Dubai Institute of Technology (DIT), the Research and Development arm of Economic Zones World signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Fraunhofer IPK, the leading German applied research organization to develop joint capacity projects for the sustainable development of Dubai and the local economy.
At a brief ceremony on the sidelines of the WAITRO 20th Biennial Congress, organised under the banner of DIT 4th Strategic Forum, the MoU was signed by Dr. Eng. Hamad Al Hashemi, Managing Director of DIT and Prof. Dr. Ing. Kai Mertins, Director of Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology (Fraunhofer IPK).
The new agreement further strengthens the existing partnership between the two parties, who will focus their efforts on applied research and projects in DIT strategic areas, Water, Health, Energy, Engineering as well as logistics and Mobility. Moreover the agreement also focuses on fostering academic and research cooperation between Germany and Dubai.
Fraunhofer has worked closely with DIT in the past to develop an implementation plan for all the key elements of DIT, including setting up of two core elements of DIT's development plan - the DIT strategic areas and DIT Framwork.
Dr. Eng. Hamad Al Hashemi, Managing Director of DIT, said:
“We have a long-standing relationship with Europe’s largest application-oriented research organization and this agreement further cements our commitment to the sustainable growth of private enterprise locally. DIT and Fraunhofer IPK will work on projects to support the core industries of the economy and building up a knowledge infrastructure whether it is related to academics, business or R&D, leading to sustainable macroeconomic growth. Our partnership with Fraunhofer will certainly go a long way in realizing this goal and in establishing a strong knowledge base in the Middle East.”
Prof. Dr. Ing. Kai Mertins, Director of Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology, said:
“Our initiatives and collaboration with DIT focuses on the needs of industry as well as of government and society. We will work closely with DIT to develop solutions of direct practicable value contributing to the wide-scale implementation of new technologies in the strategic sectors outlined. We have already progressed with our plans to develop DIT into the region’s leading R&D centre.”
DIT will offer a full fledged innovation ecosystem in one place that includes businesses as well as research and learning centres.
