MBZUAI announces academic year to start in January 2021 - Biz Today

ABU DHABI: Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the world's first graduate-level, research-based artificial intelligence (AI) university, has announced that the start of its first academic year has been rescheduled for January 2021. The decision was made in light of safety measures taken on campus due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, during the Board of Trustees meeting that took place over video conference earlier today. Chaired by His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, UAE Minister of State, the meeting was attended by MBZUAI Interim President, Professor Sir Michael Brady, professor of Oncological Imaging at the University of Oxford, UK; Professor Anil K. Jain, a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University, USA; Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, a technology executive and venture capitalist based in Beijing, China; Professor Daniela Rus, Director of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), USA, and Peng Xiao, CEO of Group 42. During the meeting, the Board of Trustees also discussed the status of the nearly completed Masdar City campus and facilities, student onboarding and engagement plan, faculty and leadership appointments, and potential industry partnerships. Regarding the decision to postpone the first intake of students, His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said: "The University is eager and ready to welcome our first cohort of students from around the world, however, given the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, the decision to start the academic year in 2021 been made in the best interest of the prospective students, faculty, and staff, whose health and wellbeing is our top priority. We want our students to be able to focus on their studies and research, and take full advantage of the world-class education that they will receive at the MBZUAI campus."