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6/18/25, 9:14 AM RIT Dubai hosted graduation of NOMU Al Ghurair Women in AI program | UAE News 24/7

NOMU Al Ghurair Women in AI Graduation Ceremony took place at RIT Dubai

Addressing the graduates, Dr. Ben Jaafar said, “You have stepped into a male-dominated field, and you did this boldly and
fearlessly. You are the spark of a movement; a signal that the UAE’s innovation economy will not be built by machines alone, it
will be built by women like you. You are not just changing your future, you’re shifting a global statistic.”

Welcoming guests on behalf of RIT Dubai, Dr. Al Assaf provided an overview of the six centers that will be launching as the
campus development continues, and invited the graduates to explore opportunities for collaboration with the university.
Speaking about the importance of retaining human values in the advancement of technology, Dr. Al Assaf remarked, “Smart
machines are not replacing jobs, they are creating jobs, but we must remember that AI speaks to our emotions but does not
have emotions; we need to make sure that the human element is integrated into the codes we develop in order to help people
to lead a better life.”
The event proceeded with the award of certificates to the cohort of students representing the UAE and other Arab nations. The
graduation marked the culmination of a highly selective and challenging program that combined technology with job-
readiness skills to prepare candidates for the future of work. The program was set in the context of anticipated expansion in
the Middle East AI sector, with an expected annual growth rate ranging from 20 to 34 per cent, projecting a potential impact of
$320 billion by 2030.

As part of the program, students undertook an intensive 12-week curriculum, involving topics including data science,
statistical modelling, neural networking and machine learning. The curriculum concluded with an eight-week capstone
project, during which participants worked on a real-life assignment proposed by a partnering company, applying the skills
they had learned during the course. This phase includes weekly mentorship sessions to guide participants through the project.

Among the program’s graduates was Reem Al Neyad, an alumna of Zayed University with a major in information technology,
networking, and security. Reflecting on her experience, she said, “I have always been interested in artificial intelligence; my
senior project was a medical dispenser powered by AI. I wanted to build on my experience with Python and machine learning
through this program, and it has enhanced my skills in this area. I can now apply this experience in the real world, and I am
grateful for the opportunity provided by AGF and ZAKA.”

During the ceremony, a keynote address was delivered by Dr. Aishah Al Yammahi, Strategic Advisor at Alef Education. The
event concluded with presentations of some of the AI projects developed during the program, including BookBuddy AI, a
bilingual support tool enabling children to develop a deeper understanding of language.

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