German-Emirati Institute to Be Established at RWTH
RWTH Aachen University is setting up the new German-Emirati Institute in Germany to promote scientific and economic exchange between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Federal Republic of Germany.
The collaboration goes back to an exchange between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Crown Prince HH Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2019. They agreed to work together on technology projects, particularly in the area of Industry 4.0. Accordingly, the new institute, which will act as the project-executing organization, will be called the “German-Emirati Institute – Technologies 4.0” (GEI) in full. It is to be established on the campus of RWTH Aachen University.
“The GEI shows that RWTH is appreciated internationally as a first-class partner for the development of new technologies, that we enjoy doing top-level research in global networks and without cultural barriers,” explains Professor Ute Habel, Vice-Rector for International Affairs.
Over 25 projects were identified in which the UAE and Germany can establish and develop Industry 4.0 projects together. Four projects in the fields of emission-free synthetic fuels, intelligent cabins for aircraft, recycling of aircraft parts, and improved cockpits for aircraft and cars have already received funding. Thereby a first focus is on working with industrial partners from the United Arab Emirates in the aviation research field. RWTH has already initiated a collaboration at the Merzbrück research airport with its partners FH Aachen and DLR.
Participants in the first GEI projects include the RWTH Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL), the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, and e.SAT GmbH, a developer and manufacturer of environmentally friendly, low-noise aircraft with hybrid-electric drives. “We are pleased that, thanks to the scientific expertise and economic strength of both countries, we can concentrate on finding meaningful solutions for sustainable aviation right from the beginning. This way, we can develop emission-free flying more quickly and bring it to market maturity,” explains Professor Frank Janser from the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences.
Professor Dr. Andreas Pinkwart, Minister of Economic Affairs and Innovation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, says: “In order to bring innovations from research to application more quickly, international technology collaborations are needed. The German-Emirati Institute founded today shows that North Rhine-Westphalia is in demand as a technology and research location far beyond Germany’s borders. Together with the United Arab Emirates, we will jointly advance products and applications in future markets such as smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and artificial intelligence, in addition to new technologies for the aviation industry.” Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri (Minister of State for Food and Water Security), added: “The German-Emirati Institute is a significant step forward in the UAE-German cooperation towards the development of emerging and advanced technologies, as it paves the way for joint Fourth-Industrial-Revolution projects that will help the two countries in achieving their strategic goals, diversifying their economies, and contributing to the future prosperity of their people.“
Hafsa Abdulla Mohamed Sharif Al Ulama (Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Germany) and Ernst Peter Fischer (Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)) confirmed their support for the German-Emirati Institute today with many guests from politics, science, and business in attendance. Peter Fischer stated: “We are pleased that with the foundation of the institute, the plan to step up economic collaboration between the two countries as agreed upon by the German and Emirati governments is now taking shape.”
Bernhard Randerath, CEO of the new German-Emirati Institute – Technologies 4.0, adds: “The institute will centralize, manage and control the projects. Our main task is the coordination and linking of competencies and latest technological approaches as well as the access to this unique ecosystem, the bridge between our projects and cultures.”
Aachen was chosen as the primary location in Germany for this collaboration because RWTH offers just the right conditions. Thanks to its 280 institutes and the additional research clusters of RWTH Aachen Campus – a network of scientists and more than 400 technology companies – RWTH can provide whatever research laboratories, real-world laboratories, workshops, testing facilities, or industrial machinery are needed.
Source: Press and Communications