Ajman University launches its first AI PhD
University completes full AI academic pathway with new PhD
#UAE #education – Ajman University has launched a new PhD in Artificial Intelligence, completing a full undergraduate-to-doctoral academic pathway in AI within a single institution. The research-intensive programme is delivered by the university’s College of Engineering and Information Technology, with faculty ranked among Stanford University’s top 2% of scientists worldwide and among the top 0.5% by ScholarGPS. Ajman University ranks first in the UAE for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and sits among the top 51 to 100 institutions globally in the discipline according to QS Subject Rankings 2025. The programme has already received accreditation from the UAE’s Commission for Academic Accreditation.
SO WHAT? – The UAE has a well-documented ambition to become a global AI research hub, but ambition requires PhD-level researchers to deliver it. Ajman University’s new doctoral programme addresses that gap directly, building on the institutions existing Masters and Bachelors programmes. The university was among the first universities in the UAE to offer a Master of Science in AI and a Bachelor of Science in Data Analytics. The first intake for its Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence programme commenced last year. The launch of the PhD programme is also supported by high-calibre faculty and strong global academic rankings.
Here are some key points about this announcement:
Ajman University has launched a PhD in Artificial Intelligence delivered by its College of Engineering and Information Technology. The programme is the university’s first doctoral qualification in AI and completes a full academic pathway from undergraduate to doctoral level within a single institution.
Doctoral candidates will be mentored by faculty ranked among Stanford University’s top 2% of scientists worldwide and among the top 0.5% globally by ScholarGPS (a research ranking platform that tracks citation impact across academic disciplines).
Ajman University ranks first in the UAE for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in the QS Subject Rankings 2025, placing it among the top 51 to 100 institutions globally in the discipline. It ranks 440th overall in the 2026 QS World University Rankings and 12th in the Arab region.
The programme has received accreditation from the UAE’s Commission for Academic Accreditation ahead of launch, and is delivered within a university accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, making it the first private, non-profit university in the UAE and the Arab world to hold that distinction (2024).
Doctoral students will conduct original, publication-driven research within Ajman University’s advanced AI laboratories and its Artificial Intelligence Research Center (AIRC), which was established in 2020. AIRC research spans machine learning, deep learning, data science, robotics, machine vision, natural language processing and evolutionary computation.
Graduates are expected to pursue leadership roles across academia, advanced research institutions, government strategy and policy and high-impact industry innovation, contributing to what Ajman University describes as the responsible development of next-generation intelligent systems.
The programme aligns with the UAE AI Strategy 2031 and targets research relevant to healthcare innovation, smart cities, sustainability, cybersecurity, financial technologies and digital transformation — sectors identified as priorities under the UAE’s broader national development agenda.
Established in 1988 as the first private university in the GCC, Ajman University has grown to a network of over 45,000 alumni worldwide and holds the third position globally for the percentage of international students among ranked universities.
ZOOM OUT – The PhD programme builds on foundations that Ajman University has been laying since 2020, when it established the Artificial Intelligence Research Centre (AIRC). The centre was created specifically to strengthen AI research across the university's faculty and graduate programmes, consolidating expertise across five active research groups: deep learning and machine learning, data science, robotics and machine vision, natural language processing and speech recognition, and evolutionary computation (the use of AI-driven optimisation algorithms to solve complex problems in science and medicine). The centre's mandate extends beyond pure research. The AIRC supports industry and government partnerships, AI technology transfer, startup incubation, student outreach and public training.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]