The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and the Ministry of Education in India to establish an international campus of IIT Delhi in Abu Dhabi. The signing ceremony occurred in the presence of UAE President HE Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The MoU was signed by HE Mubarak Hamad Al Mheiri, ADEK Under Secretary, Shri Sunjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, and Professor Rangan Banerjee, Director of IIT Delhi.
Aligned with the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the MoU signifies the shared vision of both nations to prioritize educational excellence, innovation, knowledge exchange, and investments in human capital as catalysts for future prosperity, sustainable development, and long-term economic growth. This collaboration sets the stage for further internationalization of India’s education sector and strengthens the bond between India and the UAE.
Her Excellency Sara Musallam, Minister of State for Early Education, Chairman of the Federal Agency of Early Education, and Chairman of ADEK, emphasized the importance of the MoU in accelerating Abu Dhabi’s pursuit of a world-class education system aligned with national development goals and priorities. This partnership represents a milestone in realizing a globally competitive education ecosystem and underscores Abu Dhabi’s commitment to providing exceptional educational experiences.
HE Musallam added:
The execution of this MoU marks a milestone in our plans towards actualizing a globally competitive education ecosystem. This MoU reflects our commitment to providing world-class educational experiences in line with our national strategy. The IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi partnership will support our transition towards fostering an environment that nurtures innovation and accelerates high-level research.
This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone for India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), bringing together two leading educational entities to foster academic excellence and promote cultural exchange. Extending IIT Delhi’s renowned educational expertise to Abu Dhabi, the new campus will provide an unparalleled opportunity for students in the region to access world-class education and cutting-edge research facilities, as per an official statement.
The IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi campus is set to launch its academic programs in January 2024 with a host of bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programs and operate research centres related to sustainable energy and climate studies, as well as computing and data sciences. It will offer diverse programs covering Energy and Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science and Engineering, Mathematics and Computing and other engineering disciplines, sciences and humanities.
IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi graduates will join an illustrious alum network of graduates from 23 campuses across India. With outstanding credentials, IIT-Delhi recently ranked among the world’s top 50 institutions for engineering and technology. It also scored a top 30 rank for global employability in the 2022 QS World University Rankings. IIT-Delhi has been a frontline contributor to India’s R&D ecosystem in sectors ranging from defence, healthcare, and rural development, to transportation, IT, and software.
