Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi announced the launch of a new master’s program in innovation and artificial intelligence management to prepare specialized leadership to keep pace with technological transformation. The internationally accredited program aims to equip students with the strategic and applied skills necessary to support the digital knowledge economy in the UAE.
- Program launch and national strategic objectives
- Curriculum structure and Sorbonne Institute partnership
- Blended learning system and suitability for working professionals
- Academic leadership vision and applied learning outcomes
- Academic accreditation and promising career opportunities
- Sorbonne’s standing and long-standing academic history
- Frequently asked questions
Program launch and national strategic objectives
Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi announced in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi on October 1, 2026, the launch of a new and advanced master’s program titled “Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Management.” This prominent academic step comes in direct response to the accelerating and vital role that artificial intelligence plays in shaping modern economies and various productive sectors, alongside reshaping administrative concepts in contemporary business environments.
The program seeks to empower future leaders with the tools and capabilities that allow them to expand the horizons of institutional innovation and lead the digital transformation journey based on advanced algorithms, by providing them with an integrated blend of modern strategic, technological, and administrative expertise. The university is scheduled to welcome its first cohort of students for this program in September 2026, a timing that coincides with the “Year of Artificial Intelligence” activities previously announced by the university to affirm its developmental and technological orientations.
This initiative embodies the university’s continued strategic focus on data science and innovation, and its keenness to contribute effectively to achieving the national aspirations of the United Arab Emirates, notably the “UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031” and the “UAE Digital Economy Strategy,” directly contributing to building a competitive and sustainable knowledge economy on the international stage.
Curriculum structure and Sorbonne Institute partnership
This pioneering academic program was developed in close and direct cooperation with the Sorbonne Center for Artificial Intelligence in the French capital, Paris, and the official degree is awarded directly by the prestigious Sorbonne University. The coursework combines multiple fields including modern management theories, artificial intelligence engineering, technical entrepreneurship, and digital transformation models, in addition to topics of corporate governance, digital ethics, and responsible innovation strategies.
Teaching is supervised by an elite group of internationally renowned professors and researchers from Sorbonne faculties in Paris and Abu Dhabi, giving learners a rare opportunity to review the latest scientific research and apply best practices followed in advanced global centers. This academic framework provides a careful balance combining a deep understanding of institutional visions on the one hand, and mastery of advanced technical skills on the other.
Blended learning system and suitability for working professionals
The curriculum, spanning two full academic years, has been carefully designed to suit specialists and practicing professionals in the job market; lectures are delivered in English during evening hours, adopting an innovative blended learning model when needed. This model relies on a balanced distribution combining 70% of in-person lectures and activities on campus on Al Reem Island, and 30% of interactive online learning sessions for selected courses.
The university adopts a studied policy to determine the number of enrollees in each semester, to ensure the highest levels of academic quality and provide a stimulating educational environment for collaborative discussion and fruitful knowledge exchange, while providing dedicated academic support and guidance for each student, and ample opportunities for direct communication with industry experts and international practitioners.
Academic leadership vision and applied learning outcomes
Commenting on this launch, Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Vice-Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, emphasized that modern technologies open up broad horizons and create unprecedented opportunities, imposing the necessity of preparing a generation of graduates who possess strict ethical awareness and a clear vision for responsible innovation alongside high technical competence. She explained that the partnership with the Sorbonne Center in France translates the university’s commitment to graduating cadres capable of making a tangible positive impact in their societies and institutions.
Dr. Lama Tarsissi, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science and Program Head at the Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, had revealed features of this master’s degree during her participation in the “Quantum Innovation Summit” held in Dubai on September 30, 2026, where she presented a specialized working paper titled “Managing the Artificial Intelligence Revolution,” joined by her colleagues Dr. Stavros Christopoulos and Professor Giulia De Massi. Dr. Lama pointed out that combining practical applications with advanced academic research enables students to invent ethical, data-driven solutions capable of facing real institutional challenges and generating sustainable value.
Academic accreditation and promising career opportunities
The program includes joint research and applied projects with public and private sector institutions, alongside in-depth business case studies, qualitative professional training, and the preparation of a specialized master’s thesis. During their journey, students earn 120 ECTS credits in accordance with the approved European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, distributed over four regular semesters.
This comprehensive training qualifies graduates to occupy leadership positions in technology consulting, government entities, the financial sector, healthcare, and scientific research and innovation centers. The program holds full official accreditation from the Commission for Academic Accreditation in the United Arab Emirates, in addition to its official accreditation from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in the French Republic.
Sorbonne’s standing and long-standing academic history
Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi was established in May 2006 under the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the first French university institution established in the Emirati capital through a qualitative partnership with the Abu Dhabi government. Its campus extends over an area of 93,000 square meters, building upon a rich scientific history spanning more than 768 years combining the legacy of the universities of Sorbonne and Paris Cité. The university offers over 20 academic programs in the humanities, law, business administration, and science and engineering.
The university houses the largest French-language academic library in the Arabian Gulf region, as well as the “Saphir” Institute for Innovation and Scientific Research, which includes 7 specialized research centers providing communication with 17,000 researchers in France and the UAE. It is worth noting that Sorbonne University ranked 43rd globally in the 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking), and came 6th globally in mathematics, giving this master’s program high scholarly weight.
Frequently asked questions
Question: When does teaching start in the master’s in innovation and artificial intelligence management?
Answer: The program launches officially and the university welcomes its first cohort of students in September 2026.
Question: What is the language and teaching system adopted in the program?
Answer: The program is taught in English during the evening period, and adopts a blended learning model consisting of 70% in-person on campus and 30% online.
Question: Is the degree accredited inside and outside the United Arab Emirates?
Answer: Yes, the program is officially accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation in the UAE, and by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research in France, and the degree is awarded by Sorbonne University in Paris.
