UAE-EU science cooperation discussed in Abu Dhabi
HE Sheikh Nahayan welcomed Dr Angelika Niebler and Dr Paul Rübig, members of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula, at his Palace in Abu Dhabi. Greater cooperation between the EU and the UAE was the main point of the discussion, focusing mostly on problems of sustainable economic development, renewable energy, sustainable living and the quality of life. Particular attention was also paid to the importance of science, technology and innovation as drivers of sustainable economic and social development. HE Sheikh Nahayan agreed with Dr Niebler and Dr Rübig that creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are vital to help provide solutions to many global social, health and economic challenges. HE Sheikh Nahayan noted that collaboration between the EU and UAE would benefit both regions. In his view, the UAE has much to learn about science and research from its European partners, whereas European partners will gain valuable insights about the Arab world by collaborating with the UAE based researchers. HE Sheikh Nahayan added that the UAE had set up the National Research Foundation (NRF) which proved to be a useful vehicle for helping to build cooperation and collaboration with European scientists and researchers. Cooperation between the regions in fields such as biological and medical sciences might soon become true, as the NRF has already shown great interest in European Research Infrastructures during their visit to the European Parliament in November 2011. HE Sheikh Nahayan emphasized that all major science and research undertaken in the world today is done on a cooperative basis, therefore he welcomed the opportunity for the UAE researchers to work closely with major EU health related research initiatives such as the Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI) and IT Future of Medicine (ITFoM). Dialogue on biomedical sciences cooperation between the EU and the UAE will be further encouraged at the Conference on UAE - EU Biomedical Sciences Cooperation to be held in October in Dubai. A special focus of the conference will be on biobanking and biomolecular resources and relating research infrastructures.
Countries
United Arab Emirates, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom