IIT Delhi extends global reach with new campus in Abu Dhabi

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) campus in Abu Dhabi has been signed.

The agreement is a collaboration between Abu Dhabi’s Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and the Ministry of Education. This marks the first instance of an IIT Delhi campus being set up in Abu Dhabi.

The signing ceremony was graced by the presence of Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. The signatories included Mubarak Hamad Al Mheiri, ADEK Under Secretary, Sunjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, and Professor Rangan Banerjee, Director, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

This MoU, reflective of the ongoing UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signifies the shared ambition of both nations to prioritize education, innovation, and investment in human capital as key factors for future prosperity and sustainable economic growth.

Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his pleasure over the development, stating that this new chapter in the internationalization of India’s education system is an example of New India’s innovation and expertise. The IIT Delhi campus in the UAE will become a symbol of the India-UAE friendship and provide a new template for using knowledge for mutual prosperity and global good.

IIT Delhi partners with UAE’s Ministry of Education and ADEK for first campus in Abu Dhabi. Photo courtesy of Asad K electro/Wikimedia Commons.

Sara Musallam, Minister of State for Early Education, Chairman of the Federal Agency of Early Education, and Chairman of ADEK, emphasized the significance of the MoU in Abu Dhabi’s commitment to fostering a world-class education system that aligns with national development goals and priorities. This partnership with IIT Delhi will support Abu Dhabi’s transition towards an environment promoting innovation and advanced research.

The upcoming IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi campus aims to complement the academic, research, and innovation ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, collaborating with key institutions such as Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi, Technology Innovation Institute, and Hub71.

Scheduled to commence academic programs in 2024, IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi will offer a wide array of bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs, as well as operate research centers in sustainable energy and climate studies, computing and data sciences.

Graduates will join the esteemed alumni network of 23 campuses across India. IIT Delhi, ranked among the top 50 global institutions for engineering and technology and known for its significant contribution to India’s R&D ecosystem, will bring its high standards and strong reputation to its new UAE campus.