IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi Opens in UAE Capital With 52 Students In Inaugural Batch

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on Monday attended the inauguration of IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi, the first international campus of India’s prestigious Indian Institute of Technology in the UAE capital. The inauguration was announced by the UAE’s official news agency, WAM. The first batch of 52 students will pursue BTech in Computer Science and Engineering, and Energy Engineering at the institute.

During the event, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed also oversaw the launch of strategic partnerships between IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi, its parent campus IIT-Delhi, and leading higher education institutions in Abu Dhabi, including Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and Zayed University.

These collaborations will foster joint research, academic programs, and student and faculty exchanges.

The partnership with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi will enable joint research projects, postgraduate student exchanges, and the organisation of scientific seminars. Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence will engage in joint research, offer seed project grants, and host internships, according to WAM.

Sheikh Khaled hailed the opening of the landmark seat of learning as a significant step in Abu Dhabi’s efforts to cement itself as a global hub for research and development, the National reported.

Sheikh Khaled, also chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, was on hand as a raft of deals were made between the Abu Dhabi IIT and a number of the emirate’s leading universities.

IIT Delhi is one of 23 such institutes in India renowned for producing accomplished engineers, entrepreneurs and innovators. The IIT is often referred to as the MIT and Harvard of India, the report said.

Sheikh Khaled toured the extensive campus and was told of its diverse academic programme, including courses in energy, engineering and computer science.

The foundation of IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi was formalised through an agreement between the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, IIT Delhi, and India’s Ministry of Education, witnessed by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2023, the release said.