Sala Al Jadida, Morocco – The International University of Rabat (UIR) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a center of excellence focused on aeronautics, artificial intelligence research and innovation. The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation and partnership in applied research, innovation, co-development and incubation. It follows the signing of a partnership agreement a few months ago between Mr. Noureddine Mouaddib, President of UIR, and Eytan Eshel, CTO of IAI, in the presence of Amir Peretz, formerly Israel's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Economy and Industry, and currently Chairman of Board of Directors of IAI, and Boaz Levy, President and CEO of the company.
IAI's Chairman of the Board, Amir Peretz, said: “We are fortunate to be hosted here thanks to the generous leadership of Professor Nurradin Mouaddib, the President of the University of Rabat. This innovative institution is a sign of a new future being forged in Morocco for both the present and future generations. The most vital mission is now to transform a dream into reality by establishing a program that will combine high-quality education across various fields, with a special emphasis on science and technology. By establishing the necessary industrial infrastructure, it will be possible to recruit new graduate students. Looking into the students’ eyes, I can see their strong determination to succeed in this new center, bringing forth ideas which hopefully will serve not only Morocco and Israel, but also the entire world."
President of the International University of Rabat, Mr. Noureddine Mouaddib: " This center of excellence is the result of our collaborative efforts and joint commitment to promoting research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the fields of aeronautics and AI. This initiative is totally in line with the strategy and vision chosen by our ministries and leadership. The UIR-IAI Aeronautics and AI Center of Excellence will certainly benefit from the “Rabat Salé Kénitra University Cluster,” a vibrant research and technology hub, which hosts all kinds of talents, labs, institutes, facilities and experts committed to harnessing the collective intelligence and collaboration on emerging technologies and challenges."
A signing ceremony for the establishment of the Center of Excellence in Aeronautics and Artificial Intelligence took place on Monday, May 22 on the UIR campus. This project serves to consolidate and strengthen the strategic partnership signed last November between UIR and IAI.
The signing of this agreement was presided over by Mr. Amir Peretz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IAI, in the presence of H.E. Abdellatif Miraoui, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, H.E. Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade, as well as members of the university’s board of directors and scientific teams specializing in advanced aeronautical research.
This Center of Excellence is a pioneering initiative that aims to promote cutting-edge research, innovation, technology and the creation of competitive national tech startups. The Center will foster collaboration and collective intelligence among various stakeholders, including academic institutions.
The Center will also serve as a platform and space for exchange between Moroccan and Israeli companies, as well as research centers engaged in the co-development of advanced technological products or innovative solutions for the aerospace industry. It will contribute to strengthening Morocco's position as an attractive competence hub and reinforce the strategic partnership between Morocco and Israel.
In conjunction with the signing, two days of joint workshops between UIR and IAI took place, focusing on areas of cooperation and themes aligned with the mission of the Center of Excellence. Researchers, engineers and experts from both organizations shared the progress of their research, development, and innovation work, as well as their experiences with emerging and existing technologies. The findings of the seminars will contribute to enriching the roadmap of the new Center of Excellence.
Israel Aerospace Industries is a global leader in aerospace, providing its customers with state-of-the-art systems for air, ground, sea, space and cyberspace applications. IAI promotes its technological leadership through applied research in cutting-edge core technologies and hybrid open-innovation in collaboration with its surrounding ecosystem, including research centers, academia and startup companies. By partnering with the International University of Rabat to establish the Center of Excellence in Aeronautics and Artificial Intelligence, IAI reaffirms its commitment to scientific research and innovation while contributing to the promotion of technological expertise.
