- Growing Abu Dhabi’s Research & Development ecosystem
- Attracting some of the world’s best researchers
- Developing an innovation lab, a healthy R&D fund, and virtual research institutes
- A Ghadan 21 government accelerator programme knowledge pillar initiative, supporting Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a global beacon for technology, innovation and talent
The Government of Abu Dhabi has announced the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Research and Development Authority (ADRDA). The new entity has been mandated with the growth and development of a holistic and world-class Research and Development (R&D) ecosystem in the Emirate. ADRDA will set policies and strategic plans including the formation of a policy center and building partnerships with research funding institutions.
The creation of the authority was developed under the Ghadan 21 government accelerator programme. This initiative, which falls under the knowledge pillar, will support Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a global beacon for technology, innovation and talent, delivering a knowledge based economy and jobs of the future.
Abu Dhabi aims to be a global leader in the field of research, while collaborating with global partners to find solutions to locally and globally relevant challenges, with an emphasis on fields of advanced materials, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, sustainability, and food security.
The ADRDA will attract and foster some of the world’s best researchers and talent, and introduce a competitive funding R&D platform. It will also include an innovation lab, which will offer a dedicated space to develop and create prototypes, facilitating partnerships with the private sector, visiting professor chairs and several virtual research institutes connecting experts from all over the globe.
H.E. Sara Musallam, the Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, said: “Tackling the significant challenges that the UAE and the rest of the world is facing requires us to innovate technological advancements and creative solutions in a new and progressive way. We need to be inventors and not just consumers. My hope is that we achieve this aspiration with a world-class R&D Authority, and share some of the incredible innovation coming out of Abu Dhabi with the rest of the world. We will spur the creation of industry right here in Abu Dhabi, and meet our goals of transitioning towards a knowledge-based economy.”
The ADRDA have determined a number of R&D initiatives, which include establishing five Virtual Research Institutes (VRIs) with emphasis on biotechnology, food security, sustainability, artificial intelligence and high performance computing and advanced materials. These inter-institutional centers will provide a platform for collaboration between national, regional and international higher education institutes and industry.
The newly established R&D Authority will also be offering academic R&D funds through implementing three pivotal initiatives: the Abu Dhabi Award for Research Excellence (AARE), a competitive funding program for outstanding research proposals in targeted sectors within Abu Dhabi; The Abu Dhabi Award for Young Investigator (AYIA), which targets researchers who are obtained their PhD or equivalent within the last six years and Visiting Professorship Chairs Programme, targeting some of the world’s top scientists and pioneers. These experts will share their knowledge and hands-on experience with local universities and researchers, in an effort to grow R&D expertise in the emirate.
