Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, officially inaugurated the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi Abu Dhabi campus on Monday. The event marked a historic moment for international engineering education, bringing the prestigious IIT brand to the UAE.
The inaugural batch of 52 students were welcomed, embarking on their undergraduate (UG) journeys in Computer Science and Engineering and Energy Engineering. The establishment of the campus fulfills a key aspect of the Vision Document launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in February 2022. This document serves as a roadmap for deepened collaboration between the two nations.
Students for the UG programs were rigorously selected through the prestigious JEE Advanced exam and the newly introduced Combined Admission Entrance Test (CAET) designed specifically for international students. This inaugural cohort brings together Indian, Emirati, and international talents.
IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi had previously launched its first Masters of Technology (M.Tech) program in Energy Transition and Sustainability in January 2024. The first M.Tech students had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Abu Dhabi in February of this year.
Both India and the UAE have collaborated extensively to establish a world-class, state-of-the-art institution in the IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi campus. A visit from India’s Education Minister in November 2023 while the campus was under construction exemplified the joint efforts. The inaugurated campus boasts beautiful landscaping, symbolizing the flourishing India-UAE partnership.
The presence of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed at the inauguration ceremony underlines the importance the UAE places on educational cooperation with India, particularly the significance they attribute to the IIT Delhi campus in Abu Dhabi. During his visit, Sheikh Khaled was accompanied by Indian ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir, IIT Delhi Director Prof. Dr. Rangan Banerjee, and Emirati dignitaries.
The event also witnessed a significant development as IIT Delhi signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading academic and research institutions in Abu Dhabi. These partnerships include Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), Khalifa University, Zayed University, and Sorbonne University-Abu Dhabi. These collaborations aim to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s academic, research, and innovation ecosystem, promoting partnerships for cutting-edge research and fostering the local start-up environment.
With its focus on academic excellence, cutting-edge research, and global exposure, IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi is poised to become a leader in transforming the landscape of engineering education and research in the UAE, the Middle East, and beyond.
By Vinod Kumar (Dubai)
