Partnership Proposes to Expand Membership and Increase Activities During 2016

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 21 February, 2016

The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy, and sustainable technologies, and the University of Tokyo, today announced they will jointly host the fourth board meeting of the UAE-Japan Strategic Research and Development and Higher Education Partnership Steering Committee.

The partnership aims to promote capacity-building programs under industry-academia collaboration. The UAE members of the partnership group include Masdar Institute, the Higher Colleges of Technology-UAE, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, United Arab Emirates University, and the Petroleum Institute. On the Japanese side, the members include the University of Tokyo, the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), Japanese oil company INPEX Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies of Japan, and the Institute of Energy Economics of Japan.

The meeting on 22 February 2016 is expected to discuss new proposals for this year and review the activities organized by partners of the group during 2015. It will also ratify including new participants to the UAE-Japan Strategic Research and Development and Higher Education Partnership.

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf said: "Masdar Institute is honored to host this high-profile meeting that highlights the cooperation and interaction between stakeholders from both countries. Both the UAE and Japan benefit from this partnership, which facilitates collaborations including higher education and research and development, as well as energy mix economics, food-energy-water nexus, and human capital building. We believe this meeting will provide an impetus to take our efforts forward in this regard."

The meeting will be attended by His Excellency Kanji Fujiki, Ambassador, Embassy of Japan in the UAE, Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, Mr. Masakazu Toyoda, Deputy Chairman of the Steering Committee, and Chairman and CEO of the Institute of Energy Economics, University of Tokyo, Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa, Adjunct Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, and other officials, Dr. Yoshiaki Nakano, Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo and Dr. Mikiyasu Nakayama, Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo

Mr. Masakazu Toyoda said: "This Steering Board Meeting is a very unique forum, attempting to identify the current situation of existing cooperative projects between academia and industries under the UAE-Japan Partnership and to further enhance such cooperation to promote technological development and higher education to strengthen industrial competitiveness and improve our quality of life."

Others expected to attend the meeting include Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi, Vice Chancellor, Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE, Dr. Tod Laursen, President, Khalifa University, Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, President, the Petroleum Institute, UAE, Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Albaili Al Hammadi, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, United Arab Emirates University, Ms. Masako Kishimoto, Vice President, JICE, Mr. Yosuke Ueda, Director & General Manager, Abu Dhabi branch of Japan Oil Development Co., Ltd, Dr. Isao Otsuka, Senior Manager, Mitsubishi Electric Corp., and Mr. Akihiko Tsuchida, General Manager, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD.

Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa, said: "I commend this unique collaboration between two leading research institutions of Japan and UAE to further the research area of sustainable future by unique collaboration and human capital development programs."

Dr. Yoshiaki Nakano, Professor at University of Tokyo, said, " I am glad to report that the student exchange between Masdar Institute and University of Tokyo has significantly increased over the past one year period, providing benefits to students on both sides. Larger scale collaboration through joint research projects is expected in 2016."

Dr. Mikiyasu Nakayama, Professor at University of Tokyo, said, "I am satisfied to have observed the very rapid progress of the collaboration between Masdar Institute and University of Tokyo, which originated from my very first visit to the Masdar Institute of March 2012."

Discussions will also cover activities that support collaboration among the private and government organization, especially clean and smart technologies.

One of the activities facilitated by the partnership includes an annual six-week internship program for UAE Nationals in Japan, organized by JICE. The program provides advanced learning opportunities in the latest research and development in clean technologies. Some of the steering committee members host interns as part of the internship program, offering them a closer understanding of the social and work culture in Japan, one of the world's most technologically innovative countries.

-Ends-

About Masdar Institute
The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.

In collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute has developed an academic and research platform that articulates its mission and vision according to critical energy and sustainability challenges.

An important characteristic of Masdar Institute is its focus on complex real-world problems that require a multidisciplinary approach for the development of solutions from an integrated technology, systems and policy perspective. This multi-interdisciplinary and integrated approach is supported by the structure of its academic programs and by the emphasis placed on engaging external partners from industry, government, and other academic institutions in collaborative activities.

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar's core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi's knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity's toughest challenges such as climate change.

Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

Masdar Institute offers degrees in:

●      MSc Engineering Systems and Management

●      MSc Computing and Information Science

●      MSc Materials Science and Engineering

●      MSc Mechanical Engineering

●      MSc Water and Environmental Engineering

●      MSc Microsystems Engineering

●      MSc Electrical Power Engineering

●      MSc Chemical Engineering

●      MSc Sustainable Critical Infrastructure

●      PhD in Interdisciplinary Engineering

Please visit our website www.masdar.ac.ae/

For more information contact:
Name: Shaima Al Jarman
Director - Marketing & Communications
Public Affairs Department
Email: saljarman@masdar.ac.ae
Phone: +971 02 810 9365

© Press Release 2016