UAE Students Shine in Prestigious Sheikh Mohamed Scholars

Abu Dhabi – In a celebration of talent and ambition, NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has announced the 2025-26 class of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program (SMSP), welcoming 24 of the UAE’s brightest university students. This elite programme equips students with advanced academics, leadership training, and global exposure, preparing them to become tomorrow’s leaders.

Selected from 154 highly competitive applicants, the new cohort represents the nation’s top talent across federal universities, including United Arab Emirates University, Zayed University, and the Higher Colleges of Technology.

The curriculum is robust and interdisciplinary, blending academic rigor with practical skill-building. Courses include Ideas of the Sacred, The Road to Net Zero: Global Debates and Challenges, What Makes a Leader, Public Speaking and Presentations, and Critical Thinking and Persuasive Writing. Through these courses, students develop a mix of analytical, ethical, and leadership capabilities.

Beyond the classroom, scholars gain hands-on experience at NYUAD’s research centres, engaging with initiatives in sustainability, technology, and public policy. The programme encourages cross-cultural understanding, fostering perspectives that are both global and locally relevant.

Since its launch in 2008, SMSP has supported 372 students, many of whom have pursued graduate studies worldwide, including across NYU’s global campuses, and embarked on careers in academia, government, and industry. This year’s cohort is set to continue this legacy, contributing innovative solutions to global challenges such as climate change and sustainable development.

The 2025-26 class includes Abdulla Salem Mohammed Masoud Alshamsi, Fatema Alhay Ali Mohamed Almazrouei, Firaol Tesfaye Hailu, Hamad Saeed Juma Khalifa Almehairi, Hamda Naser Sulaiman Lutfi Khanji, and 19 other accomplished students, each bringing unique experiences and aspirations to the programme.

The Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program remains a cornerstone of NYUAD’s commitment to nurturing the UAE’s future leaders, ensuring that the country’s youth are well-prepared to make meaningful contributions both locally and globally.