UAE selects first 50 Ruwwad Zayed scholarship recipients — The National
The Zayed Education Foundation in the UAE has selected the first 50 participants in the Ruwwad Zayed scholarship and leadership programme for high-achieving young Emirati citizens and nationals of Arab countries residing in the country. As The National reports, the candidates were selected from more than 950 applicants.
The first cohort will begin studies in fully funded master's programmes in the 2026–2027 academic year. Participants represent Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the UAE and Yemen. They include 18 UAE citizens, while women took 37 of the 50 places.
Studies at eight universities
Scholarship recipients will study in 18 master's programmes at eight UAE universities: Abu Dhabi University, the American University of Sharjah, Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates University, the University of Sharjah and Zayed University.
The selected fields include artificial intelligence, data science, public health, public administration and public policy, urban planning, law, psychology and the arts.
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Scholarships and leadership programme
The programme covers full tuition costs and provides a monthly living allowance, the amount of which will depend on the participant's financial needs. Scholarship recipients will also be offered an individual leadership skills development programme, personal and academic support, mentoring, career counselling, internship opportunities and career development.
A foundation representative said that the region's priorities increasingly require specialists and leaders with a strong sense of responsibility. According to the representative, Ruwwad Zayed is intended to develop and bring together such people so that they can implement their ideas and turn individual opportunities into benefits for society.
The foundation, guided by the values of UAE founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, aims to create opportunities for 100,000 young leaders by 2035. Programme participants will also become part of a lifelong community of peers, universities, mentors and partners. The next application round for Ruwwad Zayed scholarships is planned to open later in 2026.
