The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) participated in GITEX 2024, where Dr. Norita Ahmad, CITL Director, was invited to discuss the AUS AI Hub and the center’s innovative collaboration with Urbi, a leading UAE-based Geo-Intelligence and AI company. Dr. Ahmad joined esteemed technology leaders, including Urbi’s Simona Sutaviciute, Key Account Manager at Urbi Smart Cities, to explore the transformative potential of AI-driven educational tools and location-based intelligence in higher education.
The AI HUB at AUS, launched by CITL to advance the UAE National AI Agenda 2031, is pioneering the integration of educational technologies in education, providing faculty with hands-on experiences in AI-driven tools while supporting projects that incorporate AI into teaching and learning, fostering personalized educational experiences and promoting collaborative engagement among educators, students and researchers.
At GITEX, Dr. Ahmad emphasized how tools powered by AI, such as intelligent tutoring systems and geo-intelligence applications, are revolutionizing how students learn and interact with complex data. “Collaborations like this one with Urbi are essential in advancing innovation, creating an ecosystem that not only fosters cutting-edge research and location-based AI solutions, but also equips our students with the skills needed to make a global impact,” said Dr. Ahmad.
During the discussion, Dr. Ahmad noted that the company’s AI solutions are on par with those of global technology leaders like Google. The collaboration with a local entity like Urbi, she highlighted, serves as a powerful example to students, showcasing how UAE-based organizations can drive technological innovation on an international scale. She added that seeing a local company like Urbi reach such heights inspires students to aim higher and embrace a mindset of global competitiveness and innovation.
The importance of such forums in cultivating partnerships and showcasing the UAE’s leadership in digital transformation and CITL is honored to be a part of the GITEX event.
With this collaboration, CITL and Urbi aim to further enrich AUS’s educational offerings, ultimately empowering students to pursue innovation with real-world applications and global impact.
