MBZUAI Ph.D. candidate Muhammad Maaz has been awarded the 2025 Google Ph.D. Fellowship in Machine Perception. Maaz is the first student from MBZUAI and the first from the Gulf region to receive this recognition, which includes funding, mentorship, and $50,000. He has published extensively in top-tier CV/NLP venues and has over 4,500 citations. Why it matters: This award highlights the growing prominence of MBZUAI and the increasing quality of AI research in the Gulf region on the global stage.
Google is funding several KAUST research projects with seed grants totaling $100,000. The projects focus on advancing multilingual, multimodal machine learning, particularly in generative and large language models (LLMs). KAUST faculty will conduct research in areas such as health, cross-cultural language understanding, sustainability, privacy, and education. Why it matters: This collaboration signifies growing investment in AI research within Saudi Arabia, fostering innovation and talent development at a leading institution like KAUST.
KAUST is accepting applications for its Global Fellowship Program, which supports early-career scientists and engineers with resources to conduct research at KAUST for three years. The program provides a $75,000 annual stipend, up to $40,000 per year in research funds, free housing, and access to KAUST's research infrastructure. The fellowship aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and KAUST's research priorities. Why it matters: The program signifies KAUST's ongoing efforts to attract global talent and advance research and development in line with the Kingdom's strategic goals.
MBZUAI has launched the Ruwwad AI Scholars (RAIS) program, a postdoctoral fellowship for Emirati Ph.D. graduates to undertake two-year, fully-funded research positions at leading global institutions. The program aims to cultivate local talent in AI and computational research, with the goal of strengthening participants' eligibility for faculty positions at MBZUAI. The fellowship covers a stipend, research funds, insurance, relocation support, and conference travel.
KAUST has announced the call for applications for the Al-Khwarizmi doctoral fellowships. The fellowships offer stipends, free tuition, and supplementary grants for Ph.D. studies at KAUST. The fellowships are open to nationals or residents of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe holding an MSc degree. Why it matters: This program aims to attract top international talent to KAUST, fostering research and development in science and technology within Saudi Arabia.
MBZUAI has received a Google Academic Research Award to study how AI can better understand and respond to human loneliness in digital spaces. The project will examine how loneliness is expressed online, how conversational agents can detect it, and what healthier AI companionship could look like. The research aims to define digital loneliness and address the potential negative impacts of AI chatbots on users.
KAUST Ph.D. student Anna Fruehstueck won a 2020 Facebook Fellowship award, a two-year fellowship from Facebook Research, focusing on computer graphics. She was selected as one of 36 recipients from over 1,800 applicants and is the University's first recipient of the scholarship. Her research explores the intersection of computer graphics, geometry processing, and visual arts using machine learning. Why it matters: This award highlights the growing prominence of KAUST in computer science research and its ability to attract and foster top talent in the field.
SABIC recognized 15 KAUST postdoctoral fellows for research excellence at the fourth SABIC Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards. The awards highlight SABIC’s commitment to KAUST’s research efforts in areas like nanomaterials, polymer synthesis, catalysis, and computational modeling. SABIC plans increased collaboration with KAUST to develop technologies that drive competitiveness and yield societal benefits. Why it matters: The ongoing SABIC-KAUST partnership exemplifies industry-academia collaboration in Saudi Arabia, fostering innovation in materials science and related fields critical to the Kingdom's development.