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HBMSU launches first-of-its-kind ‘Smart Learning Best Practice Forum 2014’

Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Program, Learning and Teaching Centre Macquarie University, eTechan International, Bahrain Institute of Public Administration, Dubai Airports, win accolades at ‘Smart Learning Best Practice Award’

UAE, October 20th, 2014 – Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has kicked off ‘Smart Learning Best Practice Forum 2014,’ the first-of-its-kind event that encourages the exchange of best practices in smart learning in international educational, academic and training institutions to boost smart education. The event’s first edition attracted a wide global participation including delegations from the United States, Australia, Russia, Italy, Greece, Nigeria, Indonesia, India, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and the UAE.

 

H.E. Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and Dubai General Security and Chairman of HBMSU Board of Governors, led the opening of the HBMSU Smart Campus, one of the key pillars of promoting smart education through the use and integration of modern technology.The Smart Campus offers modern, high-tech services that meet the needs of learners and faculty and administrative staff, including submission of proposals and suggestions, exchange of information, access to courses, submission of assignments, registration in assessment exams, and access to grades and academic records through smart devices. The Smart Campus also provides a smart platform to promote effective communication between new and existing students and report technical malfunctions. It also allows users to conduct an online inquiry of e-wallet balance as well as an electronic follow up outstanding financial transactions and payments.

HBMSU launches first-of-its-kind ‘Smart Learning Best Practice Forum 2014’

H.E. Dahi Khalfan Tamim was pleased with the launching of ‘Smart Learning Best Practice Forum 2014,’ which provides a strategic platform to discuss steps to advance the education system through the integration of the latest smart technologies. “Organizing this prestigious international event falls in line with the efforts of the Dubai Government to position the emirate as a premier destination for most prominent and largest global events. It is also aligned with the ‘Smart City’ initiative of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. We are delighted to launch Smart Campus, which reflects HBMSU’s commitment to promote smart learning as a means to achieve sustainable development and as an essential element that will re-shape the future of education in the Arab World.”

The “Smart Learning Best Practice Award” was held on the sidelines of the ‘Smart Learning Best Practice Forum 2014.’ International jury composed of academic professionals and leading experts in developing and transferring best practices and smart learning systems in information technology and academic fields comprised the panel of judges. The winners were Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Program which bagged an honor in the Smart Learning Technology Exploitation category; the Learning and Teaching Centre – Macquarie University and Bahrain Institute of Public Administration of Smart Partnerships category; eTechan International, Technology Exploitation category; and Dubai Airports got an appreciation award of Smart Learning category.

Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor, HBMSU, said: “We are privileged to honor these leading institutions that have demonstrated outstanding excellence in the application of international best practices that aim to boost smart education. The “Smart Learning Best Practice Award”  is the first initiative which centers on the efforts to integrate best practices into educational institutions’ procedures and processes in order to promote smart education and sustainability. The first day of the event witnessed a series of breakout sessions tackling seven key themes, namely ‘Smart Learning,’
‘Learner Centricity,’ ‘Excellence Orientation,’ ‘Smart Partnership,’ ‘Technology Exploitation,’ ‘Resource Utilization,’ and ‘Process Innovation.’ A workshop session, titled ‘Middle East e-Learning Quality Framework ‘MelQ’: Standardizing quality in technology enhanced teaching and learning” was also held.

The ‘Smart Learning Best Practice Forum 2014’ provides an ideal platform to encourage the exchange and sharing of best practices in smart learning in educational institutions and corporations across the world. It strives to support continuous growth and development of smart learning. Smart learning includes the ability of learners to acquire innovative ideas, evaluate their relevance, subject their ideas to scrutiny to gauge their innovativeness, and guide them through a rigorous, systematic process of implementation to ensure tangible and intangible benefits.

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Entrepreneurship and economic creativity in Arab World on top of agenda

HBMSU hosts a roundtable to discuss entrepreneurship education with Stanford University professor
UAE, September 23rd, 2014 – Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has hosted Prof. Robert Sutton, Professor of Management Science and Engineering and Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford University, who held a roundtable to discuss a series of issues, including the requirements of the partnership with the private sector, universities involvement in venture capital and how to promote entrepreneurship education at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University. The roundtable was held in the presence of HBMSU’s Faculty, deans and administrative staff. The event comes as part of Prof. Sutton’s visit to the UAE to participate in the ‘Smart Living City- Dubai 2014’.

Prof. Robert Sutton met Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMSU, who gave a detailed presentation about HBMSU and Cloud Campus, the social online learning initiative which is the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East based on an innovative concept of providing high quality, cost-efficient e-Learning services via social media, in order to support the efforts to transform Dubai into a smart and sustainable city, in line with the directives of H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Prof. Sutton praised HBMSU for its leading position and high-quality programmes that meet the requirements of the job market. He pointed out that HBMSU has a proven track record of success in enabling its graduate learners, holding the Master of Management in Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Master of Science in Innovation & Change Management, to excel in business sector through launching added-value projects in various sectors.
The round-table witnessed in-depth discussions to exchange visions and ideas about entrepreneurship education, with a focus on LaunchPad, a program adopted by Stanford University to promote entrepreneurship. The round-table also discussed how to encourage and promote creativity in entrepreneurship and the main challenges that hinder the implementation of entrepreneurship programs.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar said that the round-table was of a great importance as it offers an interactive platform to take advantage of Stanford University’s expertise in implementing entrepreneurship programs and projects. He stressed that HBMSU is keen to exchange the best international practices with leading universities and academic institutions from around the world, including Stanford University, in order to establish itself as a main contributor to the development of entrepreneurship education in the Arab World and to the UAE’s leading status in encouraging entrepreneurship and economic creativity on regional and global levels.
Al Awar thanked Prof. Robert Sutton for sharing his high-level experiences and expertise in the field of entrepreneurship with the faculty and administrative staff of HBMSU which is looking forward to encouraging entrepreneurship and promoting economic creativity through offering high-quality programmes that focus on developing young generation who is able to excel in entrepreneurship and contribute to the sustainable development in line with UAE Vision 2021.
HBMSU had participated in the Smart Living City- Dubai 2014 as the official academic partner. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar was one of the keynote speakers and also headed a panel discussion on ‘Future of Education’ and participated in a discussion on ‘Creating a Smart Ecosystem’. Prof. Nabil Baydoun, Assistant Chancellor of Institutional Projects, HBMSU, also participated as a keynote speaker in the ‘Future of Education’ session, whereas Prof. Alain Sentini, Dean, School of e-Education, HBMSU, was a keynote speaker in a session entitled with “Creating Innovation hub’.
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HBMSU discusses mutually-beneficial prospects with International Humanitarian City

Both parties share common vision to make positive impact in regional & global arenas
UAE, September 16th, 2014 – Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), recently met with Shaima Al Zarooni, Chief Executive Officer of International Humanitarian City (IHC), in Dubai to strengthen their bilateral relations and future mutual cooperation in various fields.

  During the meeting, both parties discussed HBMSU’s vision to highlight the relevance of an enriched knowledge and promote a culture of creativity, innovation and scientific research through smart learning in the UAE. The university aims to produce a highly skilled generation capable of building an intelligent and sustainable economy. The meeting also provided a platform for the IHC CEO to introduce the organization and its framework. The IHC focuses on providing global humanitarian assistance using the best logistics and high-level services.

Dr. Mansoor Al Awar Chancellor of HBMSU and Shaima Al Zarooni, Chief Executive Officer of IHC.

Dr. Al Awar said: “The bilateral meeting between the HBMSU and the IHC reflects the strong resolve of both organizations to build transparent communication channels and explore mutually beneficial cooperation in the coming years. This commitment further reinforces their common aspiration of making a positive impact in the regional and international arenas.”

He also praised the IHC for its significant contributions to the UAE’s international humanitarian campaigns. Dr. Al Awar assured that the HBMSU is fully committed to fulfilling its social responsibilities by supporting the UAE Government’s charitable works.
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Smart Living City Dubai 2014 inaugurated amidst strong regional and international participation

     United Nations participates at event to showcase Dubai as an example of a Smart City, Stanford Engineering School’s Robert Sutton conducts workshop on ‘Leadership and Scaling up Excellence’

UAE, September 15th, 2014 – H.E. Sultan Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minster of Economy inaugurated today (Monday, September 15, 2014) the first-ever Smart Living City Dubai 2014, the Dubai edition of the biannual event that focuses on highly successful local and international ‘smart’ startups, at the Jumeirah Emirates Tower in Dubai. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Masood Al Awar, CEO, TASWEEK Real Estate Marketing and Development; Kamran Saddique, CEO, Inside Investor; and several dignitaries, senior representatives from Dubai Government, and officials from leading global technology corporations. 

Continue reading “Smart Living City Dubai 2014 inaugurated amidst strong regional and international participation”

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Inaugural Smart Living City Dubai 2014 to Kick Start Next Week

Biannual event to bring together key players from startups, foundations, Educational institutions, researches and cities for the first time.
UAE, September 9th, 2014 – Smart Living City Dubai 2014, the inaugural edition of the biannual event that focuses on highly successful local and international Smart startups, will take place next week from September 15-16, 2014, at Jumeirah Emirates Tower, Dubai. To be held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, the event is organized by TASWEEK and Inside Investor.

Smart Living City Dubai 2014 will be held under three broad themes, namely, high-level discussion panels, exhibition of local and international Smart solutions, and master classes for participants. H.E. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy will deliver the opening remarks while the welcome speeches will be given by Masood Al Awar, CEO, TASWEEK Real Estate Marketing and Development and Kamran Saddique, President and CEO, The City Innovate Foundation. With 16 exhibitors and 39 speakers from all across the world, the event will offer high-level networking opportunities to global investors, corporations, foundations, researches and cities with senior representatives from the Government of Dubai.
 
Masood Al Awar, CEO, TASWEEK

Masood Al Awar, CEO, TASWEEK Real Estate Marketing and Development said: “With many of the world’s leading cities gradually making a move to become Smart Cities, there is a need to address key challenges of a Smart City such as Smart urban development, building Smart technology infrastructure, and integrating key government services under one Smart platform. Dubai is one of the leading examples of a city that is aiming to become a Smart City in the next three years under the visionary guidance of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. In line with Dubai’s Smart City initiative, we are launching Smart Living City in the emirate to offer a channel to brainstorm about planning, implementation and management of the process. We are upbeat that visitors will find the event interesting and informative as well as open up avenues for more interaction between public and private sector.”

During the two-day event, the keynote will be presented by  H.E. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General, Dubai Municipality on ‘Dubai’s Smart Urban Development;’ and Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor, HBMSU on ‘Future of smart Education.’ H.E. Hani Al Hamli, Secretary General, Dubai Economic Council on ‘Public Private Partnerships;’ The workshops will be conducted by the members of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Robert Sutton, Professor, Management Science, Stanford Engineering School on ‘Leadership and Scaling up Excellence;’ Dr. Ryan Chin, MD, City Science Initiative, MIT Media Labs on ‘Beyond Smart Cities;’ and Dr. Mitchell Joachim, Associate Professor, New York University and Co-founder of Terreform ONE on ‘Post Sustainability; New Direction in Ecological Urban Design for the Near Future.’ 
“Makook Smart Living looks forward to its participation at the first ever edition of Smart Living City Dubai 2014. We strongly support Dubai’s vision of a Smart City which will further enhance the quality of life of its people. We are looking forward to being able to interact with stakeholders from Internet of Things space, including government departments and commercial entities with an aim to form strategic business-to-business alliances to further accelerate Dubai’s transition to a Smart City. We are confident that our presence at the exhibition will prove immensely beneficial for us and generate positive interest for our solutions for a connected living,” concluded Nasri Tehini, CEO, Makook Smart Living.
Some of the leading public and private organizations participating in Smart Living City Dubai 2014 include the Government of Dubai, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Microsoft, Terreform ONE and HBMSU. Other key speakers at this high profile event include Amr Salem, MD, Smart Cities & Internet of Things, Cisco Systems; Ashish Cowlagi, Smart Cities Business Leader, IBM; Marwan Bin Haider, Executive Director, Dubai Smart Government; Yousif Almutawa, CIO at DP World. 
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Officials from Association of Space Explorers visit EIAST

Astronaut Soichi Noguchi and ASE-USA Executive Director Andrew Turnage briefed on EIAST’s achievements
  
]UAE, June 25, 2014[– Soichi Noguchi and Andrew Turnage, senior officials from the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), an international nonprofit professional and educational organization of over 395 astronauts and cosmonauts from 35 nations, recently visited the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST). During their visit, Noguchi, an astronaut and Turnage, who is currently ASE’s Executive Director for USA Chapter, were given a tour of the facility and briefed on the recent initiatives and projects undertaken by EIAST, including DubaiSat 1, recently launched DubaiSat 2 and KhalifaSat – 100 per cent Emirati-built satellite to be launched in 2017.  

H.E. Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General, EIAST, said: “We are greatly honored that senior members of ASE – Soichi Noguchi and Andrew Turnage, have visited the facility at EIAST. They were impressed by our space technology infrastructure and expressed their interest in our objective of positioning the UAE in the global space industry. Both officials were apprised about our achievements as EIAST have made great strides in the aerospace industry in the last few years. Such visits act as motivation for us to continue to enhance our technology and research in the field of space to promote the UAE’s space industry at par with the leading international space centers.”

A Japanese aeronautical engineer and a JAXA astronaut, Soichi Noguchi’s most recent space visit was in 2009-2010 as part of the Soyuz TMA-17 crew and Expedition 22 with the International Space Station.

Soichi Noguchi and Andrew Turnage were in the UAE on a goodwill visit. A Japanese aeronautical engineer and a JAXA astronaut, Soichi Noguchi’s most recent space visit was in 2009-2010 as part of the Soyuz TMA-17 crew and Expedition 22 with the International Space Station. Andrew Turnage has been the Executive Director of the ASE – USA and is responsible for the direction, development and operation of the US chapter.  

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Ministry of Education Opens Doors for its Employees to Complete their Postgraduate Studies at the University of Dubai

Under the MoU, the ministry’s employees will receive a 20 per cent discount on tuition
UAE, June 25th, 2014 – The Ministry of Education has signed a partnership agreement with the University of Dubai to grant the ministry’s employees a 20 per cent discount on tuition if they take up programs, including postgraduate studies, at the academic institution.

The MoU was signed by H.E. Marwan Al Sawalih, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, and H.E. Dr Issa Al-Bastaki, President of the University of Dubai, at the ministry’s office yesterday morning (Tuesday, June 24, 2014). The agreement is part of the ministry’s policy to form strategic partnerships with relevant institutions.  
Ministry of Education UAE and University of Dubai

Under the terms of agreement, the University of Dubai will provide the ministry a range of educational services in the areas of undergraduate and postgraduate, professional training and academic development, as well as software packages related to technical and operational projects. The university will also provide research and consultations with regard to conferences, forums, and workshops in which both ministry and university officials can participate in.

The MoU came at a time when the ministry is preparing for the school holidays, giving the employees more time to complete their postgraduate studies either in the country or overseas. The ministry’s partnerships with prestigious universities such as the University of Dubai will further encourage its staff to pursue higher studies given the discounted tuition.
H.E. Al Sawalih said employees may choose from several relevant programs and disciplines available in the university based on their interest and current job requirements. He highly praised the University of Dubai for its significant contributions to the education sector, specifically for honing the knowledge and skills of the UAE residents. 
For his part, Dr. Al-Bastaki lauded the Ministry of Education for its efforts to continuously raise the bar in the education sector and further enhance the quality of the services in the industry. He said the MoU between the ministry and the university is the first step towards a more fruitful cooperation in the future.
Dr. Al-Bastaki said the ministry’s employees could choose from the university’s several world-class programs and utilize the school’s state-of-the-art facilities to aid in their studies. The MoU signing was attended by a number of officials from the ministry and the university.
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EIAST Welcomes Visit of High Level Delegation from Kazakhstan

 The visit falls in line with the move to bolster mutual cooperation between EIAST and Kazakhstan’s National Space Agency
UAE, June 9, 2014 – The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) recently hosted the visit of a high level Kazakhstan delegation headed by His Excellency (H.E.) Kairat Lama Sharif, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The visit falls in line with the move to bolster mutual cooperation between EIAST and Kazakhstan’s National Space Agency (KazCosmos), particularly in the field of exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. The group was met by EIAST’s top officials headed by H.E. Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General, EIASTand Eng. Salem Al Marri, Assistant Director General for Scientific and Technical Affairs.

During their visit, the Kazakhstan delegation was briefed on EIAST’s recent achievements like the successful launching of DubaiSat-1, the first remote sensing satellite to be fully owned by a UAE entity, in 2009 and DubaiSat-2, an electro-optical earth observation satellite system, in 2013. The group was also able to learn about the current status of the KhalifaSat project, the UAE’s first locally-built satellite that is expected to be launched into space in 2017. Currently, a team of Emirati experts and engineers are involved in the planning and designing of KhalifaSat, which will help strengthen the standing of the Arab region in the competitive field of space science. The delegation was also toured around EIAST’s key facilities, which includes the ground station of DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2 satellites, which provide high-quality satellite images for environmental projects, urban planning, infrastructure and scientific research in the UAE.
H.E. Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General, EIAST, said: “We are truly honored to have been visited by H.E. Ambassador Sharif and his group of embassy and consular officials. During their visit, we were able to keep them up to date on EIAST’s milestone achievements and the current work that we are doing, particularly KhalifaSat. The strong ties that we have maintained with Kazakhstan are ably reflected in an MoU that we signed with them in 2011, where both EIAST and Kazakhstan’s National Space Agency have pledged to work together towards developing advancements for the space industry.”
In response to their visit to the EIAST, the Kazakhstan delegation expressed interest in continuously working together with the UAE in the fields of satellite communication and earth remote sensing. The group thanked the EIAST’s warm reception and reaffirmed their commitment to establish cooperation in key areas such as space science, global satellite navigation and use of space infrastructure.
Eng. Salem Al Marri, Assistant Director General for Scientific and Technical Affairs, said: “The visit of the Kazakhstan delegation was an excellent opportunity for us to give them a key tour of our facilities while also updating them on our latest programs and initiatives. Rest assured that as per our mutual agreement with KazCosmos, we will continue to work closely with them and aid them in their space industry endeavors, especially in their satellite projects.”
Ambassador Sharif was joined by Yerzhan Kalekenov, Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Abu Dhabi;  Alibek Almabekov, Counselor of the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Dubai and Ibrahim Aushev, Diplomatic Attaché of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Abu Dhabi.
EIAST was established by the Dubai Government in 2006 to encourage scientific innovation and technological progress in Dubai and in the UAE. It also aims to develop the scientific skills and knowledge of Emiratis. It is mainly involved in outer space research and development; satellite manufacturing and systems development; space imaging; and ground station services and support for other satellites.
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Mutual Cooperation Covers Areas of Remote Sensing Applications, Space Communications, and Global Navigation Systems using Satellites

EIAST signs MoU with Dubai Municipality to facilitate knowledge sharing & manpower investment
UAE, May 26, 2014 – In line with the common aspirations to position Dubai as a premier Smart City, the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dubai Municipality to facilitate knowledge transfer, sharing of data and practical experiences, and developing human resources in the areas of space science, remote sensing applications, space communications, and navigation systems using global satellites. The MoU was signed by Eng. Abdullah Mohammed Rafi, Deputy General Manager of Engineering & Planning, Dubai Municipality and Salem Humaid Al Marri, Assistant Director General for Scientific and Technical Affairs, EIAST, in the presence of a number of senior managers and officials from both parties.
H.E. Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General, EIAST, stressed the importance of building a fruitful cooperation with Dubai Municipality, meeting the highest scientific and technical competence standards. This is in support of the UAE’s vision to transform itself into a major hub for satellite manufacturing. He emphasized EIAST’s commitment to prioritize the future needs of Dubai Municipality in terms of developing engineering designs for satellites such as satellite images applications to contribute to the efforts of achieving comprehensive and sustainable development.

Eng. Abdullah Mohammed Rafi, Deputy General Manager of Engineering & Planning, Dubai Municipality and Salem Humaid Al Marri, Assistant Director General for Scientific and Technical Affairs, EIAST.
Al Shaibani said: “We are confident that the new MoU will be a significant addition to our extensive network of strategic and strong partnerships with the industry leaders locally, regionally, and internationally. This partnership undoubtedly supports our efforts to reinforce UAE’s position as one of the world’s developed countries in line with the vision and directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.”
For his part, Rafi stressed that Dubai Municipality is keen on establishing strong cooperation and strategic inter-dependence with institutions and groups of public welfare and community services. The commitment demonstrates Dubai Municipality’s efforts to develop and create effective, easy-to-use, smart services for the community.
Rafi expressed his pleasure with Dubai Municipality’s strategic partnership with EIAST, which leads the march of scientific progress and technical innovation in the UAE. He stressed that the joint efforts in the fields of knowledge transfer, human resources development, remote sensing applications and space communications will give positive results in terms of supporting the vision of Municipality Dubai centered around making Dubai as one of the most sustainable cities in the world in preparation for ‘Expo 2020.’ He said Dubai Municipality is looking forward to benefiting from EIAST’s high level of expertise and advanced technologies. The partnership, will contribute to the success of the municipality’s projects that embody the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai
Salem Al Marri, said: “Our new partnership gains a strategic dimension of being a pillar for employing our vast experiences and developed technologies in the field of space industry to support ambitious projects of Dubai Municipality, which represent an important pillar to advance excellence and leadership pursued by the emirate under the policy of our wise leadership. We look forward to exchanging knowledge and recent research work with Dubai Municipality. Both organizations will also organize joint conferences, interactive workshops, and specialized exhibitions for satellite imagery in the field of remote sensing and geographic information systems. The field would represent an added value to the framework of Dubai Municipality.”
Under the MoU, EIAST will provide Dubai Municipality with multispectral space images satellite and high quality Panchromatic images of Dubai. Dubai Municipality, on the other hand, will provide Ground Control Points, spatial and geographic data to support the projects and initiatives of EIAST.
The MoU also provided a platform to promote prospects for cooperation between the two parties through exchange of practical experiences and development of human resources in the areas of space and science, including space science, remote sensing applications, space communications and global navigation systems using satellites. Both sides agreed that EIAST would help Dubai Municipality to complete the database information of the geographic information system. It would also assist in enhancing the efficiency of monitoring and prediction of natural hazards such as sand storm forecasting, monitoring and forecasting of fog, analyzing water quality in the Emirate of Dubai. EIAST will provide services to help train the staff of Dubai Municipality and refine their skills and technical capabilities through cooperation in the areas of research, training and exchange of information and knowledge as well as organizing conferences, workshops and shows related to applications of satellite imagery in remote sensing area and in the field of geographic information systems. The two parties will also cooperate in all areas, activities and systems to share data to serve the public interest in Dubai.
The two parties agreed to form a joint working group to oversee the implementation of the MoU and ensure the exchange of data between them. They are also discussing the possibility of allowing Dubai Municipality’s various departments to use satellite images. The departments include Environmental Management, Survey Department, Department of Agriculture, and others. The joint working group will also discuss the possibility of technical cooperation between the two parties so that EIAST could take into account the needs of the Municipality when designing the specifications of future satellites as well as when studying the programs and available tools. These tools may be effective and useful in terms of utilizing geographic information systems and remote sensing. The working group will also ensure that the two parties will obtain the required data to face future challenges and to allow them to perform any task that may be assigned by either party and is required to implement the MoU.
EIAST was established by the Dubai Government in 2006 to encourage scientific innovation and technological progress in Dubai and in the UAE. It also aims to develop the scientific skills and knowledge of Emiratis. It is mainly involved in outer space research and development; satellite manufacturing and systems development; space imaging; and ground station services and support for other satellites.
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EIAST Participates as Strategic Partner for World Space Risk Forum 2014

Event represents opportunity to showcase UAE’s space program to global space leaders
  
UAE, May 13, 2014 – The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) has announced its participation as Strategic Partner for the World Space Risk Forum 2014, which will take place from May 13 to 15, 2014 at Raffles Dubai, UAE. The globally established biennial event, which brings together leading professionals representing all aspects of the aerospace industry, will provide international exposure to the UAE’s space program. The World Space Risk Forum 2014 is a perfect platform for the UAE to build up its profile in the global space industry. The event will be vital in highlighting the country’s space program to an audience representing international space communities and foreign governments.

Omran Sharaf, Director of Image Processing and Analysis Department, EIAST gave a welcome message during the event’s opening ceremony. Moreover, Adnan Al Rais, Head of Office of Products Utilization, EIAST will lead the Focus Group Panel, under the theme ‘Growing Up in Space,’ which takes place on Day 2 of the conference (Wednesday, May 14, 2014) at the World Space Risk Forum 2014. The conference will provide a series of unique insights about successful entry of companies, namely: EIAST, Es’hailSat and SSTL, into the commercial space market, focusing on each company’s approach and lesson learned. The panel also discussed how these companies continue to remain competitive in the increasingly crowded commercial space industry.
The delegates visited the EIAST headquarters, where they were briefed about EIAST projects, including DubaiSat1, recently launched DubaiSat2, and KhalifaSat – 100 per cent Emirati satellite to be launched in 2017. The group also toured the facility, which will offer tremendous prospects to EIAST to build up its clients and suppliers list, including space insurance companies.
Omran Sharaf, Director of Image Processing and Analysis Department, EIAST during the forum.

H.E. Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General of the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology, said: “Undoubtedly, the World Space Risk Forum is one of the biggest events in the space calendar, which will also be a perfect occasion for EIAST to showcase its facilities as well as technical capabilities in the aerospace industry to the global space experts. The event is perfectly timed as we have recently launched our DubaSat2 and are progressing ahead with the work on KhalifaSat and will leverage the presence of leaders from aerospace sector to strengthen the UAE’s leading position in the space industry. Moreover, our participation in the Focus Group Panel will enable us to enlighten the EIAST’s success model to the forum delegates. Lastly, as the Strategic Partners, we extend our complete support to the World Space Risk Forum for a successful event.”

Laurent Lemaire, organiser of The World Space Risk Forum and Managing Director of DIFC-based Elseco, the largest space underwriting entity worldwide, commented: “We are excited to welcome leaders from the global space industry to Dubai to experience the most important space risk forum in the world. They will find a region that is experiencing significant investment in high technology operations, such as those found at EIAST, our local strategic partner for the World Space Risk Forum. Such investment will make Dubai and the UAE a major player in the future. It is appropriate then that The World Space Risk Forum remains firmly embedded here and continues to grow in importance and significance as the surrounding regional space industry does the same. We thank EIAST for opening its doors to our delegates.”
The World Space Risk Forum brings together 500 top space executives from more than 30 countries. It will address a wide range of issues faced by space ventures, including technical, financial, business, environmental, economic, and regulatory as well as related to software and production. The forum will provide an excellent opportunity for all service providers, insurers, government representatives, brokers, financiers, attorneys and academics to gather and discuss ways of making space a safer place to visit, explore, live and do business. For more information, log on to: http://worldspaceriskforum.com/2014/.
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