Rabat – The International University of Rabat (UIR) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed on Monday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aiming to establish a Center of Excellence in Aeronautics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the UIR campus.
The agreement is a follow-up to an earlier partnership UIR signed with IAI last November aiming to collaborate in the field of applied research, innovation, and transfer of knowledge in the fields of aeronautics, the two institutions said in a statement.
The agreement was signed by UIR President Noureddine Mouaddib and the CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries Technologies Eytan Eshel, during a ceremony chaired by the Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour.
The ceremony was attended by a number of other high-profile officials including the Minister of Higher Education Abdellatif Miraoui, and the Chairman of the IAI Board of Directors Amir Peretz.
“The primary vocation of the Center is to promote cutting-edge research, innovation, and knowledge transfer in the fields of aeronautics and AI,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the specific objectives of the Center of Excellence include developing joint research projects, participating in calls for funding innovative projects, and promoting innovation.
The center also aims to organize incubation programs and boot camps for startups in the sector, promote networking with other players in the civil aerospace ecosystem, offer internships to students, and share resources and know-how.
In parallel with the signing ceremony, the two institutions are set to organize workshops on Tuesday between the UIR research team and IAI aerospace experts.
The joint seminars will focus on key areas of mutual interest and are in line with the overall mission of the Center of Excellence, the statement explains.
During the workshops, UIR researchers and IAI experts will meet to present the latest advances in their fields of expertise, discuss innovative projects in progress, and share know-how or experiences on emerging and existing technologies, including aeronautics.
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