UAE firms partner with universities to boost tech, blockchain talent pool, experts say

Both startups and established enterprises are collaborating with universities and training providers to develop blockchain-specific courses and bootcamps on war footing even as businesses, governments and individuals are increasingly getting drawn to its potentials to streamline processes, reduce fraud, and enable more secure and transparent transactions, industry players told Arabian Business.

Several hubs are getting launched in different free zones, allowing talent in tech and AI to expand their skills in the field of blockchain.

While a few industry-university partnership initiatives such as the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy, a collaboration between the US-based Sui Foundation involved in educating, activating, funding, and promoting builders and creators in the blockchain ecosystem, and the American University of Sharjah, have already been launched, a slew of similar partnership programmes to build a vast pool of skilled workforce in the region are currently in the pipeline, industry insiders said.

Besides, the American University in Dubai and Khalifa University now offer blockchain-focused degree programmes in an attempt to align educational curriculums with the market’s talent needs.

“As industry players, we are looking to partner with educational institutions to drive forth the efforts necessary to maintain a healthy talent pipeline in line with the market’s demand,” Beniamin Mincu, Founder and CEO of MultiversX, a leading player in blockchain and web3, told Arabian Business.

“Having collaborated with the University of Vienna, eCornell and ELTE Budapest, we are continuing to invest in educational initiatives by providing students with the opportunity to take part in web3 and blockchain essentials programmes,” he said.

Talent shortage could seriously hamper industry progress

Industry experts said the growing talent shortage in blockchain technology in the UAE can significantly hinder its mainstream adoption and development in the region.

This can also impact the country’s ambitions to position itself as a global hub for blockchain projects through its supportive regulatory landscape.

“Lack of enough skilled professionals could limit the potential for blockchain to be used to build solutions in varying sectors [in the UAE and the wider region],” Gregorios Siourounis, Managing Director, SUI Foundation, told Arabian Business.

“This shortage is particularly concerning for rapidly growing regions like MENA and Asia, where blockchain technology has the potential to drive significant economic growth and innovation,” he said.

Siourounis said the talent gap, if not addressed, could slow down technological advancements and economic progress in these regions, limiting the region’s competitive edge in the global market.

Mincu said the rapid pace of digital transformation, and the UAE government’s continuous efforts to incorporate cutting-edge tech into the local economy, only points to an increasing demand for tech talent, particularly in the blockchain industry.

“From conversations with our partners in the region, including builders such as those at Itheum, a data NFT project built on MultiversX, as well as our biggest investor partner, Morningstar Ventures, we have determined that demand far outstrips current supply for experienced blockchain professionals,” he said.

“That’s why we have made sure to include local talent in each of our hackathon competitions, to bootstrap more ecosystem activity and support the builders that can ultimately contribute to the region’s success in web3,” the MultiversX top executive said.

According to a PwC report, one of the main challenges in implementing blockchain across the MENA region is the scarcity of relevant skills.

Recent surveys also indicated that the UAE is experiencing a 28 percent talent deficit in data security and IT along with a 26 percent talent deficit in data science and management information systems.

UAE could partner with neighbouring countries like India to create a global talent pool

While precise numbers vary, industry insiders said there is a clear demand for roles such as blockchain developers, cryptographers, and legal experts with blockchain-specific knowledge in the UAE and the broader Middle East.

This is in the wake of a rapid expansion of blockchain applications in the region, outpacing the growth of the local talent pool.

Though the influx of Web3 entities that have moved to the UAE in recent years has helped alleviate this shortage to some extent as a number of tech talents also moved to the region with the entry of these players, industry players said the gap in demand and supply is still very significant.

“The talent shortage is real. It is due to demand from rapid digital transformation in the UAE – and also in the region – requiring a large amount of AI, blockchain and other talent and resources like full stack developers, security specialists, etc,” Jaspreet Brinda, Founder of Tech Whisperer UK, considered as an esteemed technology strategist and thought leader in the AI/GenAI field.

“The local supply of qualified candidates is insufficient to meet this demand. There is also an educational mismatch, with traditional university programmes in the Middle East often focusing more on IT and computer engineering,” he said.

Bindra said global competition also does not help with talent being recruited by global companies out of the UAE.

Besides, most talent currently available in the UAE is young and so there is an experience gap.

“To address this, UAE needs upskilling and training programmes by governments and private organisations like the One Million Arab Coders initiative.

“Global talent sourcing especially of experienced people and educational reforms to align university curricula with industry needs, focusing on emerging technologies and practical skills are also required on urgent basis,” he said.

Bindra, a seasoned AI expert, who is also a visiting faculty at premier universities such as Harvard, said it will be a good idea for UAE to partner with neighbouring countries for creating a talent pool.

“India is a good candidate producing 1.5 million software engineers annually. The geographic closeness, cultural similarities and the vast Indian diaspora in UAE will make assimilation easier,” he said.

“This joint pool could potentially become a pool for the globe also as UAE becomes both the innovation and talent hub for the world,” he said.