The Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Center (ADPIC) has announced the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with esteemed academic and professional institutions, marking a major milestone in the emirate’s drive to strengthen its infrastructure ecosystem through knowledge exchange and talent development.
The strategic agreements, unveiled during the inaugural Abu Dhabi Infrastructure Summit (ADIS), highlight ADPIC’s commitment to cultivating innovation, nurturing homegrown talent, and deepening collaboration between academia and industry in the capital’s rapidly evolving infrastructure sector.
Major institutional partnerships
The MoUs were signed with the following institutions:
- United Arab Emirates University (UAEU)
- Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)
- American University of Sharjah (AUS)
- Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi
- Abu Dhabi University (ADU)
- Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
- Project Management Institute UAE Chapter
- International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB)
These partnerships reflect ADIS’s overarching theme of Future Cities: Rethinking Infrastructure for Better Lifestyles, and are focused on collaborative efforts in research, curriculum development, knowledge transfer, and student engagement to address real-world infrastructure challenges.
Driving innovation through research and development
Under the agreements, ADPIC and its partners will launch joint research initiatives tailored to Abu Dhabi’s specific infrastructure needs. Focus areas include:
- Sustainable building materials
- Green construction techniques
- Climate-resilient infrastructure
- AI integration in project management
- Modular housing innovations
- Waste reduction aligned with the UAE Net Zero 2050 Policy
These initiatives are intended to create practical, locally relevant solutions that support the emirate’s long-term sustainability and resilience goals.
Building a skilled talent pipeline
In a bid to support the development and acquisition of local talent, ADPIC will collaborate with partner universities to launch summer programs, internships, and field projects that provide hands-on industry experience.
As part of a formal talent pipeline, universities will share profiles of top-performing graduates with ADPIC annually, ensuring the next generation of professionals is equipped with sector-specific knowledge and skills.
Curriculum enhancement
A key element of the partnerships is the integration of capital project management into university engineering and business curricula.
Students will gain insight into infrastructure-specific project lifecycles, including government tendering, risk assessment, and approval processes — preparing them to navigate the complexities of public infrastructure development.
Fostering two-way knowledge exchange
The agreements also establish structured knowledge-sharing between academia and the public sector. ADPIC professionals will serve as guest lecturers at partner universities, while academic faculty will contribute specialised expertise to ADPIC teams.
This mutual exchange will help bridge the gap between theory and practice, enriching educational content and professional development alike.
Student innovation at the forefront
To foster a culture of innovation, the MoUs include provisions for student-led activities such as hackathons, innovation challenges, and competitions.
These initiatives will task students with solving current issues facing the infrastructure and capital projects sector, encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and practical problem-solving.
Strategic alignment with Abu Dhabi’s vision
These new partnerships are part of ADPIC’s broader mission to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure ecosystem through innovation, strategic collaboration, and capacity building.
By linking academia with industry, ADPIC aims to cultivate a knowledge-driven environment that supports the emirate’s long-term development goals and enhances its position as a global leader in sustainable infrastructure.
