Middlesex University Dubai

We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our first-year Engineering students, who delivered an impressive showcase of innovation and technical excellence at the STARS Innovation Showcase 2026.

Students demonstrated remarkable dedication by developing sophisticated, fully functional prototypes rather than just presenting conceptual ideas alone. Their projects showcased the application of IoT technologies across a diverse range of fields, including sports performance, climate control, robotics, and quality control automation.

The quality and ingenuity of the work on display received high praise from Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Provost & Director, Middlesex University Dubai, as well as distinguished guests from King's College Hospital Dubai, who recognised the strong real-world potential of these student-led innovations.

The showcase was initiated by Dr Judhi Prasetyo, Aman Mishra, Ziad Burhani from the STARS (Space Telecommunications and Autonomous Robotics Systems) Lab. The lab operates as part of the Centre of Excellence for Foresight and Emerging Technologies, under the leadership of Professor Fehmida Hussain, Deputy Director, Head of the Computer Engineering and Informatics Department and Head & Founder of the MDX Innovation Hub (MIH).

Congratulations to all participating students on this exceptional achievement. Seeing emerging engineers translate complex theoretical concepts into practical, impactful technologies reflects the talent, ambition, and innovation that will help shape the future.

The Computer Engineering and Informatics (CEI) Department at Middlesex University Dubai proudly celebrated an exceptional year of undergraduate research, innovation, and student achievement at the CEI Undergraduate Research & Innovation Showcase 2025–2026, highlighting how research, innovation, and experiential learning empower our students to address real world challenges and create meaningful impact in society.

Some of the highlights from the 25-26 academic year:
⭐ 160 student participations across 19 competitions (hackathons, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and cybersecurity competitions) across the UAE and beyond
⭐ 6 UG peer reviewed research papers accepted and published in IEEE Xplore, showcasing work in AI, cybersecurity, IoT, digital education, edge computing, and intelligent systems
⭐ Outstanding success in hackathons, innovation challenges, and research competitions, earning 13 podium finishe. In total, 37 students were recognised for their creativity, technical excellence, entrepreneurial mindset, and collaborative spirit on regional and international stages

The CEI competitions were coordinated by Jaspreet Singh, with supervision and mentorship from Dr Sumitra Kotipalli, Dr Judhi Prasetyo, Dr Chinnu George, Madhumita Das, Dr Maha Saadeh, Geethu Joy, Roshan Renji, Mukarram Ahmed, Ziad Burhani, Kashfi Rahman, and Mervat Madi.

Leading the department's UG research and innovation agenda while actively mentoring and supervising students, Professor Fehmida Hussain, Head of the CEI Department, and Dr Engie Bashir, Campus Programme Coordinator for CEI Undergraduate Programmes, reflected: "Our students continue to inspire us with their curiosity, innovation, and determination. Their achievements reflect the power of mentorship, experiential learning, and a shared commitment to excellence."

Congratulations to all our undergraduate students for an outstanding year of research, innovation, and achievement. We look forward to another year of inspiring discovery, driving innovation, and celebrating success!

Middlesex University Dubai recently welcomed a delegation from King’s College Hospital London, Dubai to explore opportunities for collaboration in digital health, health informatics, applied research, innovation, student engagement and capacity building.

Attending from King’s College Hospital London Dubai were Sandip Kumar, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer, Dr Amber Rashid, Director of Preventive Care, and Dr Mohammad KhoshZaban, Consultant Interventional Radiology.

The delegation were welcomed by Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Provost and Director of Middlesex University Dubai, alongside Professor Fehmida Hussain, Deputy Director, Head of the CEI Department, and Head of the Centre of Excellence for Foresight and Emerging Technologies.

Coordinated by Dr Ikram Rehman, Associate Professor in AI and Data Science and Head & Founder of Digi-Health Lab, discussions focused on Digi-Health Lab’s role in advancing collaboration across AI, data science, health informatics, preventive healthcare and responsible innovation. Dr Engie Bashir, Associate Professor in Human-Computer Interaction and a core member of Digi-Health Lab, also contributed to the discussions. As well as this, the delegation toured the Space Telecommunication & Autonomous Robotics Systems (STARS) Lab and the MDX Innovation Hub (MIH).

The visit marks the beginning of a promising collaboration between Middlesex University Dubai and King’s College Hospital London Dubai, supporting innovation in healthcare, research and education.