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His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Representative of the Ruler in the Al Dhafra Region and President of the Board of Trustees of Abu Dhabi University, stressed that Education is high on the agenda of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, may God protect him. The insightful vision of His Highness is a strong motivation for educational institutions to achieve international rankings to fulfil the aspirations of the wise leadership for highly qualified national cadres, who are equipped with science and knowledge in various advanced scientific disciplines that represent the roadmap for a bright future in the next fifty years, particularly  health sciences, cutting-edge technology, engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other disciplines that strengthen the leadership of the UAE education system in the international competitiveness indicators.

His Highness pointed out that the patronage of His Highness, the President, may God protect him, of education and research  in higher education institutions, is a qualitative leap for the sector, which is an essential pillar to continue to drive our development in various economic, technical and industrial sectors, stressing the importance of the role of research in the next phase in finding innovative solutions to the current challenges and the need to employ the expertise of academics and researchers in finding effective solutions.

This came during His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s chairmanship of Abu Dhabi University’s board of trustees in the presence of H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Vice President of the Board of Trustees, H.E. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council, H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, H.E. Staff Major General Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, H.E. Khadim Abdullah Al Darei, Managing Director of Al Ain Holding Co LLC, H.E. Ahmed Matar Al Dhaheri, Director of the Office of His Highness the Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, H.E. Dr. Sheikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, H.E. Maryam Eid Almheiri, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office, H.E. Dr. Ali Saeed bin Harmal Al Dhaheri Chairman of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi University, and Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University.

At the beginning of the meeting, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Representative of the Ruler in Al Dhafra Region and President of the Board of Trustees of Abu Dhabi University, stressed the importance of Abu Dhabi University's pioneering role as a national institution that adopts the best scientific and applied practices in teaching and research, quality of educational services, excellence in results and service to the community. His Highness pointed out that in the short period since its establishment in 2003, the University has succeeded in achieving outstanding academic achievements that position it well for the next fifty years, with a firm determination to be at the forefront of prestigious higher education institutions nationally, regionally and internationally, and to further develop its academic strategy, particularly in the areas of world ranking and research, in addition to anticipating the requirements of the National Development Agenda and the UAE Centennial 2071, as well as the related offering of specializations and academic programs, and launching mega research projects in collaboration with the most prestigious academic think tank, in a manner that promotes the economic prosperity of the country.

His Highness thanked the former Board of Trustees’ members for their efforts during their membership which contributed to cementing the university’s leading position nationally and internationally.

During the meeting, His Highness praised the efforts of Abu Dhabi University, especially its achievements of international academic accreditation for its programs, as well as its leadership in ranking indicators at national, regional and international levels. According to the World University Ranking 2021 QS, Abu Dhabi University is ranked among the top 651-700 universities in the world, placed among the world's top 150 universities under 50 years of age and received an overall 5 QS Stars rating, with the highest possible rating in various categories including research. His Highness directed that the University continue to make more efforts to achieve excellence in the quality of performance and research, which will also be reflected in the university's production of specialized cadres.

His Highness and the members of the Board of Trustees were also briefed on Abu Dhabi University's Vision 2027, which includes a number of initiatives and strategic projects, including creating a holistic learning and academic environment that promotes student learning, as well as strengthening the university's international position, launching a comprehensive strategy for scientific research and innovation, and further supporting the university's efforts in this area.

His Highness was also briefed on the efforts and outstanding research results of the university. He commended the university for doubling the number of scientific papers listed in the Scopus index, a world-renowned database of high-quality research, to 2,125 scientific papers and for obtaining 20 patents since its inception.

The meeting's agenda also included an overview of the university's national and international partnerships to enhance scientific research, the quality of academic programs and international student exchange, as well as the university's success in these areas and its role in attracting international students from around the world, promoting the cultural diversity of the university and society in general and reflecting the climate of tolerance in the UAE, which is considered the capital of global tolerance.

The board reviewed the university’s partnerships with the world’s leading institutions, including Monash, Arizona State University, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Toronto, University College Dublin, and others. In the corporate and government sectors, we work with ADNOC, Mubadala, Siemens, ExxonMobil, Emirates Steel, Bloomberg, IBM, and other major organizations as well as the university community service by offering free sessions to over 20,000 participants in the past two years, through a virtual platform ‘Investing in our Community’.

His Highness also approved a number of proposed academic programs that the university will offer after receiving final approvals from the CAA, including the BSc Agriculture/Food Security Management, Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Health Informatics and Communications, and Master's degrees in Cybersecurity, Fintech and Strategic Digital Transformation. His Highness and members of the Board of Trustees praised the opening of the new campus in Al Ain, which bears the name of Tahnoun bin Mohammed, and emphasized the university's pride in this achievement, which will serve as a great addition and a qualitative leap for the university's journey in the coming period.

Prior to the start of the meeting, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan was given a tour a number of departments and facilities at the university’s "Umm Al Emarat" building. The tour included the Electronic Circuits and Internet of Things laboratories, where bachelor's and master's students in electrical engineering, computer science and biomedical engineering can design, analyze and test electronic and digital circuits. The lab provides a hands-on environment for developing the skills students need to design and develop AI-based smart systems, machine vision, robots, self-driving cars and drones. His Highness also visited the mechanics lab, which is equipped with the latest engineering manufacturing tools and where prototypes are produced from raw material to final product. His Highness' tour also included the construction and concrete labs for the preparation and manufacture of architectural models, and the moot court, which provides an applied model for real courts that students can use to practice legal work.

His Highness met a number of students from various disciplines, who were delighted to have His Highness at ADU. Students explained their areas of their specializations, academic activities and future ambitions. His Highness was briefed on a number of the students' research projects that have contributed to the country's efforts to address the global impact of the COVID-19 epidemic in the country. These projects include: The design and production of a face shield using laser cutting techniques and 3D printers. Thousands of face shields were produced in the laboratories of the University's College of Engineering in collaboration with ExxonMobil and distributed to hospitals and healthcare facilities in the emirate during the pandemic to support local efforts to combat the epidemic. The second project was an artificial intelligence-based system for monitoring and assessing the industrial condition of chimneys and end walls of roasting furnaces in aluminum factories, a system that facilitates the monitoring and maintenance of industrial infrastructure to ensure continuous productivity, safety and efficiency while ensuring the safety of operators. Another project was a virtual reality control system to remotely extend cables and measure electronic circuits within a system that uses VR and the Internet of Things to create a remote-control system for laboratory instruments, training equipment and control panels that allow students to conduct experiments remotely. The Hybrid Renewable Energy System Project, an innovation that combines PV and wind energy into one system as an alternative concept to hybrid systems. This invention can be used as portable power stations for radar systems, charging stations for electric vehicles, and charging stations for drones. The last project was an "Academic Advisor Robot," that aims to draw a future academic plan for new students when they enter the university and provide comprehensive information about the academic program, curriculum, and future career.