September 12, 2025
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, during his two-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates, met Sara Musallam, Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge. The discussions centred on strengthening educational collaboration between the two countries, including the establishment of more Indian curriculum-based schools in the UAE to cater to the growing Indian community.
Pradhan also visited the Abu Dhabi campus of IIT Delhi, where he inaugurated the Atal Incubation Centre (AIC)—the first such facility hosted by an Indian institution abroad. The AIC is envisioned to nurture joint start-ups and research-led enterprises involving innovators from both India and the UAE, with a focus on deep tech, artificial intelligence, clean energy, healthcare, and other areas of mutual interest. It will also provide Indian start-ups with a gateway to Middle Eastern markets.
Highlighting the legacy of IIT Delhi, Pradhan noted that the Abu Dhabi campus has grown remarkably from a concept into a full-fledged institution, symbolising the India-UAE knowledge partnership. He also launched B.Tech and Ph.D programmes in Chemical Engineering and Energy & Sustainability at the campus, expressing confidence in the students’ potential to set new benchmarks in global innovation and prosperity.
Pradhan shared insights on the success of Atal Tinkering Labs in India and discussed the possibility of introducing Atal Innovation Labs in Indian schools across the UAE. The talks also explored opportunities for two-way student exchanges starting from the school level, further strengthening academic and cultural ties.
As part of his UAE visit, the minister is scheduled to inaugurate the Dubai campus of IIM Ahmedabad and hold meetings with leaders, policymakers, academicians, and institutional representatives from both nations to broaden cooperation in education, innovation, and skill development.
Source: PTI
Image Credit: x.com/iitdelhi