As the UAE accelerates its Education 33 agenda to strengthen research, attract global institutions, and advance a knowledge-driven economy, an important question is gaining urgency - can higher education evolve at the same pace as industry?
This question formed the core of the latest episode of Beyond Boundaries, the podcast by Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Dubai exploring employability and the future of education. The episode features Dr. Roma Raina, Head of Corporate Alliances & Partnerships at MAHE Dubai, in conversation with Mahesh Shahdadpuri, Founder and CEO of TASC Group, as they examine how hiring, skills, and workforce models are changing in real time.
With organisations increasingly adopting AI-driven recruitment systems and automation, the pace of transformation across industries continues to accelerate. Roles are being redesigned faster than academic curricula can be rewritten - shifting the focus from predicting job titles to preparing students for multiple transitions across their careers. As Dr. Roma Raina notes, the need today is to build strong foundations in adaptability, critical thinking, and problem-solving so graduates can keep pace with change rather than be disrupted by it.
The discussion also highlighted a growing “tempo gap” - industries operating in months while education systems evolve over years. Bridging this gap calls for deeper academia-industry collaboration through earlier industry exposure, structured internships aligned to specialisations, and live project engagement with employers.
From the employer’s perspective, hiring models themselves are evolving. AI-enabled systems now support candidate interactions and screening decisions, while human judgement remains essential - reshaped, not replaced, by technology. As Mahesh Shahdadpuri pointed out, understanding AI will become a key differentiator, but mindset, initiative, and problem-solving ability will continue to define professional success.
The conversation also positioned these shifts within the UAE’s broader economic transformation under Education 33 and Dubai’s D33 strategy, where stronger alignment between academia and industry will play a defining role in ensuring graduates are not only qualified, but truly future-ready. Beyond employability, both speakers emphasised mindset and wellbeing as critical elements in sustaining growth in a fast-changing world.
Beyond Boundaries - Episode 2 is now available on YouTube.
