- British Council and the British Embassy UAE launch a new Alumni UK initiative spotlighting and empowering women leaders in education, with the inaugural event hosted at Middlesex University Dubai.
- The programme celebrates the impact of UAE graduates from UK universities over 8,000 annually who return with global expertise shaping national priorities in teaching, research, and policy.
- Female academic leaders and philanthropists highlighted mentorship, research excellence, and leadership development as key drivers of the UAE’s evolving education landscape.
The British Council, in partnership with the British Embassy in the UAE, has launched a new initiative under its global Alumni UK programme to highlight and support women leaders in education. This initiative was officially launched at an inaugural event at Middlesex University Dubai attended by key UAE higher education institutions such as Khalifa University and Heriot-Watt University Dubai, representation from The Dawood Foundation, and members of the Alumni UK community. The event was the first of a series to celebrate the achievements of women in academia, build professional networks, and foster collaboration among the emerging and established leaders.
The launch emphasized how important a role graduates of UK universities have played in the UAE education ecosystem. Over 8,000 UAE students travel to the United Kingdom every year for higher education and return with global insight and professional expertise that shapes national priorities of teaching, research, policy, and institutional development. These alumni have been instrumental in advancing the UAE’s vision for educational excellence and innovation, reinforcing the enduring ties between the two nations.
Speaking at the event, Sarah Mooney, British Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, underlined the long-standing educational partnership between the UK and the UAE. She said that over the years, thousands of students from the UAE-mostly women-have benefited from British higher education and emerged later as leaders in government, academia, technology, health, diplomacy, culture, and business. Her address underscored the importance of how educational exchanges continue to mold sectors integral to the growth and global positioning of the UAE.
It also had as one of the central features a panel discussion with distinguished female leaders, namely Professor Fehmida Hussain of Middlesex University Dubai, Dr Habiba Al Safar of Khalifa University, Professor Hind Zantout of Heriot-Watt University Dubai, and philanthropist Sabrina Dawood of The Dawood Foundation.
Bringing together a wide array of themes that are molding the UAE's evolving education sector, ranging from international exposure and leadership development to the importance of visibility, mentorship, and cultures at institutions themselves that can support female success. Speakers shared personal reflections on navigating challenges in their respective careers and offered guidance to aspiring educators and researchers looking to contribute to the UAE's academic landscape.
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Dr Habiba Al Safar provided an overview of how research-driven practices have become an essential part of education transformation in the UAE. She also pointed out that scientific research was driving academic development, and much camaraderie could be established between the innovative works of research and the national agenda. She provided a perspective on the nation’s rapid strides in integrating research excellence with its wider education reforms and strategic goals.
Martin Daltry OBE, the British Council Country Director for the UAE, reflected on the success of the event, saying that this initiative truly captured the spirit of the British Council's mission: to create meaningful opportunities for connection, collaboration, and leadership. He said, "Women throughout the Emirates are securing the future of its education sector, with many of its leaders proudly being UK institutions' alumni".
The coming together of such voices in forums, he asserted, celebrates their successes while strengthens pathways for the next generation of leaders with confidence and global outlooks. This initiative is part of the broader Alumni UK program that connects graduates of UK universities globally to share knowledge, build networks, and scale up the global impact of UK education. The British Council will look to further expand such opportunities for alumni engagement in the UAE, strengthening longstanding bilateral ties in education and helping the country to grow its future leaders across the academic and professional spectrum.
