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Mid East Info
11 hours ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
UAE Accelerates Digital Transformation with 344% Growth in GenAI Enrollments and Leading AI Maturity Ranking: Coursera
87% of UAE employers prioritize AI, big data, and tech literacy; Professional Certificate enrollments grow 41% Dubai, UAE –June 2025: Coursera, a leading online learning platform, has announced a remarkable 344% year-over-year increase in Generative AI (GenAI) enrollments in the UAE, significantly outpacing the MENA regional average of 128% and the global average of 195%, according to the platform's annual Global Skills Report. Now in its seventh year, the report also reveals that 87% of UAE employers prioritize technology literacy, AI, and big data, signaling a robust rise in demand for future-ready talent equipped with emerging tech capabilities. The Global Skills Report 2025 further confirms the UAE's strong progress in building a digitally skilled workforce. The country continues to lead the region in digital upskilling, with 13% of its labor force actively learning on Coursera. Professional Certificate enrollments also rose by 41%, including a 14% increase in cybersecurity, reflecting growing demand for job-relevant credentials. Drawing on data from Coursera's global community of over 170 million learners, the report identifies where skill proficiencies are rising, where gaps remain, and what drives learner behavior across more than 100 countries. The UAE's strong performance and sharp rise in GenAI enrollments highlights its strategic push toward building a knowledge-based economy powered by skilled Emirati talent, aligned with the 'We the UAE 2031' vision. New to this year's report is the AI Maturity Index, which assesses countries' readiness for AI by combining Coursera learner data with external metrics from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The UAE ranks first in the Arab world and 32nd globally out of 109 countries, showcasing a solid foundation in AI innovation, research, and the real-world application of AI skills. The UAE's strong AI Maturity ranking and accelerated GenAI adoption across sectors underscore its ambition to become a global AI hub. Initiatives such as the planned 5GW AI Campus and the integration of AI as a mandatory subject in public schools support this ambition and align with the UAE National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, which aims to position the country as a global AI leader by 2031. These efforts are central to the UAE's broader goal of increasing the digital economy's contribution to over 20% of non-oil GDP by 2031, a target that reflects the country's long-term vision for digital and economic leadership. Kais Zribi, Coursera's General Manager for the Middle East and Africa, said: 'The UAE is rapidly scaling AI learning and infrastructure to drive workforce transformation and regional innovation. Its strong performance on Coursera's AI Maturity Index, combined with high rankings in overall skills proficiency, demonstrates the country's growing ability to close skill gaps, nurture future talent, and lead in AI readiness. As digital transformation reshapes industries, the UAE is setting a powerful example of how nations can leverage education to build a competitive, inclusive digital economy that prepares its workforce for the future.' The UAE ranks 38th globally in overall skills proficiency across business, technology, and data science, placing first in the Arab world. The country scores especially high in business skills (85%), with strong proficiency in technology (52%) and data science (59%). Among the 10.8 million Coursera learners in MENA, 1.3 million are based in the UAE, with a median age of 36. Notably, learners in the UAE are increasingly embracing mobile learning, with 41% accessing content via mobile devices. While these indicators show meaningful progress, challenges remain. 72% of UAE employers continue to cite skills gaps as a major barrier, above the global average. Closing these gaps will require increasing women's participation in emerging technology fields, which is essential not only for achieving gender equity but also for driving long-term economic transformation. Currently, women make up 32% of Coursera learners in the UAE, with 24% enrolled in STEM courses and 21% in GenAI, highlighting untapped potential to advance gender equity in the tech sector. About Coursera: Coursera was launched in 2012 by Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, with a mission to provide universal access to world-class learning. It is now one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, with 175 million registered learners as of March 31, 2025. Coursera partners with over 350 leading universities and industry leaders to offer a broad catalog of content and credentials, including courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates, and degrees. Coursera's platform innovations enable instructors to deliver scalable, personalized, and verified learning experiences to their learners. Institutions worldwide rely on Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens, and students in high-demand fields such as GenAI, data science, technology, and business. Coursera is a Delaware public benefit corporation and a B Corp.
TECHx
a day ago
- Business
- TECHx
Coursera UAE Reports 344% Surge in GenAI Enrollments
Home » Smart Sectors » Education » Coursera UAE Reports 344% Surge in GenAI Enrollments Coursera UAE, a leading online learning platform, has announced a 344% year-over-year increase in Generative AI (GenAI) enrollments in the UAE. This growth far exceeds the MENA regional average of 128% and the global average of 195%. The data comes from Coursera's latest Global Skills Report, now in its seventh year. The report revealed that 87% of employers in the UAE prioritize technology literacy, AI, and big data. This highlights a rising demand for future-ready talent with emerging tech capabilities. Coursera also reported that 13% of the UAE's labor force is actively learning on the platform. Professional Certificate enrollments rose by 41%. Cybersecurity courses saw a 14% increase, signaling demand for job-relevant credentials. Drawing from over 170 million learners worldwide, the report identified skill proficiencies, gaps, and learning trends across more than 100 countries. The UAE's rapid rise in GenAI enrollments reflects a national drive toward a knowledge-based economy. This effort aligns with the 'We the UAE 2031' vision. This year's report introduced the AI Maturity Index. It assesses a country's readiness for AI using Coursera data and external sources like the IMF and OECD. The UAE ranked first in the Arab world and 32nd globally out of 109 countries. This ranking highlights the country's strong foundation in AI innovation, research, and real-world application of AI skills. Coursera noted several government-led initiatives that support this growth: A planned 5GW AI Campus Mandatory AI curriculum in public schools These efforts support the UAE's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031. The goal is to increase the digital economy's contribution to over 20% of non-oil GDP by 2031. Kais Zribi, Coursera's General Manager for the Middle East and Africa, said the UAE is scaling AI learning and infrastructure to drive transformation and innovation. He added that the UAE's high AI Maturity Index ranking and skill proficiency show its readiness to close gaps and lead in digital growth. The UAE currently ranks 38th globally in overall skills proficiency. It leads the Arab world in this metric, with 85% in business, 52% in technology, and 59% in data science. There are 1.3 million Coursera learners in the UAE, out of 10.8 million across MENA. The median age of learners is 36. Additionally, 41% access Coursera through mobile devices. Despite the progress, 72% of UAE employers still cite skills gaps as a major challenge above the global average. Increasing women's participation in tech is seen as key to bridging this gap. Women make up 32% of Coursera learners in the UAE. Of these, 24% are enrolled in STEM and 21% in GenAI. Coursera emphasized that boosting gender equity in tech is vital for long-term economic transformation.
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
PH enrollment in generative AI courses faster vs. global average
AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Enrollment of Filipinos in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) courses on online learning platform Coursera grew by 383% in the past year to outpace the average growth in Asia Pacific and across the globe, results of its latest Global Skills Report showed. According to the report released by the New York-listed education provider, GenAI enrollment in the Philippines outpaced the Asia Pacific average of 132%, and the global average of 195%, reflecting the country's adoption of emerging technologies. "Aligning with national goals to train 1 million AI-skilled workers by 2028, these trends are critical for enhancing competitiveness, as 86% of Filipino knowledge workers already use AI at work—well above global and regional averages," the report read. Jumps were also seen in enrollment in courses involving cybersecurity which climbed 53%, professional certificates up 23%, and critical thinking up 10%. The Philippines was ranked 60th out of 80 countries in Coursera's AI maturity Index, the platform's comparative analysis of global AI readiness which takes into account AI learning, research, and innovation. "The Philippines is laying the foundation for a digitally confident workforce. AI is a clear priority for employers and learners are stepping up by acquiring GenAI skills and industry micro-credentials to stay ahead," Coursera Asia Pacific head Eklavya Bhave said in a separate statement. "From AI strategies to forward-thinking education policies, we're seeing a strong national commitment to equipping Filipinos with the right mix of technical, business, and human skills," he added. The latest report ranked the Philippines 18th in Asia Pacific, and 88th out of 109 countries across the globe in terms of overall skills proficiency, with 2.7 million Coursera learners. The Global Skills Report took into account data from 170 million Coursera learners from March 2024 to February 2025. The ranking is based on learner proficiency across 274 skills in business, technology, and data science. "With 67% of employers highlighting skill gaps and 68% of employees requiring reskilling by 2030, formal credentials and targeted upskilling programs have become essential," the report read. "Employers plan to redeploy nearly three in 10 workers into new roles following reskilling efforts," it added. Top learners skills in the country are software development life cycle, digital content, IT infrastructure, campaign management, application lifecycle management, content marketing, process analysis, system software, social media strategy, and Google Workplace. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE employees most skilled in Arab world, report says
Employees in the UAE are the most skilled in the Arab world especially in the new-age technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. According to Global Skills Report 2025 released by Coursera on Wednesday, Gen AI enrollments surged 344 per cent in the UAE and 165 per cent in Saudi Arabia year-on-year, with learner behaviour aligning with significant region-wide investments in AI and other digital technologies. Ranked 38th globally, the UAE has been placed second in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, followed by Qatar (40th), Bahrain (51st), Saudi Arabia (54th), Kuwait (69th), Morocco (71st), Tunisia (73rd), Oman (75th) and Jordan (83rd). Notably, the UAE is even ranked higher on the AI Maturity Index, placed at 32nd place. 'The UAE is positioning itself for a technology-driven future, with 87 per cent of employers emphasising technological literacy, AI, and big data as their top priorities. Notably, 13 per cent of UAE's labour force actively trains on Coursera — the highest in the region among spotlight countries — showing widespread enthusiasm for digital upskilling,' it said. The nation aims to be a knowledge-based economy driven by skilled talent, attracting more professionals than blue-collar workers. As reported by Khaleej Times, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, said the UAE will become a leading global hub for the new economy in the next years on the back of legislative developments and economic policies adopted by the country over the past few years. 'We now have an ambitious vision, which is to build a national economy based on knowledge and innovation by the next decade, to become a strong driver in achieving comprehensive development for the UAE, and to contribute in achieving the sustainable development goals,' he said during the Sharjah Investment Forum last year. Mohamed Al Shorafa, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, also said at a forum in February 2025 that the focus is on knowledge-based sectors that employ white-collar professionals, and reduce the blue-collar workforce. Coursera reported that professional certificate enrollments in the UAE grew 41 per cent, outpacing regional averages. While 72 per cent of organisations cite skill gaps as a major barrier — above the global average, the UAE's workforce development programmes like Nafis are exceeding private-sector employment targets, it added. In the UAE, enrollments for AI and machine learning, cybersecurity and customer service increased while top learner skills were corporate accounting, predictive analytics, emerging technologies, leadership development and competitive intelligence.
