The United Arab Emirates prioritizes scientific research and encourages universities to advance, develop, and improve their research achievements. Being an integral part of this young nation and believing in the role of scientific research in building UAE, Al Wasl University has focused on it as one of the university’s missions, along with education and community service, since its establishment in 1986. The University Chancellor, Professor Mohammed Ahmed Abdul-Rahman, has strengthened the existing structure

by establishing a vice-chancellorship for scientific research affairs, stressing that the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan for Scientific Research should reflect the ambitions of this era and guide the path of development and improvement.

The 2020-2025 Strategic Plan focuses on several key areas, including publications, where the University fully supports peer-reviewed scientific journals. It also includes projects such as university books and the publication of academic theses. The plan also emphasizes international conferences and symposia organized and hosted by the university, bringing together researchers from around the world.

In terms of information resources, the university has expanded this concept by initiating two major electronic library projects. The first is an open-access electronic library that aims to publish 15,000 books. It also includes research from the university's journals and conference proceedings, providing a resource for researchers worldwide. The second project is a restricted-access electronic library.

In addition, the University has established research centers that focus on producing specialized, globally recognized research. The Linguistic and Narrative Studies Center focuses on these fields, the Prophetic Sunnah Research Center is dedicated to the study of Hadith and Sunnah, and the Artificial Intelligence Research Center is a leap into the technological future, primarily aiming to invest artificial intelligence in the service of humanities.

The University has also signed agreements with academic and research institutions to expand the participation of its faculty and graduate students, enabling them to conduct research that contributes to the UAE's knowledge base.

The University encourages international publication in journals indexed in global databases by providing rewards to publishers from faculty members. It also supports those who wish to participate in conferences inside and outside the UAE. In addition, the University encourages the formation of research teams in which faculty members collaborate with their specialized counterparts from globally ranked universities to conduct specialized or interdisciplinary research that meets the needs of Emirati society.

Prof. Khaled Tokal