Around 30 Heads of Student Success Centres, Support Centres and those whose work involves student wellbeing came together in February for a forum hosted by Studiosity - to learn from one another and share experiences on increasing students' wellbeing and success in the UAE.
I wanted to share my summary of the afternoon as I found it incredibly informative and impressive hearing about some of the important work these people are doing within their universities. Before we heard from special guest speakers Prof Nadir Kheir from Ajman University and Dr Anjli Narwani from University of Wollongong in Dubai, I started the event by sharing some of the key insights from our upcoming 'Middle East Student Wellbeing Survey' report, due for release shortly. These insights were useful to provide the context for the forum, and to initiate conversations among the participants. A number of people in attendance mentioned that such surveys and research studies were too few in the sector, and perhaps student wellbeing is not examined closely enough in the region.
Key findings: Student Wellbeing Report
Out of the UAE students surveyed (n=554), 60% were male and 40% were female. Most of the students were working in some capacity with only 17% not in any paid employment, and 62% of them were aged between 18 and 25 years old.
Student wellbeing and study stress - YoY comparison
Students are less frequently stressed (with 8% stressed constantly compared to 11% last year). Overall the number of students feeling study-related stress weekly or more has reduced slightly year on year.
|
Stress frequency |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Constantly (more than twice a day) |
9% |
11% |
8% |
|
Daily |
21% |
23% |
21% |
|
Weekly |
27% |
22% |
24% |
|
Monthly |
11% |
9% |
10% |
|
A few times per term/semester |
22% |
24% |
28% |
|
A few times per year |
4% |
4% |
4% |
|
Less often |
2% |
3% |
2% |
|
Never |
4% |
4% |
3% |
|
Net: weekly or more |
57% |
56% |
53%▼ |
Among the main causes for study-related stress, students cited "Fear of failing" (40% selected in their top 3 reasons), and "Not having enough time to balance other commitments" (34% selected in their top 3), with "paying for my degree" not far behind at 29%.
Student wellbeing and employability
Nearly two thirds of students are confident in future employment prospects. 75% of students agreed or strongly agreed that their degree is developing the skills they need to succeed in future workplaces. And 65% believe they will be able to get a job related to their degree within 6 months of graduation, which shows an overall optimism around employment prospects for UAE university students.
Student wellbeing and peer connection
Most UAE students had a peer mentor, especially those with English as a first language. For those students for whom English is not their first language, they were significantly less likely to have a mentor available.
|
Did you have a student mentor? |
All |
International students |
Domestic students |
English as first language |
Other language as first language |
|
Yes |
76% |
79% |
73% |
86% |
64% |
|
No |
24% |
21% |
27% |
14% |
36% |
Student wellbeing and sense of belonging
UAE students experienced a significantly strong sense of belonging (81% ‘somewhat’ or ‘very much’, in keeping with the last two years which were both 83%), much higher compared to other countries.
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Student wellbeing and generative AI
A large majority of students (94%) have used AI tools to help them with assignments or study tasks, with 38% reporting ‘regular’ frequency, 44% using AI tools ‘a few times’ and 12% only ‘once or twice’. Female students are more likely to ‘never’ have used AI tools for study, with 8% reporting ‘Never’ compared to 3% of male students. Interestingly, the older age group of 26-33 year olds report more frequent use of AI tools compared to the younger group (18-25 year olds), with 47% stating ‘regular’ use compared to 32% of the younger group. Yet overall the younger group has a lower level of ‘never’ having used AI tools for study.
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Q. Have you used any AI tools to help with your assignments or study tasks?
The UAE still has the highest expectations of AI support in the world, despite a slight decline from 2024. This is perhaps reflective of the huge mass of AI tools available on the market now, of which students know not all are appropriate for use in education.
Q4. Do you expect your university to give you access to generative AI tools to support your studies? % ‘Yes’
When it comes to stress related to using AI, the higher a student performs academically, the less likely they are to say they experience stress about using the technology. For instance, for ‘Non pass / Below 50%’ students, 91% of students reported feeling some level of stress related to using AI in their studies. For ‘High Distinction / 85%+ students’, this falls to 62% feeling any AI-related stress - while noting that this is still a high proportion in that population.
Students who are struggling academically may feel less sure that they are using AI tools for their own learning gain, while higher-performing students report more confidence in this regard. Nearly a third of students (28%) think their university could be moving faster to adapt to include AI support tools.
UAE students largely said gaining ‘AI skills’ was their main reason (25%) for using AI tools, followed by ‘confidence’ and ‘speed’ of feedback.
Case studies in Student Success
After I outlined the highlights from the wellbeing report, I handed the floor to Dr Nadir from Ajman University. He shared the fascinating story of their 'Student Success Centre' (SSC) which only launched in 2019 and has seen many achievements already. One of the key examples that resonated well with the audience was the inclusion of Ajman University students as an integral part of SSC, working in partnership with students and creating official roles and assigning responsibilities to the student body who now help SSC shape its strategy and vision.
"Focusing on both academic and personal growth leads to more balanced and successful students...academic success and student wellbeing are interconnected."
Dr Nadir Kheir, Director, Student Success Centre at Ajman University, addressing the forum
After that, Dr. Anjli from UOW Dubai provided another perspective. She emphasised the importance of a holistic approach to student support for every student - acknowledging that UOW Dubai inclusivity services stand at the core of the success of their Academic Success Centre.
"...some students use support tools just for the sake of it. Others want to learn from it. It's our job as institutions to help equip students - and future industry leaders - with transferable skills".
Dr. Anjli Narwani, Manager, Academic Success Centre at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, addressing the forum
An interesting discussion emerged then, about who the key stakeholders are, when it comes to inclusivity. Dr. Karla Fraser from the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) posed a question to the room about whether parents were actually one of the stakeholders - which got a unanimous yes. Some participants acknowledged that this could be an issue specific to the region, with many students in the UAE still living with their parents - who are often paying for the education and therefore become a larger part of the educational journey than parents in some other parts of the world.
Overall, it was a positive event, with many participants exchanging contacts and discussing collaboration opportunities. Bringing the sector together to discuss these important issues is how we strive to contribute to higher education's progress toward a more inclusive and equitable future.
We look forward to more conversations around student wellbeing this year.
