In the revised list of potential countries to which the students from the United Arab Emirates can go and study with the considerable support of government funding, the Education Ministry of the country has discarded Britain. The UAE has drastically cut down the scholarships rendered to the students who aspire to study in Britain. The latest regulation comes as concerns spike over large-scale radical Islamisation of the students witnessed in the campuses of the universities in Britain. The measure also mirrors the growing rift between the UAE and UK due to the poor handling of the radical Islamist groups who are sprouting in Britain.
The Education Ministry of the UAE released a new list of the overseas universities eligible for state scholarships and official recognition. The list apparently includes the institutions and universities in the United States, Australia, France and Israel. However, the universities from the United Kingdom have been excluded. This stringent action is also considered as a major crackdown or blockade to the radical Islamist groups who operate with the illicit motives of Islamisation, particularly targeting the students and the younger generation who are easily vulnerable.
The action against the radical Islamisation, specifically emerging from the UAE, a key economy from the Arab ecosystem, speaks about the hazardous impact of the Islamic radicalisation. Apparently, the UAE has halted funding to the world-class and globally renowned institutions. This is deemed as a much needed action to clean the campuses and the intellectual spaces of the world from the illicit hands of extremists or radicals who pollute the forums of knowledge. “[The UAE] don’t want their kids to be radicalised on campus”, said one of the officials while stressing the importance of academic freedom.
As per the official data, nearly 70 students across the campuses in the United Kingdom were referred for Prevention of Deradicalisation Programme who seemed to have the signs of being vulnerable to the Islamic radicalisation attempt. The number of students prone to Islamic radicalisation is double the number recorded in the previous year. The United Arab Emirates, has a very hardline and unapologetic approach towards the Islamic radicalisation motives. Such a strong action has been initiated since the Arab Uprising of 2011. Abu Dhabi has also repeatedly asked the Britain government to ban radical Islamist activities in the country and in the university campuses, particularly. However, the United Kingdom has not taken any solid action till now.
Thus, the number of UK study visas granted by the UAE has fallen drastically with only 213 visas issued in the year 2025, which is 27 per cent less compared to the previous year. Despite the restrictions, many students who have already enrolled in the universities of the UK, before the release of the latest guidelines are receiving the scholarship. Many wealthier families of the UAE also are sending their children to study in the UK by paying the fees privately. However, the UAE government has strictly exclaimed that it will not recognise the degrees earned from the institutions of Britain that are not on the approved list of Abu Dhabi.
It’s high time that the British government anchors a serious action against the Islamic radicalisation across its universities. Else, the demand and quality of education in the Britain campuses will drastically reduce, derailing its momentum as an attractive destination for world-class education.
