The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) has signed a deal with the Dubai Municipality to facilitate knowledge sharing and manpower investment.

 

The memorandum of understanding will cover developing human resources in the areas of space science, remote sensing applications, space communications and navigation systems using global satellites.

 

Under the MoU, EIAST will provide Dubai Municipality with multi-spectral space images satellite and high quality Panchromatic images of Dubai. Dubai Municipality, on the other hand, will provide Ground Control Points, spatial and geographic data to support the projects and initiatives of EIAST.

 

The MoU also provided a platform to promote prospects for co-operation between the two parties through exchange of practical experiences and development of human resources in the areas of space and science, including space science, remote sensing applications, space communications and global navigation systems using satellites. 

 

Yousuf Al Shaibani, director general, EIAST, stressed the importance of building a fruitful cooperation with Dubai Municipality, meeting the highest scientific and technical competence standards. This is in support of the UAE’s vision to transform itself into a major hub for satellite manufacturing. 

 

He emphasised EIAST’s commitment to prioritise the future needs of Dubai Municipality in terms of developing engineering designs for satellites such as satellite images applications to contribute to the efforts of achieving comprehensive and sustainable development. 

 

Abdullah Mohammed Rafi, deputy general manager of engineering and planning, stressed that Dubai Municipality is keen on establishing strong co-operation and strategic inter-dependence with institutions and groups of public welfare and community services. The commitment demonstrates Dubai Municipality’s efforts to develop and create effective, easy-to-use, smart services for the community. 

 

EIAST will provide services to help train the staff of Dubai Municipality and refine their skills and technical capabilities through cooperation in the areas of research, training and exchange of information and knowledge as well as organizing conferences, workshops and shows related to applications of satellite imagery in remote sensing area and in the field of geographic information systems. The two parties will also co-operate in all areas, activities and systems to share data to serve the public interest in Dubai.

 

The two parties will form a joint working group to oversee the implementation of the MoU and ensure the exchange of data between them. They are also discussing the possibility of allowing Dubai Municipality’s various departments to use satellite images. 

 

The departments include Environmental Management, Survey Department and Department of Agriculture. The joint working group will also discuss the possibility of technical co-operation between the two parties so that EIAST could take into account the needs of the Municipality when designing the specifications of future satellites as well as when studying the programs and available tools. 

 

The working group will also ensure that the two parties will obtain the required data to face future challenges and to allow them to perform any task that may be assigned by either party and is required to implement the MoU. - TradeArabia News Service