Across the Middle East, the legal profession is undergoing a quiet but powerful transformation. At its heart lies, quite rightly, the recognition that gender diversity is a prerequisite for a robust, fair, and forward-looking legal system. In the UAE, government-backed reforms that promote gender parity in government entities and policies to place the country at the top of gender equality rankings have seen the evolution of many positive pathways for women in law.
The University of London’s longstanding commitment to widening access to high-quality legal education has found strong synergy with the UAE’s national agenda. Our partnership with the University of Dubai’s College of Law exemplifies this shared ambition: to foster a new generation of legal professionals, with women’s participation at the core.
Supporting the UAE’s progress in legal gender inclusion
The UAE has made strong progress in boosting women’s role in the legal profession. In 2021, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts appointed its first female Emirati common law judge. Meanwhile, government directives to ensure women’s inclusion on corporate boards are echoed in legal institutions, encouraging female leadership within law firms, courts, and regulatory bodies. This momentum is catalysed by policy decisions, institutional partnerships, and a sustained focus on inclusive education—all areas where international universities can play a pivotal role.
The power of education partnerships
As a university that pioneered international distance and flexible education, the University of London has a global mission: to continue to break down the barriers of access to higher education, wherever they exist. In 1878 we were the first UK university to award degrees to women. And our collaborations, including with the University of Dubai College of Law, demonstrate how transnational education can help build legal capacity while embedding diversity as a central value.
Such partnerships support national priorities by enabling students, particularly women, to access globally recognised legal qualifications without leaving their home country or compromising cultural and family responsibilities. This flexibility is critical for aspiring female professionals, who might otherwise be deterred by the costs, logistics or challenges associated with studying abroad. Through co-delivered programmes and other initiatives, our ties with University of Dubai ensures students receive legal training aligned with both UAE legal frameworks and international standards. In a globalised legal landscape, cross-border understanding is increasingly valuable.
Embedding equity into the pipeline
Diversity does not begin at the point of qualification. It must be embedded at every stage of the legal education pipeline, from schools’ outreach to postgraduate research. Education partnerships that prioritise gender inclusion take a proactive approach, offering targeted scholarships for women, supporting female faculty development, and building mentorship structures that guide women through academic and professional transitions.
At the University of London, we are committed to expanding access through our global scholarship schemes and inclusion-focused governance. By combining this ethos with local partners who have a deep understanding of the cultural and legal context of the UAE, we can help shape an equitable legal ecosystem from the ground up.
A ripple effect for regional reform
The influence of these initiatives extends beyond the lecture hall.
Empowering women in law has a multiplying effect: enabling more equitable legislation, promoting gender-sensitive jurisprudence, and shifting societal norms around leadership.
When legal systems reflect the diversity of the populations they serve, they gain not only credibility but also effectiveness.
In the UAE, the impact is already visible. Women serve in prominent legal roles, from judges to prosecutors to legal counsel in big firms. As female representation continues to grow, it upholds the UAE’s determination to be a regional leader in progressive legal reform.
Looking ahead
I believe that our role as an educational institute is to support and champion this progress—education is such a powerful lever to transform society for the better. In the UAE, the University of London’s 1,500 alumni and students represent our long-standing ties to the region.
The University of London is actively working to strengthen its regional partnerships, which are key to supporting efforts in widening access to education and gender diversity in the legal sector.
By Alistair Jarvis CBE, pro vice-chancellor (partnerships and governance) at University of London.
