The UAE has announced the launch of the "UAE Higher Education Award" to recognize universities, faculty members, researchers, and influential partners in the fields of higher education and scientific research. This national award is designed to foster innovation, enhance educational quality, and align academic research with the country's development priorities.

The award was launched under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chairman of the Education, Human Development and Community Council, and is organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed emphasized that investing in human capital is the cornerstone of the UAE's future vision, noting that higher education is a primary driver for building a competitive, sustainable, and knowledge-based economy. He stated that the award aims to highlight leading models that transform ideas into practical impact, theoretical education into applied projects, and scientific research into solutions that support national priorities.

The award features four main categories: Leading Higher Education and Vocational Institutions, Transformative Higher Education Projects, Higher Education Pioneers, and Influential Higher Education Partners. These categories cover areas such as academic excellence, future readiness, innovation, global competitiveness, entrepreneurship, academic collaboration, and partnerships with the economic and industrial sectors.

According to the announced evaluation framework, entries and nominees will be assessed based on institutional results, quality of learning, employment outcomes, the economic and social impact of projects, sustainability, scalability, and the utilization of emerging technologies.

In addition to official recognition, winners will receive competitive financial prizes. The first cycle of the award will accept applications from educational institutions from July to September 2026, with winners to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2026 following the evaluation phase.