stated by many articles that parents who violated this would have their case 'referred to the competent authorities', causing many to fear legal consequences for their child's absences. However, a closer reading of the new guidelines reveals a different story. Although this clause does exist, it isn't anything new, and its scope and severity have been highly exaggerated. The only change to the guidelines has nothing to do with attendance, and could positively affect expat children around the country. "15 day absence" clause As mentioned, this clause is nothing new, and has been present in previous guidelines, along with other guidelines like a minimum overall (including excused absences) attendance rate of 65% for promotion. To further understand the limited scope of this guideline, we must understand how schools are regulated in the UAE. MoE guidelines affect only public schools and MoE-curriculum private schools. International private schools are not regulated by the MoE. Each emirate has their own regulatory body for international private schools, like ADEK in Abu Dhabi and KHDMA in Dubai, and none of those groups have instated the same policy in their guidelines. Public vs private schools in Dubai In short, the rule isn’t new and hasn’t changed, it’s simply being restated in the annual MoE handbook. And most likely, unless your child is in an Arabic-language school following MoE curriculum, it has never affected them and never will. New clause on equivalency There is   a change in the guidelines compared to last year. Not in the assessment policy like the previous one was, but in the equivalency policy. Now, students without an Arab passport can attain equivalency without taking the mandatory MoE General Education Arabic Exam in their final year of school. Equivalency is the recognition of a private school student as having met UAE educational standards. It is required for all people educated in the UAE who want to remain studying/working in the UAE after graduating high school; otherwise, they will find themselves applying for a job or university without even a high school diploma. This is excellent news for international students as it means a potential language barrier will not prevent them from working in the UAE. Note the 'for Arab students', which is dependent on your passport. If your child has dual citizenship, their Emirates ID will have to be registered on their non-Arab passport to be exempt from this. How to handle disputes The MoE and every other regulatory body of education all have web portals to file complaints. If you feel that an attendance policy is being enforced unfairly against you or your child, you can make a complaint through those means. However, ensure you are contacting the group that regulates your specific school. If you are the parent of a public school student this is certainly the MoE, but it may take some brief research if you are the parent of a private school student. Overall, while sensational headlines may have disrupted many families and raised concerns, please feel assured that all is as it was, and your child can skip as much school as they desire. (Although they probably shouldn't.) Further reading: MoE 2025-2026 assessment policy MoE 2025-2026 equivalency policy