UAE launches major digital upgrade for students and universities

The UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) is rolling out a major digital transformation programme aimed at making services faster and simpler for students and universities. As part of the initiative, the ministry plans to reduce its electronic services from 38 to 18 streamlined digital services and expand the use of artificial intelligence to improve efficiency and service delivery.

The programme is designed to create a smoother experience for students and higher education institutions through a unified digital platform. The platform will focus on two main customer journeys — one for students and another for higher education institutions — with the goal of reducing procedures and making services easier to access.

The ministry said the transformation strategy is based on four key areas: improving efficiency through automation, developing proactive and personalised services, ensuring digital accessibility, and increasing the use of artificial intelligence across operations and services.


Amani Al Bannai, Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector and Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Operations, said digital transformation is helping build a more efficient and flexible higher education system.

“Digital transformation within the higher education sector represents an opportunity to provide a smoother experience for students, higher education institutions and stakeholders,” she said.

“The ministry is working to build an integrated digital system that uses data and AI to support decision-making and improve service quality,” She added.

Artificial intelligence is already being used in several areas, including smart chatbots that respond to customer enquiries, data analysis, case classification, monitoring service delivery timelines and supporting technical recommendations. The ministry said these tools help improve efficiency and speed up responses.

Several digital projects are expected to launch this year. These include an upgraded version of Edu Hub, the ministry’s admissions and registration platform for higher education institutions.

The ministry also plans to expand qualifications recognition systems, introduce new digital services related to scholarships and student support, and develop blockchain-based systems to verify academic qualifications.

MoHESR is strengthening digital connections with government entities, including the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, as well as local and international partners involved in verifying academic records.

According to the ministry, these efforts will improve data accuracy, reduce processing times and support a more connected digital ecosystem. Officials said the wider goal is to simplify customer journeys, improve transparency and strengthen the UAE’s position in digital government services powered by data and artificial intelligence.