Dubai: New student visas, scholarships, jobs for 90% of pupils in new policies

New student visas, international scholarships and an ambitious plan to ensure that 90 per cent of its student population will secure suitable employment are parts of sweeping changes to be introduced to Dubai’s education system.

A set of major new policies and initiatives in Dubai will enhance higher education, improve career guidance, and elevate air quality, among other key areas. By 2033, the emirate wants international students to make up 50 per cent of its total university enrolments.

These were approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister during a meeting of the Executive Council. Part of the policy will also ensure that the emirate will achieve clean air standards on 90 percent of the days by 2030.

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“Youth are the architects of the future, shaping it with their awareness, optimism, and openness to the world,” Sheikh Hamdan said. “Dubai continues to empower young people with knowledge and skills, providing them with world-class academic, practical, and research opportunities. Our goal is to make Dubai a destination for outstanding students from around the world and an incubator for innovation.” 

Dubai is currently home to 37 international university branches and these strategies plans to almost double it to 70 in a bid to position itself as one of the world’s top 10 cities for students. A new academic and career guidance policy will also ensure that 90 percent of the general student population in the emirate will be able to find employment aligned with their respective field of study.

The council approved a Dubai International Mediation Centre project, which highlights the emirate’s role as a trusted mediator providing dispute resolutions services and the Air Quality Strategy 2030, which will help preserve Dubai’s environment and biodiversity. The newly approved Governance Policy for Government Construction Projects will further enhance government performance in partnership with the private sector.

Attracting top global universities

The project, led by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), aims to have international students make up half of all university enrolments in the emirate. With this, the higher education sector is expected to contribute approximately Dh5.6 billion to Dubai’s GDP.

The initiative aims to have over 70 higher education institutions by 2033, including 11 ranked within the top 200 globally. Currently, Dubai is home to 37 international universities, such as Curtin University Dubai and University of Wollongong in Dubai, both ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2026 top 200, as well as the University of Birmingham Dubai, ranked among the top 100 international universities, and the University of Manchester Dubai, which is ranked among the top 50. 

To achieve these goals, the project will usher in improvements to student visa systems, new international scholarships, work visas for graduates, strategies to attract prestigious universities, besides promoting impactful university clusters, regulatory frameworks to ensure quality, a Higher Education Investment Fund, and the Dubai Scientific Research Network.

Academic and career guidance policy

The new Academic and Career Guidance Policy will support students in making informed decisions about their futures, enhance career advice services in schools and facilitate students’ transition into the workforce. It sets ambitious targets, aiming for 90 percent of Emirati graduates to find employment within six months of graduation.

Led by the KHDA, this policy aims to assist students in enriching their academic and career paths while contributing to the objectives of the Education Strategy 2033. Additionally, it envisages that 80 percent of education providers will be able to offer effective career advice services, and that 70 percent of graduates will be able to gain entry into one of their top three university or career choices.

Other key initiatives approved during the meeting include new standards for career advice services, career guidance guidelines for schools and universities, parents and student engagement programmes, information platforms on universities and the job market, entrepreneurship programmes, life skills camps, and partnerships with accredited local and international universities and training institutes.

Air Quality Strategy 2030

Dubai’s Air Quality Strategy 2030 aims to achieve clean air standards on 90 percent of the days by 2030, thus helping enhance public health and environmental sustainability. The strategy provides for sector-specific targets and initiatives to reduce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations to 35 micrograms per cubic metre, while also addressing other key pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ground-level ozone. 

Led by the Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority, the strategy is to be implemented in partnership with relevant entities including Dubai Municipality, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the Supreme Council of Energy, Dubai Airports, the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, DP World, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Emirates Global Aluminium.

Dubai International Mediation Centre

The Dubai International Mediation Centre project, will strengthen Dubai’s legal infrastructure by offering cost-effective, efficient, and internationally recognised dispute resolution services.

The project will enhance investor confidence, attract foreign direct investment, and create new jobs in the domains of mediation and arbitration. Co-developed by the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department and ADR Centre, a leading mediation institution in Europe, the project will support Dubai’s rankings in global competitiveness indices, most notably the availability of alternative dispute resolution methods as measured by the Civil Justice Project. 

Governance policy for government construction projects

The Council also approved the Governance Policy for Government Construction Projects, led by the Dubai Department of Finance. This will standardise procedures, enhancing transparency and reliability in the approval and implementation of government construction projects.

It introduces a unified framework categorising projects into three tiers based on cost: below Dh200 million, between Dh200–500 million, and above Dh500 million.

This policy promises to significantly improve planning tied to the financial and economic impact of projects and directs fiscal resources towards priority goals, ensuring sustainable economic growth and agility. It also aligns with the goal of increasing government spending from Dh512 billion over the past decade to Dh700 billion in the next decade, as part of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. Additionally, the establishment of a five-year project portfolio will prioritise resources and ensure high-impact development.

Nasreen Abdulla

Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not …More