ADU strengthens its engineering facilities to help facilitate breakthroughs in advanced transportation, energy, aerospace, mechatronics and more

UAE, Abu Dhabi, 24th August 2013: Aspart of its goal to help Abu Dhabi and the UAE in solving some of the world'sbiggest challenges, Abu Dhabi University is adding an advanced Mechanical Engineering lab to its existing engineering facilities next month.In linewith its commitment of giving students world-class standards, the lab has been benchmarked against the highly respected University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.

ADU, which already has one of the region's best records for students' employment within a year of graduation, is gearing to enhance its record even further by equippingMechanical Engineering students with a well-balanced arsenal of theoretical and practical real-life skills.Thismakes graduates highly alluring toindustry heavyweights in aeronautical, automotive, manufacturing, mechatronics, mining, petroleum, thermal power, hydro services and a wide array of other fields. The four-year program fulfills the standards of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET).

Dr Nabil Ibrahim, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University explained: "Given that energy is the lifeblood of the Gulf's economy, the region cannot afford to simply waitfor innovations from the rest of the world: we must engineer our own breakthroughs. We are facing the biggest energy challenges in our planet's 4.5 billion year history, so we are preparing our students to be much more than just job seekers. Instead, they will be problem solvers who devisesolutions to balance dwindling natural resources on one hand with skyrocketing demand on the other. Meanwhile the region's surging demand for efficient transportation, advanced industries and many other opportunities motivate us to stay a step ahead of the engineering trends through our program."

The facility will be segmented into several labs such as the Thermal lab, Dynamics lab, Manufacturing lab as well as a Machine Shop. Each of these labs is equipped with top-of-the-range equipment such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines, which prepare students for the working environment of real-life mega-industries; an advanced Robot and Conveyer System that simulates the production process of factories; a Cross Heat Flow Exchanger for thermal experiments, and Universal Vibration Apparatus for Dynamics studies.

Dr Ibrahim pointed out that ADU is intensifying its exciting journey of growth by enhancing the curriculum, and will add sophisticated research capabilities worth approximately AED1 million next year: "We passionately believe that no energy challenges can beat the energy of our students, and no mechanical challenges can beat the well-oiled machine that is our close-knit students, faculty and employers. From the tiniest microchips to the most gigantic space stations, our graduates will prove that the most powerful renewable resource is knowledge."

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About Abu Dhabi University (ADU):
Since its inception in 2000, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region & President of Abu Dhabi University's Board of Trustees, Abu Dhabi University has become one of the region's leading centers of academic excellence. Its vibrant and cosmopolitan student population represents more than 60 nationalities. Through its globally competitive curriculum, ADU formulates highly unique degree programs that maximize graduates' chances of employment. It strives to become one of the world's elite institutions of world-class education and applied research. In addition to a dynamic range of extracurricular activities, ADU also instills a strong spirit of social responsibility in its students so that graduates can help transform not only their industries; but also their communities and above all, their world.

Abu Dhabi University is licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research with all its undergraduate and postgraduate programs accredited. ADU was also the first university to receive the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award in 2010. Today ADU is one of only three universities in the UAE to enter the ranks of the world's top 550 universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world university rankings of 2012 -2013.

© Press Release 2013