Emirati youth to succeed professionally because of quality higher education, study says

Abu Dhabi - Survey finds an overwhelming majority of Emirati university students are satisfied with quality educational resources

A new study commissioned by Mohamed Bin Zayed Majlis for Future Generations (MBZMFG) has revealed that around nine among 10 (87 per cent) Emirati university students have expressed their satisfaction with the quality of higher education that they are receiving. More than nine out of 10 said their educational resources and quality of coursework meet or exceed their expectations.

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An overwhelming majority, or 91 per cent, are also confident they will be able to achieve their professional goals and 86 per cent said their education has equipped them with skills that would help them succeed professionally.

Nearly half, or 45 per cent, said the Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their higher education experience. However, once Covid-19 is fully contained, 49 per cent of Emirati university students said they would like to see a mix of online and in-person coursework, while another 16 per cent would prefer to continue with remote learning on a permanent basis.

Educational pressures, Covid-19 pandemic are causing stress and mental health issues

With Covid-19 putting mental health in the spotlight, the study also examined stress factors impacting the young Emiratis. A strong majority, or 75 per cent, of young Emiratis described their mental health and wellbeing as excellent or good. But one in four, or 25 per cent, said their mental health is not good or poor. Nearly half, or 44 per cent, said the Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental wellbeing, with the number rising to 66 per cent among those who describe their current mental health as not good or poor.

The Covid-19 pandemic, however, is not the only factor causing stress and negatively impacting the mental health of young Emiratis. When asked about the main causes of stress in their daily lives, the top three factors that rise to the top are educational pressures, as 78 per cent cited it as a stress factor, uncertainty about future employment, according to 50 per cent, and the Covid-19 pandemic by 53 per cent of respondents.

Preserving Emirati culture is a top priority

Nearly three in four, or 74 per cent, of Emirati youth said that preserving the Emirati culture, values and traditions should be a top priority for the UAE over the next decade, on par with some of the much-discussed national priorities, such as increasing technological innovation in the UAE (74 per cent) and diversifying the country’s economy (72 per cent). Nearly as many (71 per cent) also wanted the UAE to make the preservation of the Arabic language a top priority over the next decade.

AI seen as the most important new technology

Emirati youth fully embrace the role of technology as a driver of positive change. More than four in five (81 per cent) say technology is a force for good and positive progress and 74 per cent believe that investing in technology should be a top priority for the UAE over the next decade.

The country’s youth are pinning their hopes on artificial intelligence (AI) to emerge as the most consequential new technology. When asked which new technologies are most important for the UAE to further invest in over the next decade, 70 per cent pointed to AI, far surpassing other new and emerging technologies such as robotics (29 per cent), 5G (27 per cent), big data and data analytics (24 per cent) or drones (23 per cent).