Australian minister lauds UOWD on its silver jubilee
dubai — The New South Wales Minister for Primary Industries, Regional Water, and Trade and Industry, Niall Mark Blair, MLC, recently visited the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) as part of an official visit to the UAE and to congratulate the university on its 25th anniversary.
The minister, accompanied by Scott Hansen, director-general, Department of Primary Industries; Sean O’Connell, chief of staff to the minister and Moin Anwar, commissioner, Middle East, met the president of UOWD, Professor Mohamed Val-M Salem Zein, and other senior executives, and exchanged views on the future of education in the UAE.
Gerard Seeber, Australian Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner and Tayeb Al Rais, UOWD External Advisory Council member as well as distinguished alumni also attended the ministerial reception.
The minister undertook a tour of the university’s key facilities, including the state-of-the-art Simulation and Smart Systems Research Centre which focuses on design and development of innovative, advanced hardware and software solutions in simulation and smart systems, in diverse fields such as health, education, urban planning, sustainability, engineering, and computing.
On the occasion of the university’s 25th anniversary, Professor Salem said: “The UAE has a very ambitious strategy in terms of innovation and research. We are keen to build upon the strengths of UOW, Australia, by introducing top programs in innovation, microbiology, materials and all areas of engineering in the future, to support the country’s vision.”
Blair said: “It is a very special moment for us to reflect on the role the University has played in the UAE since it was established 25 years ago. With the UAE emerging as a global leader in innovation, I am inspired by the University’s research efforts and its commitment in developing an educated workforce to drive innovation on a global scale in order to develop sustainable economies.”
“As one of the largest, most diverse regional economies in Australia, we rely on our partnerships with universities such as UOW to stay abreast with problem-solving solutions to address the challenges we face and to ensure continued growth in the region.”