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Masdar enters MOU to encourage study of sciences in UAE schools

September 21, 2018

Masdar signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Education and Abu Dhabi Education Council to advance sustainability and renewable energy science study in schools across the country.

"Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Masdar CEO, signs a MoU with His excellency Humaid Mohamed Obaid Al Qutami, Minister of Education and Director General Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili , Abu Dhabi Education Council , which will provide a framework to advance sustainability and renewable energy science study in schools across the country."

Masdar – Abu Dhabi’s multi faceted renewable energy initiative, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala), – joined with the UAE Ministry of Education and the Abu Dhabi Education Council in a MoU to develop programs targeting the study of sustainability, renewable energy sciences, and environmental awareness in UAE schools.

The partnership provides a framework that leverages Masdar’s expertise to develop educational programs that will excite students about the study of sustainability and renewable energies. The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MI), developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is Abu Dhabi’s post-graduate university dedicated to the study of advanced energy. It will play a critical role in providing the educational expertise to advance this joint initiative.

“This partnership with Masdar will bring the study of sustainability and renewable energy to the classroom. This is an excellent example of how companies and educators can work together to strengthen and advance the knowledge base of our country,” said His Excellency Humaid Mohamed Obaid Al Qutami, Minister of Education.

The agreement outlines several areas of collaboration, including curriculum development and support, training and educator development, and student engagement. Masdar will provide technical expertise, as well as access to faculty and researchers from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology for mentorship programs and a guest lecture series. “The path to a sustainable future needs to begin with educating our younger generation about climate change, energy security, sustainability, the environment and clean energy. To meet this objective we are working toward developing UAE as a renewable energy and sustainable technology hub” said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Masdar CEO. “This is the vision of our leadership and we all have a stake in carrying this vision forward.”

The MoU is the most recent component of an ongoing effort by the UAE to position itself as a global leader in the area of renewable energy technologies that began with the establishment of the Masdar Initiative in 2006. Earlier this year, the leadership of Abu Dhabi committed itself to a 7% renewable energy target by the year 2020 and officially submitted a bid to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City.

IRENA seeks to help all countries gain access to information, best practices, effective financial mechanisms and expertise around renewable energy technologies and aims to develop solutions, such as fostering all types of renewable energy and developing effective renewable energy policies on the local, regional, and international level.

“Renewable energy is a growing and important sector in the UAE, and thanks to the efforts our leadership, we are transforming ourselves into an exporter of knowledge and expertise in the area of renewable energy technology. So, it is vital that we develop capacity now to ensure we have a highly skilled workforce in the future that can see this transformation to its fruition,” said Al Jaber.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) will support the implementation of these programs as part of its ongoing effort to raise the standard of education in the emirate. As part of the MoU, ADEC will support Masdar in activating schools, educators and students to take advantage of the sustainability, renewable energy, and environmental awareness programs.

"I believe today’s students are much more environmentally aware than in the past. They understand their responsibilities as global citizens to protect our planet. They are interested in real life issues not just facts in a textbook. The Abu Dhabi Education Council is excited to work closely with Masdar to improve science education in our schools. We want to inspire our students and give them every opportunity to achieve the highest academic standards in science and at the same time to contribute to the world in which they live," said ADEC Director General Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili.