Welcome message from our Co-Host, Khalifa University
Dear Distinguished Guests,
It is a privilege to welcome you to the QS China Summit 2026. We are honored to join you here at a time when both the United Arab Emirates and China are investing in knowledge, technology and talent as central drivers of national development.
Khalifa University was established through the unification of three leading institutions that shaped engineering, energy and advanced science education in our country. This foundation has allowed us to grow into a national center for research and innovation, and it continues to guide our contribution to the next phase of development in the UAE. Our work supports national strategies in artificial intelligence, clean energy, space technology and sustainable industry, reflecting a strong commitment to building an economy driven by scientific capability and world class talent.
The UAE and China are pursuing distinct national goals, yet they converge in areas that are reshaping global industry, particularly in innovation and advanced technology. These shared interests create a strong foundation for academic and research cooperation between our countries.
Khalifa University contributes to this national direction through work in autonomous systems, hydrogen, robotics, applied artificial intelligence and advanced materials. These fields support the strategic priorities of the UAE, and they remain important areas of engagement with our partners across China.
Shenzhen provides an ideal setting for this conversation. It represents the impact that coordinated innovation policy can achieve. As co-host, Khalifa University values this opportunity to take part in these discussions and to contribute to a summit that brings together many of the region’s most influential academic and innovation leaders.
We look forward to engaging with colleagues throughout this summit and to building relationships that strengthen our shared scientific and economic futures. Let us remain committed to cooperation that supports knowledge driven economies and the growth of high value sectors in both our countries.
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His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri
President
Khalifa University of Science and Technology
About Khalifa University
Khalifa University is the United Arab Emirates’ leading research university, ranked 177th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and top in the country for eight consecutive years. Established in 2017, the University remains a catalyst for economic development and a center for advanced engineering, science, and innovation.
The University offers programs across engineering, computing, life sciences, and the natural sciences, supported by faculty who are regularly recognized among the world’s most influential researchers and who contribute to major global scientific and technological fields. Its innovation-focused curriculum combines rigorous academic foundations with interdisciplinary research, hands-on projects, and industry partnerships, attracting high-achieving students from more than 70 nationalities.
Graduates of Khalifa University progress into roles that shape emerging industries, with many contributing to national and international organizations, or advancing innovative technologies created within the University’s research ecosystem. A number of alumni have also gone on to establish their own ventures, reflecting the institution’s emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent development.
Khalifa University hosts 14 multidisciplinary research centers and more than 200 laboratories that address strategic areas such as autonomous systems, hydrogen, clean energy, robotics, genetics and biotechnology, food security, applied artificial intelligence and advanced materials. Its research output is among the most influential in the region, with more than half of its publications appearing in the top tier of international scientific journals, supported by a growing portfolio of over 800 issued patents as well as deep-tech startups.
Khalifa University remains committed to empowering students as globally aware contributors to science, industry, and society, and to advancing research that supports long-term national priorities.