Emirates Steel Arkan Group,
the UAE’s largest listed steel and building materials company, has signed an
agreement with Abu Dhabi University (ADU) to establish the UAE’s first
metallurgical laboratory specialised in steelmaking.
The laboratory will contribute
to enriching the educational experience in this discipline and conducting
advanced studies and research in metallurgy and the science of iron and steel.
Emirates Steel Arkan Group
had signed an MoU last year with Khalifa University to implement collaborative
research projects, provide scientific and professional training and development
programmes, and offer technical consultations and student internships at
Emirates Steel Arkan premises.
The group said it will offer
comprehensive scholarships to 20 undergraduate Emirati students covering the
four-year study, in addition to providing ADU’s College of Engineering faculty,
staff and students with access to the company’s machinery for advanced research
and getting acquainted with the equipment and tools used during steel
manufacturing operations.
"The agreement with ADU
is a continuation of our fruitful partnership following the success we have
achieved together through the development of a Metallurgy concentration as part
of the degree in Mechanical Engineering at ADU in 2020," remarked Group
CEO Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi after signing the deal with Professor Thomas J.
Hochstettler, Provost of ADU, in the presence of top officials from both
parties.
"Our collaboration plays
a fundamental role in fostering scientific research and providing hands-on
training programmes for ADU students at our premises in Abu Dhabi," Al
Remeithi said, adding that partnership boosts the industrial sector and
prepares qualified cadres to lead the sector in the future in line with the
UAE’s economic diversification plans," he added.
ADU Chancellor Prof Waqar
Ahmad said: "The lab will support our ABET-accredited programme Mechanical
Engineering concentration in Metallurgy, developed in collaboration with the
Group and will be a great addition to our existing state-of-the-art
facilities."
"It will further support
ADU's research and innovation and provide our students with the research tools
and hands-on experience they need to excel and develop their skills in
metallurgy, giving them a competitive edge in the job market," noted
Ahmad.
"This partnership comes
as part of our strategy to work closely with industry to provide
industry-relevant experience to our students and continually develop and update
our programmes to ensure our education is relevant to the job market and
respected by employers," he added.