IIT Delhi's Abu Dhabi campus is a shared vision of two nations


Sunjay Sudhir
Sunjay Sudhir
  • English
  • Arabic

August 15, 2023

The recent visit of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi to the UAE on July 15 was significant in more ways than one. One of the key achievements of the visit was the signing of the memorandum of understanding to establish the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi - Abu Dhabi campus (IIT-DAD), which will be the first IIT campus in the Arab world.

The idea to set up an IIT campus outside India first came up during the virtual summit between Mr Modi and President Sheikh Mohamed in February 2022 when it was mentioned in their joint vision statement. When the two leaders met in June last year, they discussed the project in detail. Their shared vision to bring the IIT campus to Abu Dhabi was formalised as the MoU to this effect was exchanged last month.

Indian Institutes of Technology are centres of national prestige and have been leading research, development and innovation in India for the past six decades. IITs have been one of the most important pillars of modern India's journey – from a crisis-riddled, broken country that it was before gaining independence in 1947, to becoming the world's fifth largest economy in 2023.

The main campus of the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi. Manan Vatsyayana / AFP
The main campus of the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi. Manan Vatsyayana / AFP

IITs are known not only as centres of cutting-edge technologies and innovation but the 23 branches of them across India have harboured academic excellence and are places where young people have the opportunity to shape their futures. It is because of this calibre that IITs are known to produce some of the finest and most successful Indians, whether in business, research or innovation and many of the country's bureaucrats and politicians are also graduates of IITs.

The close collaboration between academia and industry are key for the success of research, innovation and overall benefit of the UAE and the region

IIT-DAD aspires to bring the original traditions and hallmarks of IITs to Abu Dhabi. The new campus will also incorporate certain local characters to make IIT-DAD more suited to the local conditions and to become unique in its own domain.

As the UAE is preparing to host the climate summit Cop28 in November, IIT-DAD is gearing up to play its due role in making Cop28 a success, even though it is still in its foundation phase. With this idea, the first course offered by IIT-DAD will be a master's programme in energy transition and sustainability.

The course will commence from January 2024 from its interim campus in Zayed University, Abu Dhabi. IIT-DAD will also offer courses in AI, mathematics, computer science and engineering, health care, and other disciplines of engineering, science and the humanities. It will start offering other bachelor's, master's and PhD programmes from September 2024. The institute will be a tribute to the strong, centuries-old people-to-people relations between India and the UAE.

The leaders of both nations have also envisioned that the entire region will reap the benefits of this landmark project. It is with this idea that IIT-DAD aspires to be a truly global campus, with a diverse mix of Indian, Emirati and other nationalities. The admission policy of the new campus will also be aligned with the vision of the two leaders.

The close collaboration between academia and industry are key for the success of research, innovation and overall benefit of the UAE and the region. It is heartening to see the enthusiasm of all stakeholders who are playing their part in making IIT's Abu Dhabi campus a reality.

While the project has blessings of both leaders, it is fortunate to have a dynamic and committed team from the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge as well as faculty members of IIT Delhi faculty, who have spent several weeks to ensure the project becomes operational and upholds the standards and qualities for which IITs are known around the world.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai is one among 23 such institutes in India. The oldest is IIT Kharagpur, in West Bengal, and was founded in 1950. The most recent, IIT Goa, was set up in 2016. Getty Images
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai is one among 23 such institutes in India. The oldest is IIT Kharagpur, in West Bengal, and was founded in 1950. The most recent, IIT Goa, was set up in 2016. Getty Images

The maths immersion programme, which was concluded last week, received a turnout that was more than what was expected. Some of the prominent IIT-Delhi faculty members visited Abu Dhabi solely for this programme. They delivered lectures on mathematics, the base of today’s research and innovation, and gave Emirati students a glimpse of academic life at an IIT. The overwhelming response from the Emirati students was a reflection of how eager they are for courses to start. We are confident to see this becoming a reality sooner rather than later.

The IIT campus in Abu Dhabi will not be just another institute in the UAE. It promises to be history in the making. On one hand, it brings together the academic and research excellence of IITs and on the other, the advancement and vision of the UAE. This provides IIT-DAD with the necessary ingredients to become a global centre of learning, innovation and leadership.

Know your cyber adversaries

Cryptojacking: Compromises a device or network to mine cryptocurrencies without an organisation's knowledge.

Distributed denial-of-service: Floods systems, servers or networks with information, effectively blocking them.

Man-in-the-middle attack: Intercepts two-way communication to obtain information, spy on participants or alter the outcome.

Malware: Installs itself in a network when a user clicks on a compromised link or email attachment.

Phishing: Aims to secure personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

Ransomware: Encrypts user data, denying access and demands a payment to decrypt it.

Spyware: Collects information without the user's knowledge, which is then passed on to bad actors.

Trojans: Create a backdoor into systems, which becomes a point of entry for an attack.

Viruses: Infect applications in a system and replicate themselves as they go, just like their biological counterparts.

Worms: Send copies of themselves to other users or contacts. They don't attack the system, but they overload it.

Zero-day exploit: Exploits a vulnerability in software before a fix is found.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RIVER%20SPIRIT
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELeila%20Aboulela%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Saqi%20Books%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Bio

Age: 25

Town: Al Diqdaqah – Ras Al Khaimah

Education: Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering

Favourite colour: White

Favourite place in the UAE: Downtown Dubai

Favourite book: A Life in Administration by Ghazi Al Gosaibi.

First owned baking book: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson.

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

Squid Game season two

Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk 

Stars:  Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun

Rating: 4.5/5

Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
%3Cp%3E1.%20Singapore%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Switzerland%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Denmark%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Ireland%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Hong%20Kong%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%20Sweden%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%20Taiwan%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%20Netherlands%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%20Norway%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

Meydan racecard:

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres

7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) Listed | $250,000 (D) 1,600m

7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) Conditions $100,000 (Turf) 1,400m

8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) | 2,000m

10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday Valladolid v Osasuna (Kick-off midnight UAE)

Saturday Valencia v Athletic Bilbao (5pm), Getafe v Sevilla (7.15pm), Huesca v Alaves (9.30pm), Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (midnight)

Sunday Real Sociedad v Eibar (5pm), Real Betis v Villarreal (7.15pm), Elche v Granada (9.30pm), Barcelona v Levante (midnight)

Monday Celta Vigo v Cadiz (midnight)

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETwig%20Solutions%20(with%20trade%20name%20Twig)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChafic%20Idriss%2C%20Karam%20El%20Dik%20and%20Rayan%20Antonios%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ebootstrapped%20(undisclosed)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E13%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-seed%20%E2%80%94%20closing%20the%20round%20as%20we%20speak%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20senior%20executives%20from%20the%20GCC%20financial%20services%20industry%20and%20global%20family%20offices%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: August 15, 2023, 9:11 AM