UK
UK government ‘ignored’ UAE warning about Islamist extremism in British universities
Former presidential adviser says situation prompted UAE to block state funding for Emirati students wishing to study in UK
January 12, 2026 17:08
Former presidential adviser says situation prompted UAE to block state funding for Emirati students wishing to study in UK
January 12, 2026 17:08The government’s failure to respond to Emirati concerns over Islamist radicalisation on UK campuses prompted the Gulf state to block funding for students wishing to study in Britain, it has been claimed.
Emirati political scientist and former presidential adviser Abdulkhaleq Abdulla said that the Gulf state had, on multiple occasions, raised concerns that Emirati students studying in the UK could be exposed to Muslim Brotherhoood-aligned groups.
Abdulla said the Emirati government had voiced fears about "extremist thought that promotes hatred of the UAE" but added that the UK government "did not respond".
The result, he said, was the UAE’s widely-reported decision to stop state grants for students who want to study in the UK.
Abdulla said: "The UAE has taken its sovereign decision not to send its students to British universities due to the infiltration of a dark force into educational institutions in Britain."
British-Egyptian security and foreign policy researcher Khaled Hassan told news outlet Visegrád 24: "What is actually really, really embarrassing is it is the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt - almost the entire Gulf [who have proscribed the Muslim brotherhood], [and] what I can tell you from the inside of the UAE [is that] known decision makers... are investing in a PR campaign against the Muslim brotherhood, not in the UAE, but in the UK.
"So, we now have Emiratis paid by the Emirati government coming to us to say, 'are you insane? What are you doing to your country? Are you insane?'"
The exclusion of the UK from the UAE's list of countries for which students can obtain a state study grant caught the attention of UK officials, who questioned why it was not included.
A UAE source told the Telegraph: "The UAE doesn’t want its kids to be radicalised on campus.”
The Muslim Brotherhood is not proscribed in the UK, unlike in the Gulf state.
Dr Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, which aims to combat extremism, said that the group was “influencing student societies and hosting speakers tied to Islamist networks.
"These activities often sit just below regulatory thresholds, which is why universities, regulators and government must take oversight far more seriously.”
Mendoza added: "The UAE’s decision to restrict funding for students coming to the UK should be taken as a clear warning from a close security partner.
"At a minimum, the government, regulators, and university leaders should urgently investigate the extent of Islamist-linked activity within British institutions and be transparent about what they find."
About the UAE's decision, Mendoza said: "Continued inaction not only risks domestic security, but is now carrying real diplomatic and economic consequences.”
A Home Office spokesperson told the JC: "All forms of extremism have absolutely no place in our society.
"We have some of the strongest laws in the world to protect our citizens from hatred and terrorism. We will continue to work with law enforcement and our international partners, ensuring we have the tools and powers to keep people safe."
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