The American University of Ras al-Khaimah, AURAK, has signed a partnership agreement with the UAE Space Agency, for research-based cooperation and knowledge-sharing in the space sector.

A delegation from the university, consisting of Professor Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, its president, Professor Mousa Mohsen, dean of the School of Engineering and director of RAK Research and Innovation Center, and Dr. Abdul-Halim Jallad, director of the university’s newly-established ICT Centre for Teaching and Creativity in Informatics Communication and Networking (ICONET), attended the signing ceremony.

Prof. Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim welcomed AURAK’s latest agreement, stressing, "We pride ourselves on being a government-owned university and are always eager to contribute to the advancement of this country. This cooperation with the UAE Space Agency represents a significant opportunity for mutual benefit, which will ultimately strengthen our nation’s role in the space sector. Furthermore, signing a MoU with such a prestigious entity underlines the quality of the research going on at AURAK, through our Ras al-Khaimah Research and Innovation Centre, as well as our ICT Centre for Teaching and Creativity in Informatics Communication and Networking."

Dr. Khalifa Al Romaithi, Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, added, "This agreement is in line with the foremost goals of the UAE Space Agency. By collaborating with academic institutions within the UAE we will be supporting the space sector, promoting scientific research and innovation, and directly engaging with students in order to inspire them to think about space, technology, and their role in building the future of our country. We are extremely pleased to be collaborating with such a wide range of respected entities and look forward to working closely with them."

The parties will cooperate in research-based cooperation and knowledge-sharing between the two parties, with the intention of support the space sector through collaboration in space science, education, research, technology and applications. It is envisioned that the agency’s satellite programme will be utilised to observe impacts of various environmental phenomena occurring in the UAE.