The government wants to initiate joint scientific research projects and cooperation between innovative subjects of Montenegro and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced the Minister of Science and Technological Development, Biljana Šćepanović, at the Sustainability Week in Abu Dhabi.
"We want to launch specific joint scientific research projects between us and institutions from the UAE, based on the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the Field of Higher Education and Scientific Research between the UAE and Montenegro, signed in 2016, as well as the cooperation of innovation entities of the two countries, in accordance with the conclusions of the mixed economic commission of the two countries from 2020," Šćepanović said.
Together with the delegation of the Ministry, she participated in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023 (ADSW), at the invitation of Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the UAE.
Šćepanović said that they are doing all this in order to contribute to the achievement of the goals of sustainable economic development based on knowledge through the direction of program policy in science, research, innovation and smart specialization.
It is an extremely large-scale event, both in terms of the number and type of participants, with over four thousand delegates from the ranks of heads of state, leaders in the field of industry and investment, entrepreneurs and young people, as well as in terms of the number of institutions, startups, national and international organizations, i.e. countries that presented their projects, achievements and plans in the field of new technologies with the aim of sustainable development based on knowledge.
"Our country's participation in such gatherings is extremely important from many aspects. It is very important for us to present to others what we are doing in Montenegro in the sector of science, research and innovation, in order to consider the possibilities of cooperation in direct contact", believes Šćepanović.
She added that with the aim of future connection of our scientific research and innovation community with partners from the UAE and other countries, it is no less important that they become familiar with their activities, in order to more effectively identify common priorities, but also to keep up with global trends in research. and innovations.
Renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, climate change, environmental protection, food production, waste treatment, smart cities, digitalization, education and the role of young people in ensuring sustainability, women's engagement in the sector of sustainability, environmental protection and renewable energy are some of the central topics. Sustainability Week 2023, as a gathering that included a series of presentations, lectures, panel discussions, platforms, forums, exhibitions and fair settings.
"On the sidelines of the meeting, our delegation, in addition to visiting the city of Masdar and getting to know the principles of its functioning, had the opportunity for talks and meetings with representatives of the UAE state administration (Minister Al Jaber, Undersecretary Al Suwaidi and their team from the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, as and the Minister of Climate Change and Environmental Protection Mariam Almeheiri), with representatives of the scientific, educational and innovation community of the UAE (Mohammed Bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence, Khalifa University, etc.) and their international partners (University of Manchester), but also with members of the governments and representatives of scientific research and innovation sectors of other countries, with which Montenegro shares priorities in the field of innovation and research and development (Saudi Arabia, Paraguay, Spain and Turkey)", the announcement states.
The meeting was hosted by Masdar, a state-owned company for renewable energy, which has its investments all over the world, including in Montenegro, and in the UAE is one of the carriers of sustainable development and the knowledge-based economy.
One of its key innovation projects is Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, a confluence of innovation, research and development, designed as a settlement that embodies sustainable urban development and the first city with zero carbon emissions, which is planned to achieve the mission of 2030 thousand inhabitants live.
The Montenegrin delegation at the Sustainability Week in Abu Dhabi from January 14 to 19, in addition to the minister, consisted of the head of the Department for International Cooperation, Smilja Kažić Vujačić, Aleksandra Mugoša from the Innovation Directorate and the head of the Ministry's cabinet, Tatjana Radović.
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