The UAE has put forward five key priorities aimed at strengthening education cooperation among BRICS nations, spanning early childhood education, future skills, innovation and emerging technologies, qualifications recognition and academic leadership development.
The proposals were presented during the UAE's participation in the 13th BRICS Education Ministers' Meeting in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. The UAE delegation was led by Dr Ahmed Sultan Al Shoaibi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Al Shoaibi described education as one of the UAE's most strategic investments, pointing to the country's ongoing efforts to build a flexible, innovation-driven system that prepares students for shifting economic and technological demands and strengthens their readiness for the future job market.
The delegation also showcased the UAE's progress in skills-based education, highlighting the Emirates Skills platform and the QFEmirates National Qualifications Framework. Officials noted that government service simplification efforts have already eliminated more than 400 procedures and over 180 supporting documents, part of a broader push to make education and training systems more efficient.
Beyond its own achievements, the UAE urged fellow BRICS members to deepen collaboration in several areas, including qualifications recognition and greater mobility for students, academics and researchers. The delegation also called for joint work on academic leadership development as well as research and innovation initiatives across member states.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of the BRICS Education Ministers' Declaration, a document that reinforces collective commitments to skills development, academic mobility and the responsible integration of emerging technologies in education.
The UAE's proposals reflect its broader ambition to position education as a driver of economic competitiveness, aligning learning outcomes closely with labour market needs while strengthening its role within the BRICS bloc's expanding education agenda.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
