At a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping economies, industries, and education systems, the UAE is accelerating its ambition to become a global AI hub. Against this backdrop, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Dubai Campus has unveiled NEXORA, a next-generation Artificial Intelligence lab designed to equip students with applied, real-world AI capabilities.

The launch comes as the UAE’s AI market is valued at over USD 3.47 billion and is projected to grow at nearly 44% annually through 2030, with AI expected to contribute up to 14% of the country’s GDP. At the same time, the country is advancing its talent agenda, with artificial intelligence being introduced into school curricula from the 2025–2026 academic year, alongside increasing employer demand for AI and data-driven skills. NEXORA has been developed as an integrated AI environment where students move from ideation to development and deployment within a single platform. Structured across dedicated zones for ideation, learning, development, and experience, the lab enables users to conceptualize solutions, build prototypes, test applications, and demonstrate outcomes in real-world scenarios.

Commenting on the launch, Dr. S. Sudhindra, Pro Vice Chancellor of MAHE Dubai, said: “The conversation around artificial intelligence has moved from awareness to application. The real differentiator today is not access to tools, but the ability to apply them in meaningful, domain-specific contexts. With NEXORA, we are creating an environment where students are not just exposed to AI concepts, but are expected to build, test, and deploy solutions that reflect real industry challenges. This is essential to developing talent that is relevant from day one.”
A key highlight of the launch was the demonstration of AI applications developed entirely by students, showcasing practical use cases across industries. These included interactive virtual avatars for visitor engagement, real-time facial recognition systems operating on edge devices to ensure data privacy, and intelligent retail inventory solutions designed to improve on-shelf availability and operational efficiency. Additional innovations such as sentiment analysis kiosks, voice-based biometric systems, and interactive learning platforms further demonstrated how AI can be applied across customer experience, retail, and enterprise environments.

The lab is supported by advanced infrastructure, including high-performance computing systems for large-scale model development, edge AI platforms for real-time intelligence, and cloud-integrated environments for scalable experimentation. Industry-standard frameworks and tools are embedded across the ecosystem, ensuring alignment with enterprise technology environments. Looking ahead, MAHE Dubai also plans to introduce a dedicated quantum computing terminal, enabling exploration of next-generation computing and the convergence of AI and quantum technologies.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Dr. Balamurugan Balusamy, Dean and Professor at the School of Engineering and IT, MAHE Dubai, added: “AI cannot be taught effectively in isolation from its application. What differentiates NEXORA is the focus on building systems. Students are working with real data, real constraints, and real use cases, which fundamentally changes how they understand and apply AI. This shift from theoretical learning to applied capability is what will define the next generation of technology professionals.” Designed as a cross-disciplinary initiative, NEXORA extends beyond engineering to include management, health sciences, media, and other academic domains, reflecting the growing role of AI as a foundational capability across sectors. The lab is also expected to drive research, industry collaboration, and skill development through faculty-led projects, partnerships, and specialised training programmes.
With the launch of NEXORA, MAHE Dubai strengthens its contribution to the UAE’s innovation ecosystem, supporting the development of talent equipped to navigate and shape an AI-driven future. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape how industries operate and compete, initiatives like NEXORA serve as critical platforms for developing the talent, research, and real-world capabilities needed to power the next phase of growth.

As the world observes Better Hearing Month this May, Starkey Middle East and Africa is reinforcing a message that is both urgent and deeply personal: hearing loss is one of the fastest-growing health challenges of our time, and early action is the single most important step anyone can take to protect it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1.5 billion people worldwide currently live with some degree of hearing loss, of whom over 430 million have disabling hearing loss requiring rehabilitation. By 2050, that number is projected to rise to 2.5 billion, with over 700 million experiencing disabling levels. Unaddressed hearing loss already costs the global economy nearly US$1 trillion annually in lost productivity, healthcare costs, and reduced quality of life Giscard Bechara, Director, Starkey Middle East and Africa, said,

Better Hearing month is a moment to pause and ask a simple question – when was the last time you had your hearing checked? Most of us monitor our eyes, our teeth, our blood pressure. But hearing, which is fundamental to how we connect with the people and the world around us, is consistently overlooked. At Starkey, we believe hearing care should be part of every adult’s routine health check, not something people only think about when the damage is already done.

The challenge is particularly acute in the Middle East and Africa, where approximately 30 million people are affected by hearing loss and the prevalence stands at around 7.2% of the population. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 40 million people live with hearing loss, and that figure is projected to reach 97 million by 2050. The WHO estimates that hearing aid provision in low- and middle-income countries covers just 3% of actual need.

The hidden cost of untreated hearing loss. The consequences of untreated hearing loss extend far beyond difficulty following conversations. A landmark 2024 update of The Lancet Commission on Dementia identified hearing loss as the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia from mid-life, reinforcing a growing body of evidence linking untreated hearing loss to accelerated cognitive decline. A 2026 study published in Cell Stem Cell further established a causal relationship between hearing loss and cognitive decline, demonstrating through controlled laboratory research that auditory deprivation directly affects neurological function.

A generation at risk
The WHO estimates that over 1.1 billion young people aged 12 to 35 are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices, including prolonged use of earphones and headphones at high volumes and attendance at loud entertainment venues. Research published in BMJ Global Health found that approximately 24% of young people using personal listening devices and 48% attending loud venues regularly exceed safe sound exposure levels.

In 2025, the WHO and ITU (International Telecommunication Union) jointly released a new global standard for safe listening in video gameplay and esports, reflecting rising concern that gaming environments represent an additional, underappreciated source of hearing damage, particularly among younger demographics.

“In our region, we have a young, connected population that spends hours every day with earphones in, often at volumes that would surprise them if measured. Add to that the ambient noise of our rapidly growing cities, loud social gatherings, and a cultural tendency to see hearing loss as something that only affects older people, and you have the conditions for a public health challenge that is building quietly but relentlessly,” said Giscard.

How modern technology is changing the hearing care conversation
For those already living with hearing loss, Starkey’s latest innovation, Omega AI, launched in October 2025 and now available across the Middle East and Africa, represents a significant leap forward. The platform’s DNN 360 Directionality system, the world’s first deep neural network-powered directional hearing system, continuously analyses the wearer’s sound environment and adapts in real time, delivering up to 28% improved speech intelligibility and up to an 8 dB improvement in signal-to-noise ratio compared to previous Starkey technology.

Omega AI also introduces industry-first health and wellness features through the My Starkey companion app, including automatic respiratory rate monitoring, guided balance exercises, fall detection with caregiver alerts, and TeleHear AI, a generative AI-powered tool that helps users troubleshoot hearing issues in real time with 93% predictive accuracy.

“This month, we encourage everyone in our region to take one meaningful step toward better hearing. Book a hearing evaluation. Talk to your children about safe listening. Ask your employer about noise exposure in the workplace. These are small actions that can have a profound impact on long-term health, relationships, and quality of life,” concluded Giscard.

At a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping economies, industries, and education systems, the UAE is accelerating its ambition to become a global AI hub. Against this backdrop, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Dubai Campus has unveiled NEXORA, a next-generation artificial intelligence lab designed to equip students with applied, real-world AI capabilities.

The launch comes as the UAE’s AI market is valued at over USD 3.47 billion and is projected to grow at nearly 44% annually through 2030, with AI expected to contribute up to 14% of the country’s GDP. At the same time, the country is advancing its talent agenda, with artificial intelligence being introduced into school curricula from the 2025–2026 academic year, alongside increasing employer demand for AI and data-driven skills.

NEXORA has been developed as an integrated AI environment where students move from ideation to development and deployment within a single platform. Structured across dedicated zones for ideation, learning, development, and experience, the lab enables users to conceptualise solutions, build prototypes, test applications, and demonstrate outcomes in real-world scenarios.

Commenting on the launch, Dr. S. Sudhindra, Pro Vice Chancellor of MAHE Dubai, said: “The conversation around artificial intelligence has moved from awareness to application. The real differentiator today is not access to tools, but the ability to apply them in meaningful, domain-specific contexts. With NEXORA, we are creating an environment where students are not just exposed to AI concepts, but are expected to build, test, and deploy solutions that reflect real industry challenges. This is essential to developing talent that is relevant from day one.”

A key highlight of the launch was the demonstration of AI applications developed entirely by students, showcasing practical use cases across industries. These included interactive virtual avatars for visitor engagement, real-time facial recognition systems operating on edge devices to ensure data privacy, and intelligent retail inventory solutions designed to improve on-shelf availability and operational efficiency. Additional innovations such as sentiment analysis kiosks, voice-based biometric systems, and interactive learning platforms further demonstrated how AI can be applied across customer experience, retail, and enterprise environments.

The lab is supported by advanced infrastructure, including high-performance computing systems for large-scale model development, edge AI platforms for real-time intelligence, and cloud-integrated environments for scalable experimentation. Industry-standard frameworks and tools are embedded across the ecosystem, ensuring alignment with enterprise technology environments. Looking ahead, MAHE Dubai also plans to introduce a dedicated quantum computing terminal, enabling exploration of next-generation computing and the convergence of AI and quantum technologies.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Dr. Balamurugan Balusamy, Dean and Professor at the School of Engineering and IT, MAHE Dubai, added: “AI cannot be taught effectively in isolation from its application. What differentiates NEXORA is the focus on building systems. Students are working with real data, real constraints, and real use cases, which fundamentally changes how they understand and apply AI. This shift from theoretical learning to applied capability is what will define the next generation of technology professionals.”

Designed as a cross-disciplinary initiative, NEXORA extends beyond engineering to include management, health sciences, media, and other academic domains, reflecting the growing role of AI as a foundational capability across sectors. The lab is also expected to drive research, industry collaboration, and skill development through faculty-led projects, partnerships, and specialised training programmes.

With the launch of NEXORA, MAHE Dubai strengthens its contribution to the UAE’s innovation ecosystem, supporting the development of talent equipped to navigate and shape an AI-driven future. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape how industries operate and compete, initiatives like NEXORA serve as critical platforms for developing the talent, research, and real-world capabilities needed to power the next phase of growth.