In the presence of Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan

Abu Dhabi-UAE: The UAE National Service and Reserve (NSR) Authority and Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on expanding cooperation in academic, scientific and research areas, including robotics and smart systems.

In the presence of Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman, UAE National Service and Reserve (NSR) Authority, and H.E. Homaid Al Shimmari, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of Khalifa University Board of Trustees, the MoU was signed by Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, and His Excellency Brigadier-General Obaid Ali Al-Mansoori, Director, Directorate of Information and Corporate Communication, NSR Authority.

Earlier, Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun viewed the projects developed by the third batch of 16 Al Nokhba-NSRs that were displayed as part of the ‘Khalifa University Innovation Day 2022’, the annual exhibition that celebrates the innovative essence of senior graduating students. The Al Nokhba-NSRs were later presented with certificates of completion on the successful conclusion of their assignments with Khalifa University.

Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun stressed the importance of this MoU as it enhances the strategic partnership between the NSR Authority and Khalifa University, which is considered one of the leading scientific and academic institutions in the country.

He added that areas of cooperation outlined in the MoU focus on benefiting from the scientific capabilities of NSR recruits who will acquire scientific specializations and postgraduate studies through training, qualifying and refining their skills in many practical fields that prepare them for scientific research, which is the fastest way to progress and prosperity. He further added that research also facilitates access to new scientific horizons and knowledge, which in return, will improve the intellectual capabilities of researchers, providing them with the opportunity to work with experts, and benefit from their experience and ideas, especially since Khalifa University hosts leading researchers, professors and engineers who are specialized in critical fields including robots, and smart systems.

Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed also emphasized on the importance of the Ministry of Defense’s ambition in preparing a strong group of UAE National researchers capable of serving the military, while providing innovative solutions in logistic, technical and medical areas. At the same time, the MoU will also help in developing a group of recruits to support the military industry sector, as one of the most critical and strategic sectors that is supported by our wise leadership under H.H Sheikh Mohamed bi Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

H.E.Humaid Al Shimmari said: “We are honored to enter into this partnership with the UAE National Service and Reserve (NSR) Authority and expand our current cooperation in academic, scientific and research areas, including robotics and smart systems. We believe this MoU will pave the way for many UAE national students to gain knowledge while enhancing their skill sets and become full-fledged professionals, adequately equipped to tackle future challenges.”

The MoU will expand cooperation on the Al-Nokhba and Tomooh programs  and will aim to cover 30 to 50 participants annually, including students and NSR recruits, to hone their skills and prepare them for scientific research. Recently, the third batch of 16 Al-Nokbha-NSR graduates received their certificates of completion on the successful conclusion of their assignments with Khalifa University.

In addition, the MoU will help in the development of effective technical solutions based on the latest technologies and operations research, to support decision-making, thus enhancing the performance efficiency in the military sector. It will also facilitate in developing NSRs who can find theoretical and practical solutions, and develop techniques related to self-driving to solve the main challenges in several sectors serving the military, including logistical, technical, and medical sectors.

According to the MoU, Khalifa University will create an online platform for all eligible candidates in the NSR to apply for admission to the Tomooh and Elite programs. The Tomooh program targets high school graduates, selected on the basis of their grades approved by the university in English Language EmSAT, Mathematics and Physics. Students will have the opportunity to study in two different subjects, which will be credited as academic hours. In addition, scholarships will be granted to distinguished students who fulfill the criteria set by Khalifa University.

On the other hand, the research-intensive Elite program, which is focused on developing solutions to current challenges, targets university students, especially those graduating from the top 300 universities in the world. Participants are allowed to take a subject from accredited graduate programs if they meet admission requirements.

Moreover, the MoU paves way for students to enroll in training programs and courses that hone skills while introducing them to technical, research and development fields. They will also be acquainted with the Khalifa University research centers.

The Al Nokhba-NSR projects viewed by Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun at Khalifa University Innovation Day 2022 included Arabic automatic speech recognition, Risk-Aware AVs on EasyMile Platform, Risk-Aware AVs: Nissan Leaf Platform, a base prediction module (iPredict) for resource planning with iPlan, Optimization of ring design for Etisalat planning challenges, Hexapod walking robot building and control, Control and data analysis of pipeline inspection robot, Build-and-Control drone for package delivery, and Design and implementation of an agile autonomous UAV platform.

About Khalifa University of Science and Technology

Khalifa University of Science and Technology, the UAE’s top-ranked research-intensive institution, focuses on developing world leaders and critical thinkers in science, engineering and medicine. The world-class university endeavors to be a catalyst to the growth of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s rapidly developing knowledge economy as an education destination of choice and a global leader among widely acknowledged international universities.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ku.ac.ae/