The
Scientific Research Department of the Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research held a meeting with the representatives of the Australian
Trade Commission, at the Ministry's headquarters in Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday,
January 20th, 2015. The Ministry was represented by Dr. Husam Sultan Al Ulama,
Director of the Scientific Research Department, and Dr. Ahmed Alosi, Research
Program Manager, and the Australian Trade Commission - Dubai was represented by
Mr. Barc Starr, Director of the Education Program in the Middle East and North
Africa, and Mr. Said Metwally, Consultant and Trade Commissioner at the
Australian Embassy in the UAE.
The
meeting was held to discuss the partnership in organizing the upcoming
Australian Forum for cooperation with the UAE, which is planned to be held on
April 12th, 2015 in Dubai, and on April 13th in Abu Dhabi, under the title:
"Innovation". The Forum consists of several topics, including the
academic axis, which focus on general health topics related to the best practices
in planning and strategic policies on the subject of research and innovation in
the areas of health prevention, noting that the Ministry, represented by the
Scientific Research Department, has cooperated in the organization of the
previous two sessions in 2013 and 2014 through coordination with the federal
and licensed private higher education institutions in the State, and this
cooperation will continue for the purpose of completing the program of the
Forum.
Dr. Al
Ulama stressed on the importance of this meeting for the organization of the
Forum, which will present the Australian experience in a number of sectors
including education and research, and which contribute to the development of
research and academic capability of the UAE institutions in the relevant fields.
It is
noteworthy that His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of
Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Hon Andrew Robb, Australian
Minister of Trade and Investment, signed last year a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) on the development of policies with regard to higher education,
vocational education, training, research, and opportunities for the citizens of
each country to study in the country of the other party. The MOU came to
strengthen the bilateral relations between "Australia" and
"UAE" in the field of higher education, vocational education,
training, and research, and in recognition of the importance of the role of
these areas in consolidating and strengthening the links between the two
governments.
22/01/2015