Actualité

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 13 November 2025 - Held under the patronage of Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, the Class of 2025 honours 223 master’s and bachelor’s graduates at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi. 

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) proudly celebrated the graduation of its 16th cohort in a ceremony held at Emirates Palace’s Auditorium in Abu Dhabi on November 12th under the patronage of Her Excellency Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chair of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s Board of Trustees. 

The Class of 2025 honoured 223 master’s and bachelor’s graduates, marking a milestone of academic excellence and multicultural harmony and achievement. Degrees were awarded across various disciplines, including 170 bachelor’s degrees and 53 master’s degrees. 

This year’s graduating class exemplifies Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s diversity, with 176 female (78.9%) and 47 male graduates representing 34 nationalities. Emirati graduates represent 63.2% of the Class of 2025, reflecting the university’s strong commitment to nurturing Emirati talent. Whilst international students hailed from France, Egypt, Canada, Senegal, China, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Lebanon, Morocco and other countries highlighting SUAD’s role as a global academic institution. 

The ceremony included addresses from His Excellence Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE and Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University; Professor Guillaume Fiquet, Vice President for International Relations, Sorbonne Université and Member of the Executive Committee of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, Speaking on behalf of Professor Nathalie Drach-Temam, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and President of Sorbonne Université; His Excellence Nicolas Niemtchinow, Ambassador of France to the UAE; Professor Antoine Kouchner, Vice President International Relations, Université Paris Cité, Speaking on behalf of Professor Edouard Kaminski, President of Université Paris-Cité, and Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. Graduates Sarah Al Raeesi, Master in Environmental Sustainability: Law and Policies, and Alyaa Mohamed Ali Alghuwais Alsuwaidi, Bachelor in Law, took the stage to share reflections and insights from their journey at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, followed by the formal conferral of degrees. 

The Class of 2025 included graduates from Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s three schools: 116 graduates from the School of Law, Economics & Business, 50 graduates from the School of Arts and Humanities and 57 graduates from the School of Data, Science and Engineering. The diverse range of programmes offered including the Bachelor in Geography and Planning, Bachelor in Mathematics with a specialisation in Data Science for Artificial Intelligence, and Bachelor in Economics and Management reflect SUAD’s forward-thinking multidisciplinary vision, empowering graduates with the knowledge and agility to lead and innovate across an ever-evolving global landscape.  

Emirati graduate Sara Al Raeesi earned her second master’s degree in Environmental Sustainability: Law and Policies adding to her previous master’s from Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in Applied Sociological Research. Currently Senior Specialist for Business Partnerships and Communications at ADNOC, she brings her research-driven approach to advancing national sustainability and communication strategies, building on her experience at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi and with the COP28 Presidency Communications Team. In her speech she reflected on her journey and said: “At Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, we have learned how to be firmly grounded in knowledge and yet be prepared to apply it globally.” 

Another accomplished graduate from this year, Ahmed Alameeri, Bachelor in Applied Foreign Languages, is redefining the modern Emirati creative. A published author of seven books, his fourth work, The Real Imagination, was shortlisted for the Dr. Abdulaziz Almansoor Literary Award in Kuwait, highlighting his growing influence in the region’s literary scene.  

An inspiring graduate from this year, Maryam Alzaabi, earned a Bachelor in Applied Foreign Languages and exemplifies determination and perseverance. Fluent in Arabic, English, French (DALF C1), and German (B1), she translated a collection of French short stories into Arabic. As a Person of Determination, Maryam actively advocates for accessibility and inclusion and represented SUAD at the Inclusive Workplaces Summit in November last year, contributing innovative ideas to support persons of determination in education and employment.  

In his commencement address, HE Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE, congratulated the graduates and urged them to become catalysts for innovation. He said: “You are the generation we depend on to offer solutions and to invent new ways of confronting today’s challenges. You are the ones who will lead the transformation necessary for a world that is more sustainable, humane, and cooperative. 

He added: “Your degrees grant entry to a professional career; you must use them also as passports 

for influence”. 

In his address, His Excellence Nicolas Niemtchinow, Ambassador of France to the UAE said: “Investing in innovation and youth is always a winning bet — it is through them that nations prepare to face the future, and through them that France and the United Arab Emirates will continue shaping that future together.” 

Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, reflected on the graduates’ resilience and the university’s enduring humanistic mission: “You now possess these peaceful but essential weapons … reason, knowledge, and critical thinking, the only ones that can resist the fractures of the world.” 

She added: “The world that awaits you is full of tension: ecological, diplomatic, technological yet also rich in opportunities and innovations. Artificial intelligence is transforming the ways we create, think, and decide. On the eve of our twentieth anniversary, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi approaches this turning point with the conviction that humanism has never been more necessary.” 

This year’s graduation also marks a moment of institutional recognition. The French Ministry of Higher Education and Research recently issued commended Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi for its remarkable achievement and reaffirming the trust and shared vision of the French and Emirati authorities in the university’s continued growth. This endorsement highlights SUAD’s role as a model of Franco-Emirati cooperation and its growing impact across areas such as sustainability, innovation, and heritage preservation. 

The 2025 graduation ceremony celebrated the achievements of students and faculty, highlighting Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s commitment to world-class education. The Class of 2025, reflecting the university’s global perspective, is now part of SUAD’s alumni network, ready to contribute to their fields and communities worldwide.