The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) held its largest-ever graduation ceremony at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, conferring degrees on more than 6,700 students, a class 43 per cent larger than last year's.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, the UAE's Minister of Sports, told graduates that finishing college is not an end point but the real starting line of their professional journey. Among the cohort, 14 graduates achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA, three more recorded 3.99, and 18 top performers were awarded cars as part of the ceremony's recognition programme.

Haamed Marwan Al Ajmani, one of the distinguished graduates, said balancing study with work, volunteering and national service was the toughest part of his time at HCT, but he still managed to keep his grades consistently high.

Khalid Alhammadi, CEO of In^X Education, said the institution aims to become the biggest player in education, learning and professional development in the country and the wider region.

HCT currently runs four specialised academies — covering national initiatives, language and communication, AI and emerging technologies, and assessment — and plans to expand that to ten academies within a year, aiming to deliver more specialised training aligned with the UAE's priority economic sectors. The institution says it has trained more than 105,000 Emiratis since it was established.