Khalifa University hosts UAE-Japan Industry-Academia Collaboration Steering Board meeting

ABU DHABI, 10th February, 2026 (WAM) — Khalifa University of Science and Technology and the Institute of Energy Economics Japan (IEEJ) have hosted the 2026 UAE-Japan Industry-Academia Collaboration Steering Board meeting in Abu Dhabi, reinforcing the growing strategic partnership between the UAE and Japan in science, technology, and innovation.

Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, welcomed the Japanese delegation that included Dr. Tatsuya Terazawa, Chairman and CEO of IEEJ; Tokuya Kanamori, Managing Director of Japan International Cooperation Centre (JICE) in Abu Dhabi; Dr. Atsushi Yamashita, Professor at the Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, University of Tokyo; Dr. Shinya Ohtsuka, Professor at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology; and Shiro Murakawa, Senior Director, Civil Engineering Group, Nikken Sekkei Ltd. and Executive Officer, Marine Inverse Dam Association.

The meeting was co-chaired by Professor Samuel Mao, Director of the ASPIRE Research Institute of Sustainability at Khalifa University, and Dr. Yukari Yamashita, Managing Director of IEEJ. Dr. Ashraf Al Najdawi, Vice-President for External Relations and Chief of Staff at Khalifa University, along with several faculty members, also attended the meeting.

“Our partnership with Japan reflects Khalifa University’s commitment to driving high-impact research that supports the UAE’s long-term innovation agenda. By bringing together leading researchers, industry partners, and policymakers from both countries, we are strengthening a collaborative ecosystem that accelerates scientific discovery and delivers real-world solutions,” Professor Al Hajri said.

The Board agreed to organise a bilateral research workshop and initiate a student exchange programme for 2026.

Research teams from Khalifa University and partner institutions from Japan presented significant progress in strategic areas. These included joint updates in robotics as well as collaborative achievements in power engineering.

The discussions also covered expanding high-impact interdisciplinary research, increasing joint grant proposals, enhancing researcher and student mobility, as well as strengthening mechanisms for sustained knowledge exchange.

The Steering Board meeting highlighted the deepening cooperation under the Japan–UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative (CSPI), expanding joint research programmes, expert exchanges, and knowledge sharing activities aligned with national priorities in both countries.