The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and the British Council, the UK Science and Innovation Network (SIN) and the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, today jointly announced scientists and innovators from research institutions and start-up companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the UK will be gathering for the GCC-UK Science Collaboration Symposium 2017 in Abu Dhabi on 26-27 March.
The event, which will be held at the Masdar Institute Multi-Use Hall in Masdar City, aims to encourage scientific researchers to present their stimulating work and ideas for knowledge transfer related to smart cities. It will invite open discussions and potential investment to encourage the creation of UK-GCC collaboration linkages to access the deep pool of information and technology sharing.
The symposium will cover three key areas 鈥� sustainable infrastructure, smart city technologies, and social impact of such technologies. Scientists and innovators from research institutions and start-up companies from the six GCC countries 鈥� Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates 鈥� and the UK are expected to attend the event.
Ambassador to UAE, Philip Parham, said: 鈥淚 am really pleased that leading scientific researchers, innovators and business from the UAE, the wider GCC and the UK are meeting to discuss the challenges of smart cities for the future. This presents a unique opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise, and to create new partnerships and collaborations between Emirati, Gulf and UK universities. This also presents me with the opportunity to congratulate Masdar Institute and the University of Manchester, and Khalifia University and Bristol University, on their success in the recent research call led by the British Council. The UK Government is committed to forging and supporting these partnerships, including with financial research grants.鈥�
Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Provost, Masdar Institute, said: 鈥淭he GCC-UK Science Collaboration Symposium is a knowledge-exchange platform that we are proud to organize to bring together the British and Gulf-based research communities and industry stakeholders. The symposium鈥檚 three focus areas are integral to Masdar Institute鈥檚 emphasis on the development of a knowledge base in sustainability science. Open exchange of information is key to innovation and collaboration and I am confident this symposium on smart cities will benefit industry, academia, and government on both sides.鈥�
Gavin Anderson, Director of the British Council in UAE, said: 鈥淚nternational collaboration in science research will play a key role in supporting economic diversification in the Gulf, by driving innovation in areas like nanotechnology, smart cities and renewable energy. Collaboration lies at the heart of innovation, so we鈥檙e delighted to be able to bring together 40 UK and GCC scientists, businesspeople and policymakers to share knowledge and exchange ideas as part of our UK/UAE 2017 Year of Creative Collaboration.鈥�
According to a UK Trade and Investment report, the smart cities market is forecast to be worth more than AED4 trillion (拢900 billion) by 2020, equivalent to the 12th largest nation on earth, in terms of GDP. Further, it is estimated that the top 750 smart cities will generate two-thirds of the world鈥檚 GDP by 2030. Additionally, there鈥檚 an estimated global infrastructure investment of 拢25 trillion (AED112 trillion) required over the next 20 years to ensure sustainable urban futures. Such forecasts validate the need to develop liveable and resilient urban infrastructure.
Reflecting the industry trends and the impact on the community, the GCC-UK Science Collaboration Symposium will cover 鈥榦pportunities and challenges for smart city urban infrastructure and accommodation of future smart city technologies鈥� as well as 鈥榗ity design, transportation planning, lighting, public spaces, irrigation and urban waste management鈥� under the topic 鈥榮ustainable infrastructure鈥�.
The session on 鈥榮mart city technologies鈥� will focus on 鈥榯echnologies and systems that will serve as the foundations of smart buildings鈥�; 鈥榮ensing, communication and analytical platforms鈥�; 鈥榟eating and cooling systems, power, lighting, and distributed renewable energy鈥�; 鈥榯he foundations of smart urban transportation鈥�; 鈥榚lectric and autonomous vehicles鈥�; and 鈥榠ntelligent systems for shared and mass transportation鈥�.
Under the social impact鈥� category, the symposium will cover 鈥榣inks between smart city technologies and safe, secure societies鈥�; 鈥榠ntegration of citizen happiness with resource efficiency鈥� as well as 鈥榗itizen engagement and the evolution of government services鈥�.
Clarence Michael
News Writer
22 March 2017
