His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, congratulated the inaugural cohort of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Scholarship Programme. He highlighted that the programme reflects His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's vision to invest in people for sustainable development, in line with the Dubai Social Agenda 33.
Sheikh Hamdan commended the Emirati students selected under the scholarship programme for the 2024-25 academic year during an orientation session held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Dubai. “Today marks the beginning of a new journey for a group of exceptional students who will pursue their higher education at world-renowned universities through the Hamdan bin Mohammed Scholarship Programme, guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Driven by the ambition and dedication of our students, Dubai continues to shape its future by nurturing and investing in exceptional talent,” His Highness said.
The event was also graced by His Excellency Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director General of the Dubai Ruler’s Court; His Excellency Abdullah Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai; His Excellency Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director General of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department; and Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
The event also celebrated 40 top high school graduates from public and private schools through the Top Achievers programme. Additionally, it honored the 2024 graduating class of the Ruler’s Court Higher Education Scholarship, which recognizes exceptional Emirati high school graduates across diverse academic fields.
Sheikh Hamdan said, “We congratulate all our top-performing high school graduates from both public and private schools, as well as their parents. I have full confidence in their ability to continue their journey of excellence and achievement, contributing to a bright future for themselves and their country”. Addressing the students, His Highness added, “I encourage you to keep pursuing knowledge and lifelong learning to build your capacities and achieve accomplishments that will benefit both our community and the world”.
In its inaugural year, the scholarship programme received 321 applications. The steering committee selected the first cohort of scholars through a thorough evaluation process, assessing their academic performance, the global rankings of their chosen universities, and the alignment of their academic disciplines with Dubai’s future goals and economic priorities.
The chosen students will attend 30 universities both in the UAE and internationally, pursuing 35 academic disciplines such as engineering, information technology, business administration, health sciences, and the arts. The steering committee is responsible for guiding the programme’s vision, objectives, and strategic plan. It also approves a unified scholarship policy for the emirate, sets the programme’s budget and financial plan, and establishes subcommittees with specific mandates and operational procedures.
HE Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, the Vice Chairman of the steering committee, said, “The launch of this programme marks a significant step in shaping the future of Emirati youth and strengthening the capabilities that will drive Dubai’s growth and development. We are committed to supporting the students, developing their leadership skills, and ensuring Emirati graduates are equipped to excel across all sectors”.
Two partnerships were announced at the event: one between the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Scholarship Programme and the Ministry of Education to offer financial and academic support for students studying abroad, and another with IDP to assist with university admissions for international studies. Part of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 and endowed with AED 1.1 billion, the programme will annually award 100 scholarships to Emirati students accepted into top global universities.
