UAE's First-Of-Its-Kind AI Tool To Save 75% Of Faculty Members' Time In Higher Education

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has announced the launch of the region's first AI-powered academic agent, a pioneering tool designed to save up to 75 per cent of faculty members' time while enhancing students' academic achievement by 40 per cent, marking a significant step in reshaping the future of higher education, said Dr Mansoor Al Awar, HBMSU Chancellor.

The initiative, titled 'Artificial Intelligence Agent for Every Faculty', is the first of its kind in the UAE and the wider region. It integrates advanced AI capabilities into higher education in line with the UAE National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 and Education Strategy 2033.

“The role of the faculty in smart learning is not teaching. They are supposed to facilitate, enable, mentor, and coach. For the faculty member to do that, he needs a space,” said Al Awar to Khaleej Times during a media briefing at HBMSU on Thursday.

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• Content Creation: It transforms syllabi into detailed weekly plans with activities in less than 10 minutes. It also generates instructional videos from scripts. Reduces the time faculty spend on course planning and material development.

• Assessment: It creates various types of assessments, including projects, exams, and multiple-choice questions. Automatically generates assessment rubrics. And handles exam moderation, eliminating the need for traditional moderation committees.

• Learning Analytics: It instantly assesses student submissions (exams, projects); provides immediate, personalized feedback highlighting knowledge gaps. It also generates comprehensive reports for faculty on cohort-level weaknesses, enabling real-time curriculum adjustments.

Through this system, HBMSU has reduced content development time by 85 per cent, eased the burden on faculty by 95 per cent, and enhanced student mastery by 40 per cent. It also drives research and development at the University, improves academic performance across the board, and reduces the costs of designing and producing courses and programs.

For learners, the AI agent acts as a personalized guide by helping them conduct research, develop projects, and access tailored learning materials suited to their academic progress. This creates a more engaging and adaptive learning experience, improving educational achievement by up to 40%.

Al Awar emphasized that the AI tool is not intended to replace professors but to empower them. By offloading routine academic and administrative tasks, the technology enables faculty to focus on critical thinking, innovation, and mentorship.

In line with the vision of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and President of HBMSU, and under the guidance of Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and the Board members, the initiative aims to consolidate Dubai's leadership as a global hub for AI-powered higher education.

"This initiative represents a game changer in learning and education, creating a paradigm shift in academic institutions by transforming academic tasks. The system turns these tasks into smart, speedy processes and enhances the faculty's and learners' experiences. All these advantages are gained by a new ecosystem that benefits from the latest agentic AI technology," Al Awar said.

The platform was developed entirely in Dubai by the HBMSU team, led by Maitha Al Tunaiji, Vice Chancellor of HBMSU for Artificial Intelligence and Technology, and built to international standards. It incorporates ethical principles for AI use, including privacy protection, bias reduction, transparency, and compliance with accessibility standards.

HBMSU provides mandatory training for faculty on innovative learning, along with specific training on the AI agent. Training of teaching staff will begin next week.

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