By Dipo Olowookere
The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with OAIRO Alliance, a British company specializing in smart technology and sustainability.
The agreement advocates for mutual cooperation in the sharing of expertise, research, and human capacity-building in the form of training and development. This directly ties-in with the School of Engineering’s ‘Al Bayt Al Kamel’ or ‘Zero-energy House’ project, in which it will construct an entirely self-sustainable home as part of the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018 competition.
As per the terms of the agreement, the Zero-energy House is just one of the areas in which OAIRO will be actively involved, giving the university access to their software, sensors, and experienced programming staff. OAIRO will also train AURAK’s staff and students in preparation for the competition.
Prof. Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, AURAK president, signed the agreement alongside Mr Bryan Saxby, CEO of OAIRO Alliance, while Prof. Mousa Mohsen, dean of the School of Engineering and director of RAK Research and Innovation Center, was also in attendance.
Commenting on the university’s latest partner, Prof. Al Alkim stated, “I am very excited about the upcoming competition. In OAIRO we have access to another industry expert to assist in the finer details of constructing a self-sustainable home. It is, of course, also great in that we can collaborate in research, finding solutions to energy-related issues and thus protect the environment.”
Bryan Saxby added, “We are delighted with this partnership, as it gives us the chance to work with students and support their projects, allowing them to put the theories they learn in the classroom into real, industry-relevant practice.
“This university also has a range of world-class researchers in their respective fields, so we are very excited to work with them. This relationship has great potential.”
AURAK and OAIRO have also agreed to collaborate in organizing academic conferences, research in fields such as energy storage and generation, and the holistic approach to the construction of smart homes. AURAK students will also have internship opportunities at the organization.
AURAK was selected to take part in the prestigious Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018 competition, organized by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy.
Modupe Gbadeyanka