H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak “Mother of the Nation”, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, affirmed that the experience of Zayed Military University represents an advanced national model that combines military discipline with modern academic education to enhance the ability of young Emirati men and women to face future challenges with confidence and competence.
H.H. Sheikha Fatima stated that the university plays a vital role in shaping national leaders by providing an integrated educational and disciplinary environment that blends military field training with deep academic knowledge, producing generations of male and female officers capable of decision-making and assuming responsibility.
She also noted, in an interview with Zayed Military University Newspaper, that the declaration by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of the year 2026 as “Year of Family” represents an opportunity to strengthen integration between the home and educational and military institutions–particularly Zayed Military University. This, she explained, contributes to building a generation of citizens who embody national values, responsibility and belonging, and who view serving the nation as both an honour and a shared duty.
The following is the full text of the interview:
Q: How do you read the declaration by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan naming 2026 “Year of Family”? and what are its implications for national educational and military institutions, foremost among them Zayed Military University?
A: Designating 2026 as “Year of Family” carries a profound and far-reaching message: nation-building begins at home. The family is the first school of values, the authentic guardian of identity, and the truest source of trust and belonging.
This aligns with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who places the individual and the family at the heart of national development–continuing the enduring approach established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who made people the focus of construction and development and family the foundation of stability, from which the journey of the nation began.
A cohesive family raises a balanced individual–intellectually, morally and psychologically–capable of giving and shouldering responsibility. Such individuals are the real asset of any successful institution, whether educational or military. Institutional strength is measured less by buildings or resources than by the quality of the people who belong to it and carry its mission faithfully. “Year of Family” therefore reinforces the integration of roles between home, school, university and military institutions to produce a generation belief that serving the nation as an honour rooted in the values instilled by the family, and that grows with a deep sense of belonging and responsibility.
Q: How do you assess Zayed Military University’s experience as a model that combines military training with advanced academic education?
A: Zayed Military University represents an advanced national model that embodies our leadership’s commitment to investing in people first. It prepares highly capable military personnel in the field while simultaneously cultivating informed, cultured minds equipped with knowledge and strong analytical and decision-making skills.
The integration of military discipline with academic depth shapes a balanced leadership character–combining resolute will and mature thought with adherence to national values and the ability to keep pace with rapid changes. This approach produces conscious leaders who serve with loyalty, professionalism and a heartfelt love for the UAE, contributing responsibly and confidently to the nation’s service and preservation of its achievements.
Q: What does the presence of Emirati female cadets training alongside male cadets at the university signify?
A: The presence of Emirati women in this field is the fruit of a long journey of trust and empowerment. It sends a clear message that Emirati women are at the heart of the nation’s development. I have always believed that when women are given the opportunity, they prove their capability with distinction.
Seeing female cadets train, learn and share the same responsibilities as their male colleagues fills us with pride; we are witnessing a new generation of women who carry the nation’s flag with determination and dedication, affirming that serving the UAE is a shared national duty.
Q: To what extent does this experience reflect the leadership’s confidence in Emirati women’s capabilities and readiness to assume military responsibilities?
A: This experience reflects our wise leadership’s conviction that women are genuine partners in sustainable development and active contributors to safeguarding the nation’s achievements, stability and prosperity. Over the decades, Emirati women have demonstrated confident presence across fields–from education and healthcare to space and diplomacy, and now the military–proving that their capacity to contribute knows no bounds and that their loyalty to the nation is constant. The leadership’s trust in women is a deserved recognition earned through competence, achievement and hard work. What we see today is the result of a long path of effort and dedication that has made Emirati women exemplary in responsibility, commitment and patriotism.
Q: How do you evaluate the impact of the University’s academic and disciplinary environment on shaping the military character and leadership capabilities of female cadets?
A: The military environment instils, above all, responsibility, discipline, punctuality and teamwork. These values do not only produce a successful officer; they produce a mature individual capable of facing life’s challenges with steadiness and turning them into opportunities. When a female cadet lives this experience, she builds inner strength, self-confidence, decisiveness and initiative–leadership traits that remain with her for life.
Q: What role does the university play in preparing future female leaders capable of serving the nation effectively?
A: The university helps forge generations of conscious female leaders who combine knowledge, discipline and national values. True leadership rests on ethics before skills and on belonging before positions. When a female cadet graduates with this awareness, she becomes a proud model of an Emirati woman in every post where she serves her country.
Q: How do you evaluate the integration of female and male cadets in terms of discipline, team spirit and joint work?
A: Integration strengthens a culture of complementarity and confirms that success is achieved through a unified team spirit. When young men and women work together, they learn to respect differences, appreciate each other’s abilities and cooperate to achieve common goals. This spirit is firmly rooted in our national institutions: all hands and hearts united in service of UAE.
Q: In light of technological advancement and artificial intelligence, how do you view the readiness of the University’s graduates — particularly female cadets — for future military requirements?
A: The future is evolving rapidly and challenges are increasingly complex, necessitating an educated mind well versed in modern technology. I am confident that investing in advanced education, technical skills and artificial intelligence will equip our sons and daughters to handle future changes with high competence. Today, power lies in knowledge, innovation, and the capacity for strategic thinking.
Q: What message would you send to female cadets at Zayed Military University as they embody an honourable model of Emirati women in the military?
A: To my daughters: “You are the continuation of a triumphant legacy of giving and sacrifice. Carry the name of the UAE in your hearts before you carry it on your shoulders. Let loyalty, discipline and knowledge be your constant guide. The nation trusts you and counts on you–always live up to that trust and be exemplars of ethics, dedication and commitment.”
Q: How do you view the role of Emirati family in supporting daughters to join Zayed Military University, in line with the objectives of “Year of Family”?
A: Family is the first nurturer of dreams. When a family believes in its daughter, her self confidence grows and she becomes able to undertake any challenge with steadiness.
Family support for daughters joining Zayed Military University reflects an advanced societal awareness that serving the nation is an honour for all. In “Year of Family,” we reaffirm that empowering girls begins at home–with a word of encouragement and a seed of confidence planted early–so they grow believing they can be partners in protecting and building the nation.
