DUBAI – Expo City Dubai and Heriot-Watt University are working together to establish the UAE Robotarium – an advanced research and development (R&D) facility focused on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), housed at Expo City, that will drive technological progress and boost the UAE’s position as a global innovation leader.

Bringing together innovators from across the public and private sectors, this proposed world-class research centre will incubate robotics and AI startups, develop and commercialise innovative technologies and showcase the application and benefits of automation across various aspects of urban life.

Under the partnership, Expo City Dubai will sponsor a cohort of PhD candidates within Heriot-Watt University’s Centre for Doctoral Training, ensuring a steady influx of talent to develop original Intellectual Property (IP), developing crucial tech skills and forming the backbone of this pioneering initiative.

Najeeb Mohamed Al-Ali, Executive Director, Expo City Dubai Authority, said: “We are delighted to collaborate again with Heriot-Watt University to establish the UAE’s first Robotarium, cementing Expo City Dubai’s position as an incubator for innovation, a testbed for solutions and a platform for groundbreaking ideas. This world-class research centre will attract the best talent to drive transformative solutions that benefit communities and improve the quality of urban living, fully supporting Dubai’s Economic Agenda (D33) and the UAE’s position as a hub for global innovation.”

Professor Dame Heather McGregor, Provost and Vice Principal of Heriot-Watt University Dubai: “This pioneering project exemplifies collaboration between academia, industry and government, and we look forward to working with Expo City Dubai to drive AI and robotics research. Heriot-Watt University has been a leading British higher education institution for 20 years in the UAE and we continue to enhance our commitment to academic excellence and research.  We are proud to contribute and support the UAE’s bold vision and propel the country’s leadership in automation and advanced technologies.”

The UAE Robotarium will advance the nation’s knowledge-based economy and promote global competitiveness in AI and robotics, contributing to the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, the UAE Innovation Strategy and the UAE Industrial Strategy known as Operation 300bn.

The agreement was signed by Najeeb Mohamed Al-Ali and Professor Dame Heather McGregor in the presence of His Excellency Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s Minister for Business; and Edward Hobart, British Ambassador to the UAE.

As a blueprint for sustainable urban living, Expo City Dubai is a hub for human-centric solutions that benefit both people and the planet, pushing the boundaries of creativity and technology to address today’s most pressing urban challenges. The partnership extends Dubai’s relationship with the esteemed Heriot-Watt University, which participated in Expo 2020 Dubai and has operated its UAE campus since 2005, and builds on recent international collaborations, including an agreement with Korean business and technology organisations to foster innovation and entrepreneurship at the city.

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About Expo City Dubai

Expo City Dubai, the legacy city of Expo 2020 Dubai, is an innovation-driven, people-centric community rooted in the belief that collaboration can propel sustainable progress. Its prime location and world-class connectivity place it at the centre of Dubai’s future – the lynchpin between Dubai Exhibition Centre, Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port and a key driver of Dubai’s Economic Agenda (D33)

A world-class free zone, it is home to a thriving business community that supports cross-sector collaboration and provides a springboard for businesses of all sizes to scale and grow, enhancing Dubai’s position as a global centre of trade and reinforcing the UAE’s development and diversification ambitions
Its residential communities redefine urban living, exemplifying best practice in innovative, environment-friendly design with a focus on wellbeing and happiness
An incubator for innovation, it is a testbed for solutions and a platform for groundbreaking ideas that benefit both people and the planet
Packed with educational, cultural and entertainment offerings, with more than 30 indoor and outdoor venues attracting globally significant events, it celebrates human creativity and ingenuity and inspires future generations
Designed as a blueprint for sustainable urban living and one of five hubs on the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, its roadmap to achieving net zero by 2050 and its broader decarbonisation targets raise the bar on responsible urban development

About Heriot-Watt University

As the first British university to set up a campus in Dubai in 2005, Heriot-Watt University Dubai established itself as a pioneer in the higher education market in the UAE. The University’s reputation for world-class teaching and practical, cutting-edge research combined with its strong links to business and industry, has seen it attract a thriving population of undergraduate and postgraduate students over the last two decades. It offers an extensive range of programmes, distributed across five academic Schools. Heriot-Watt graduates are highly employable and sought after by the best organisations worldwide, seeing over 90% of alumni taking graduate-level jobs or further study within six months of graduation.

For more information, please visit https://www.hw.ac.uk/dubai.htm

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